Freedom...

Today is Memorial Day and it is a day we set aside to thank all of our nation's troops for the sacrifices they make or have made.  These sacrifices have given us the freedom that we enjoy each day.  Everyday that I leave my apartment I look at my USA flag uniform patch at the top of my door frame and I am moved.  I am moved to be the best I can and to know no matter how bad a day I may have it can never compare to the soldier's suffering and sacrifices.  I am thankful for that solider and their unwavering passion and love for our great nation.

I think that sometimes people in this country take their freedoms for granted and even abuse them.  I will state this early in my post...I am not going to talk about politics or debate anything with you so save your rhetoric.  This nation was founded on the will of the people. They were in search for a place to call home that guaranteed a certain way of life, a life of options and choices.  How do you think we got these choices or freedoms?

The blood of our young men and women.  That's how!

They gave all in the ultimate sacrifice in order to ensure the American dream and way of life.  This is not limited to the fighting for the USA.  Think of all the sacrifices American troops made to free so many innocent people during WWII and the sacrifices they are making right now in the effort to give people in the Middle East a better way of life.  They ask nothing in return accept to see their families and spend only precious few moments with the one's they love.  They may never have this opportunity again.  I ask that the next time you see one of our brave soldiers shake their hand, say thank you, and tell them you are proud of what they do.  That is all they need.  They need our support and to know that we Americans are behind them 100%.  I am, I support them, shake their hands, and if I see them at a restaurant or coffee shop I buy their meal or coffee for them.  This is my duty as an American...support the people that give me the chance to live my life.

Today I took part in the Trevor Win'E Memorial Day Challenge.  This is a charity that is supported by local Crossfit Affiliates and attempts to raise money to help purchase cooling vest, scarfs, and helmet liners for our soldiers over seas in the Middle East.  The workout was a team effort and was very challenging.  Many people left with torn up bloody hands but this is nothing compared to what Trevor went through and what many other American soldiers must deal with.  The workout was made up of 300 pull ups, 400 push ups, 500 sit ups, and 600 squats.  It was quite a challenge but it was for a good cause.  What did you do today to support our troops?

For anyone who reads my blog and does not Crossfit let me explain to you a few reason that Crossfit is amazing other than creating the best athletes in the world.  Crossfit supports and believes in our troops.  They have helped support the Wounded Warriors Foundation through a charity event every September.  They help support causes like Trevor Win'e Memorial Day Workout and do all of this not for Crossfit but for our troops.  Crossfit has also created a set of workouts called the "Hero WOD's".  These have been named for service men and women, law enforcement, and fire fighters who have died in the line of duty.  These workouts are unbelievably difficult and push you farther than you ever thought you could.  Some people may never be able to do these.  Below is a link to an article about the Hero WOD's, what they are, and some of the stories of the individuals that they are named for.

To Honor Our Fallen

Remember who you are and where you live.  Remember each day that you live in this great nation which affords you opportunities you have that others in this world may never have.

I love America and will always stand up for her and defend her.  I will gladly stand and protect her.  I hope that you have that same passion and would be the person to my left and right, never wavering and fearless.

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.
-Thucydides

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
 — General George S. Patton

A pear shapped America...

Tonight my post is going to be a little different.  Instead of talking about focus and training I need to vent about something I saw last night.  Kara (my Wife for all of you who don't know her) purchased tickets to a Cubs game for my birthday.  We had amazing seats, right behind home plate about 25 rows back from the field.  The seats were perfect, the weather was perfect, and energy of the crowd was perfect.  Everything was great, I sat back and relaxed and between batters and innings I looked around the crowd and at the people passing by our row and was appalled.  I was appalled by the health disasters walking all around me and the terrible influence they were being on their children.  I am not judging any one's ability to parent or whether or not they are good people...I was just truly worried about them.  People looked swollen, red faced, could barely walk up the ramps and stairs in the stadium, and were breathing as if they just did an 800meter sprint.   These people looked like most of us after "Fran" and all they had done was walk down an aisle.  What is going on here?

Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and a sedentary lifestyle!  That is what is going on!

I do not compare normal American's to me, my lifestyle, or my fellow crossfitters but I do compare them to an image of health and these people failed miserably.  It seemed like 90% of the crowd was like this.  I started to think harder about this and to question why and then I looked at all the food that was being sold by the vendors.  Hot dogs, beer, pretzels, licorice, ice cream, etc.  No wonder these people look like this...I think I saw some guy put down like 6 or 7 hot dogs that were fully involved.  Then I thought "I wonder if broccoli or apples would sell at ball parks?"  I started to laugh at the thought of the poor vendor that had to carry around a huge steamer full of broccoli and cauliflower...he would probable make 2 sales at the game...1 to me and 1 to my wife.  We had no hot dogs or  beer, but had opted for a couple waters.  This did not effect my level of enjoyment of the game, I was still able to walk home, and did not feel terrible afterwards.  I had a huge concern..."Where are we going to be as society in 20 years?"..."How much money am I going to have to pay in taxes to support all these people's health issues?".  I am not getting into any health care debates so save your rhetoric.  I am just simply saying that we as the fitness and health minded individuals need to get out there and show people why it works and how easy it can be.

Just like we have a responsibility to each other in our boxes to push each other and help each other we have the same responsibility to do this in our general community.  It makes me incredibly sad and depressed to see obese children.  They are going to have diabetes and massive other problems throughout their lives.  All they need to do is eat a little better and play outside.  They don't even play outside anymore!  They sit in front of the television eating billions of tons of processed foods and sugar and become piles of fat.  Let's get out there and create safer communities so they can play outside.  Let's get involved in after school programs and rec league sports.  If you want to raise my taxes to pay for stuff I will gladly fork over my money to help children become safer and healthier. 

How can we do this?  How can we influence our communities?

Invite school age children into our local crossfits.  Teach them fitness and make it fun for them.  During this class teach the parents a little about nutrition and appropriate portions.  It could have amazing impacts like less medicated children.  What a great world we could create.  We could be called the Crosslit legionnaires!  We are campaigning to save our youth, to ensure a safer future, and to make a better America!

I am not sure this is possible or will happen but we can try.  I am not sure if I will ever have children but some day if I do I would like my children to set an example for the friends.  To be healthy kids, eat a fun and healthy diet, to play and grow up in crossfit gyms, and to be a great human! 

Back to last night.  You can only help people that want to help themselves.  I was not about to walk up to some guy drinking beers and eating hot dogs and say hey why aren't you drinking water and eating green leafy vegetables.  This guy would probably laugh at me and think I am a total crazy person.  I idea here is listen to the people you interact with everyday.  Maybe someone at work looks up to your levels of fitness and health...guide them and show them the way.  Teach them what you know and give them the tools to be the best they can be.  This will have a trickle down effect.  They will teach their family and friends who will teach their family and friends and eventually one day the difference will be evident.

Just like my other post topics this will take tons of work and effort but we can't give up.  We need to keep working and being the strong voice.  We are the products of our consumptions.  You make poor nutritional and health choices and in return you will be a person of sub par health and productivity.

Make each of our choices count no matter how big or small!  These choices will reverberate in more ways than you can ever imagine.  I hope that all of you make the tough decision to eat healthy, keep working hard at your box, and undertake the challenge of making somebody you know a better person. 

GOOD LUCK!  Nothing worth having ever came easy...it came with sacrifice, diligence, and faith.  Put your faith in the greater good of the human condition and into a higher power that will lead you when you are lost.  Sometimes faith and hard work is all we need. 

"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”
-Patrick Overton

Running out of time...

Today was my 30th birthday!  I was pretty excited about today and to celebrate with Kara and my friends.  The more I thought about my birthday the more I started to reflect on my training and competing in the games.  I thought to myself I am 30 years old I don't have that many good years left.  Everything is going to become more difficult.  I will not recover as fast, movements may slow down, and many other bad thoughts.  After a great conversation this morning with one of the coaches at WCCF I got another point of view.  This point of view was "there's plenty of time... just keep training".  There is always the master's class and I have 20 years to train for that!

I changed my thinking.  I am only 30 years old.  That is great!  I have only been doing Crossfit for a little over 9 months and have tons of room for improvement.  I am fired up!  Time to get after it...really push the extremes.  I need to look at my training in a whole new manner.  I need to understand how to recover more effectively, hone in my nutrition, and make all my lift techniques perfect.  Imagine where I will be this time next year.  I will be a whole year stronger, faster, and more efficient.  What is the plan for this upcoming year?

TO HAVE FUN!

That's right I said have fun.  I never want Crossfit to become something I stress over.  I want it to be my outlet for stress and to make me feel great.  I want to train hard and be competitive but at the same time I do not want it to become a chore or work like.  Crossfit is an amazing sport.  You can push yourself beyond you limit everyday and you become better for it.  Why would you want to turn this into something that you stress out about.  I do not feel this makes me any less motivated as a Crossfitter instead I think it will make me a better Crossfitter.  I will have the advantage of perfect focus.  Entering the box everyday and knowing I am there for 2 purposes: to get better as an athlete and to have fun will be very important.  You cannot let the one thing in your life that makes you happy become a new source of stress and anxiety.

What is your plan over the next year?

Whether you made it into the games or not you will need to improve on your level of fitness.  Will you hang your head and become frustrated or will you look into the future and train to become a better athlete?  Only you can decide which it will be.  You can have the best coaches in the world, the best Crossfit community, or the best box in the world but if you do not commit to being a better athlete you might as well not show up.  I don't want to train around someone that is feeling sorry for themselves.  Get over it, move on, and get better.  Use that awful taste of defeat to motivate you training.  Understand that your improvements will always help with the next challenge and that everything has happened for a reason.

If you ever need support in the box I am here.  If you have lost your focus I will give you it.  As a member of the Crossfit community it is important that we pull our friends along.  If you see someone suffering or down after a WOD pick them up.  Not just physically but mentally and emotionally.  We can only become a better community if we all work towards the end result of becoming the best athletes possible. 

Take pride in your efforts, never stop working, and become a student of the sport.  Read articles, go to seminars, perfect your nutrition and supplementation, and most of all improve who you are.  Become the athlete you want to be because  it will happen if you up in the blood, sweat, and work.   

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
-Gail Devers

The desire to be better...

The affiliate team tryouts were a great experience.  Gave me some great perspective and identified where my training needs improve.  I am pretty good at body weight stuff, chippers, and Olympic lifting but I am week in running and rowing.  I need to improve those areas.  Need to train them harder and become more efficient at these.  Great....How do I do that?

I have been dwelling on this for a week to no end.  I need to be better, I need to improve, I need to better myself.  The problem is I am not sure I know exactly how to become a better rower or a better runner.  I am sure like most things in Crossfit it is just working at it but there are some inherent problems with just working at it.  Let's look at a few:

# 1:  How do I fit this extra training into an already busy schedule and still maintain an effective amount of rest?
#2:  How do I overcome some basic structural hurdles that comes with a small frame?
#3:  Where do I find a training program, schedule, or method that will actually work?
and #4:  Will all this training actually pay off, will it get me the results I want?

I don't want to sound like a pessimist but those are some serious hurdles to cross.  Let's see if there are some answers.  The first problem isn't really a problem.  I have a rest day twice a week.  I can exchange the rest days for endurance training.  Do this for about 3 weeks at a time and then follow with a rest week from the endurance training. 

Next problem being of small stature.  Well I can't change that unless I get shin implants and that's not going to happen and it would probably make the problem worse.  This is where just working at these challenges is the answer.  I just need to train the run and the row and make them as efficient as possible.  Push my training so hard that any amount of running or rowing in a WOD will be no big deal.

Training programs, schedules, and methods for the endurance challenges can easily be answered by going to the http://www.crossfitendurance.com/ website.  They have daily endurance planning and WOD's designed to improve these areas.  I will tackle these when possible. 

Problem number 4 is not a problem if I stick to the 3 answers and goals above.  The training will pay off and I will become a better rower and runner.  This does not mean that I am going to be the best runner or rower in the box but I will be better than I am now. 

Sometimes during our training we hit walls that seem too difficult to get over.  The challenge seems to be impossible.  It may be a certain PR that you want to hit or a skill that you want to do but you cannot master it...how to do you get past these problem.  First look at your goal... is it realistic.  I sure as heck would love to clean 300lbs but it is not going to happen any time in the near future.  It will only come with a ton of work and perfecting my technique.  SET REALISTIC GOALS.  Set goals that you can obtain and which will be steps forward towards you ultimate goal. 

Second look at your mental attitude towards it.  Has the PR or skill become toxic to your work ethic or your training focus.  If the PR or skill has negatively effected your metcons or training you need to ditch it.  Stop putting so much energy into it.  Step away from it, train and focus on other PR's or skills and then return to original PR or skill when you have fresh and positive mental energy and focus. 

Third assess your actual physical training.  Is your training actually helping you attain this PR or skill.  If you want to squat 400lbs but all you are training is shoulder press or pull ups your training is not beneficial to attaining your goals.  Understand what your end result needs to be and the steps it will take to get there.  Train the squat, train the clean, and work WOD's that will focus effort into your legs and back. 

Most of all never give up.  Understand that you will hit walls during you training.  You will have great days and you will have terrible days.  You will have days where all you want to do is give up.  You will have days where your goal will be just within reach.  Step back and reflect.  Consistency and perseverance will get you what you want.  It is not the good day or the great feeling it is the discipline in your training.  Suffer through the tough days and soak up the great days but always keep your mental focus and attitude where it needs to be.  Set small goals that you can achieve.  With each small goal you achieve you will get closer and closer to your ultimate goal.  With each milestone that you achieve you will be adding positive energy to your focus and will build up your confidence.

There is always a way to be better and to improve yourself.  It will come time and dedication.  Make every lift, rep, and WOD count.  Get after it and go 100%. 

"Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.”
-Anonymous

Exhaustion...

Yesterday was a less than perfect day for me.  I was exhausted, could barely keep moving and felt horrible.  My nutrition was good, I wasn't sick, I had been sleeping through the night...what was going on?  Let's break down my typical Thursday.

5am wake up.  530am at Grant Park to run bootcamp.  830am to 6pm at work.  630pm at Lincoln Park for bootcamp. 730pm Olympic lifting class and metcon.  Home at 845pm dinner at 9 pm. Blog, and take Mable for a walk...Bed at 1045pm.  Repeat this or a very similar variation 6 more times and you have my week.  I had been doing this for the past 2 months non-stop.  Yesterday I hit a brick wall.  All my energy was depleted. 

On top of my usual rotine and work load this week has been the Windy City Crossfit Affiliate Team Tryouts.  These days have been mentally and physically exhausting.  Pushing your body past it's breaking point day after day.  I completed the first three WOD's on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Thursday came and I decided to retake a rest day.  No WOD, the fourth WOD would wait until Friday morning.  I still planned on completing the rest of my usual day but that quickly changed.  It was 6 pm and I was supposed to be out of work but that did not happen.  I got out of work at 615pm and could not make to bootcamp.  There was not enough time for me to change and drive down to Lincoln Park...mainly because traffic at that time of the day is terrible.  I went home exhausted and pissed off.

When I walked into my apartment I went to find my trusty ole hound dog Mable and to give her a pet and play with her.  She is amazing.  She takes all of my problems away, I sit with her and pet her, throw her toy and she looks at me, drooling and wagging her tail and always wanting more.  What an amazing and simple joy to be the owner of a wonderful dog.  I love her to no end.  She has been by my side everyday for the past 4 years.  She was there when I first met my wife, when we got engaged, when we got married, when we moved to NC and back to Chicago...she has been there for everything.  She trusts me and I trust her...we are best friends.  Sorry to ramble.  She was laying on our spare bed and sleeping.  I walked over to her, she started to wag her tail for before I got there and I decided I needed to sleep.  I laid down next to Mable and I was out.  I woke up 4 hrs later to eat dinner at 10pm.  I needed the fuel to have energy for this morning's WOD.  I was back in bed by 1030pm after taking Mable for a walk and next thing I know it is 545am.  Time to get up, grab my gear, and off to Crossfit.  I felt great.  I was happy, I was recharged, and was ready to go.

I was shocked how I needed to rest.  Usually a rest day for me just means I don't do a WOD or lift.  I would still do all the other things in my day.  I guess a rest day means REST.  Who would have thought that?  Not me...I didn't get the point.  I thought that if I rested I would fall behind on my work or training...turns out that theory is completely wrong and stupid. 

It is incredibly important to rest on your rest day.  Not just from Crossfit but from everything.  Eat right, drink lots of water, stretch, and SLEEP!  Your body needs it and requires it for optimum performance.  Next time your rest day pops up think about it.  Are you really resting?  Rest is programmed into certain WOD's to deliver n desired effect.  The effect is be able to go to your max each round following the rest.  The same is true with your day of rest.  Take your rest day but get back into the box immediately.  Pick up where you left off and fire all your potential and effort into the WOD. 

Without rest all your training and effort will fall to waste.  You will not make gains, not hit PR's, and not be the athlete you should be.  You will be a frustrated and tired athlete.  Do not over train but instead train intelligently.  You cannot become Captain Crossfit by doing three a days every day for the rest of your life.  You will become a broken Crossfitter and will end up sitting on the side watching all your friends suffer.  Do not end up like me yesterday, barely able to function and a mess.  Take your rest, enjoy it, and breath. 

"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.”
- Ralph Martson

Underestimating...

We have all been there at some point in our lives.  We look at a task and say to ourselves "that doesn't look so bad"...man were we ever wrong!  Underestimating a challenge can have severe consequences and be extremely detrimental to the outcome of the task.

When was the last time you underestimated a task?  I can tell you about the first time that I honestly can remember this happening...here goes!

I was a freshman in high school and trying out for the wrestling team.  There was a junior varsity team and a varsity team and we always practiced together.  In order to be the wrestler that represented any weight class on the roster you needed to be the best of the people at your weight.  This was determined by a "wrestle off".  For example let's take the 140lb weight class.  If there were 5 guys on the team that weighed 140lbs only 1 would be the weight class starter.  They would wrestle each other in practice in a full match until the wrestler with most wins was named and then he would be the starter.  It was very competitive and exhausting both mentally and physically.  Now that you understand this let's move on.

So I was a freshman and there were only two of us that could wrestle at the 103lb weight class and no one currently in that spot on the varsity team.  Our coach decided that he would make the 2 of us wrestle off and the winner was the varsity wrestler and the loser was the junior varsity wrestler.  I thought to my self "simple enough, beat that other guy and I got a varsity spot". HOW HARD COULD THIS BE!   Ha...I was way off.  I had never wrestled a full match in my life and had a very limited skill set.  Turns out my opponent had been wrestling since he was a little kid and had a very large skill set.  I had no idea.  I stepped up to my opponent and we went at it.  I was stronger and more athletic than him so I got my points where I could but I did not have any wrestling knowledge.  Every time I scored a point my opponent would score two.  During the third period I hung my head too low and he caught me in a head lock and dropped me to the mat.  I was screwed...I looked at the coach and said "I don't think I can breath what do I do".  His response was..."If you can talk you can breath. Don't get pinned and fight to get up".  I thought to myself "easy for you to say" but it was just that simple.  Don't give up, fight for you life, and don't get beat.   What lesson did I learn during that match?

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A CHALLENGE!
 
I think this has happened to all of us at one time or another in Crossfit.  We look at WOD and say that shouldn't be too bad.  The weight isn't really heavy, the rep scheme isn't super high, or the AMRAP is short.  I am going to smoke this workout!  Man were we ever wrong!  Every time we think like this the exact opposite happens...the not so bad WOD beats us into the ground and laughs at us as it walks away.  I hate when that happens, it is extremely frustrating.  If we had only had the right focus and approached the WOD like any other workout and gave the same intensity the WOD would have still beat us up but you would have gotten more from it.

Never underestimate what  a WOD will require.  It does not need to have the most complex moves, the heaviest weights, or the most reps to be challenging.  Think about how you feel after you complete "Cindy".  All it is pull ups, push ups, and squats...how hard can that be.  We all know it is terribly difficult.  Just as we train our bodies we need to train our minds and our focus.  We need to be disciplined in our mental approach to WODs and training.  If we continue to underestimate skills, lifts, and WOD's we are just setting ourselves up for failure.  We will never truly get what we need from these challenges.  

I heard a great wrestling coach once say "wrestling is 80% mental and 20% physical.  You can be the strongest man on the mat but you will always lose to a smart wrestler.  He will learn you weakness, see that your only weapon is strength, and will make you suffer".  I have never forgotten this and I often feel that Crossfit and it's WOD's are my opponent.  If I allow the workouts to be the smarter wrestler it will beat me down and get the best of me but if I approach the workout with the right mental focus the WOD has nothing on me.  It will still make me feel extreme levels of pain, I will still be exhausted, but I get more out of the challenge. 

Be smart, use your weapons, understand you strengths and how to apply them.  Never underestimate the skill sets in a WOD or it's design and approach it like it is the most difficult challenge in the world.

"It's not what's happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.”
-Anthony Robbins

Confidence and it's amazing powers...

Tonight was the second of four tryouts for the Windy City Crossfit Affiliate team.  This WOD was extremely challenging with a combination of pure strength and skill.  We had to complete three rounds for time of 7 ground to over head at 185lbs and 50 double unders.  It was extremely challenging going from a heavy skilled movement to a quick skilled movement.  This WOD really tested us.

All day today I had a lack of confidence.  I was very uncertain of how I was going to perform tonight after last night's WOD.  It is difficult to pick yourself back up after suffering such a huge mental and emotional defeat.  Even as I entered WCCF tonight and started to warm up I was very uncertain of myself.  The earlier class' bars looked extremely heavy.  The weight was pounding the ground with an Earth shaking thud!  Instead of firing me up it was making me feel more and more nauseous.  The anxiety was killing me... it was eating me alive.

The line up was set for the first heat.  I volunteered to go first because I could not stand to wait another minute.  I stepped up to the bar and started.  The weight was moving and the anxiety was gone.  It was all focus and effort at this point.  I knew I needed to just work until I was done and could not do another movement.  I punched through the WOD and it felt great.  All the feelings of self doubt and lack of confidence were gone.  I was by no means happy or satisfied but I had my confidence back.

What is Confidence?  What does it do for you?

Confidence gives me the strength to overcome the largest of challenges.  Confidence is not an easy thing to have...it has to be earned and proven.  Without confidence there would be very little that I could accomplish in life and at Crossfit.  This was completely evident all day today.  I was not sure that I would live up to my expectations and complete the WOD the way I wanted to tonight.  I felt lost all day, not thinking correctly and had a complete lack of focus.  I felt like I had no idea how to approach this challenge and if I was even going to be able to move the weight.  This was ridiculous... I can clean and jerk 255lbs surely I can clean and jerk 185lbs.  I needed to snap out of this and do it quickly.  The WOD started, I pushed through it and finished in a time that I was okay with.  Tonight when I finished I had a smile on my face...that was more like it.  I loved the burning of my muscles, the complete exhaustion, and knowing that I did my best and it was good enough!

Even more amazing tonight than me regaining my confidence was watching everyone else work and suffer through this WOD.  Some of the athletes struggled through every single clean and jerk even missing 2 or 3 before completing 1 successful lift.  Even though this was very difficult for them they never gave up.  They had so much mental and emotional strength.  All of this translated into confidence.  They were confident in the ability and it showed.  They finished...they never let the WOD beat them.  It was inspiring to watch and was one of the greatest displays of determination that I have ever seen. 

As Crossfitters we put an extreme amount of effort and focus into going faster, lifting more weight, and working more efficiently.  This singular way of thinking can sometimes cause us to forget what is really fueling all of this...CONFIDENCE.  Without confidence we would doubt ourselves during every lift, never push to our full capacity in the WOD's, and we would never push outside of our save zone.  If you feel that you are lacking confidence remember what you have done in life, think about all the people that love you and support you, and look inside yourself to see what you are really made of.  Most of all have complete confidence in who you are and what you are! 

"You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”
- Rosalynn Carter

Frustrations and Postive Outcomes...

Have you ever been in a position where no matter how hard you work and no matter how hard you try it is never enough?  I have!  I think what you do after those situations is more important than anything else.  You have 2 options at this point.  1) Go home sulk, complain, and be consumed by it or 2.) Understand the limitations of your body, what your gifts and ability are, harness the strengths and work the weakness.  Which option do you think I would recommend choosing?  The obviously correct answer...#2! 

I have a pretty significant height disadvantage and with tonight's WOD being rowing and running I knew it would be very difficult for me.  All day long I stressed about this WOD.  How am I going to be competitive in this event.  The answer is try my best, make up me time on the run if possible and do consistent work on the row.  I did this, stuck to my plan and went as hard as I could.  It was not enough.  There is no fairy tale ending tonight, no PR's, no great times, just an overwhelming sense of disappointment and frustration. 

I need to vent and give you all a bit of history.  Tonight was the first time in a long that I felt my short stature being a disadvantage and a hindrance.  I always knew that it was more difficult for me to row then the taller men and knew that the best rowers in the world are taller guys but that has never stopped me from hopping on a rower and going to work.  I was rowing next to some amazing athletes tonight who both have at 9 to 10 inches on me...maybe even a foot.  I was rowing an almost identical pace but was pulling 2 strokes for every 1 of theirs.  On top of this frustrating observation they finished each row 50 to 60 meters ahead of me and had a head start on the run.  When I was growing up I was always much smaller than my classmates.  In middle school I repeatedly had my head shut in the lockers.  I would be getting my books out and someone would kick me in the back and shut my locker.  The top would lock shut and my head would be stuck in the bottom.  I tried and tried to not let this happen but it wasn't enough so it just would keep happening.  At lacrosse practice my teammates would push me around and one guy pushed me so hard into a goal post that he chipped the teeth in the front of my mouth and then laughed at me.  I could not do anything...just deal with it. 

When I got to high school I tried out for football.  I was 90 lbs and short but I never gave up.  My coach told my team he would rather have 50 guys like me than the biggest strongest player because I had heart, I fought for every inch of ground I stood on, and never stopped trying.  That was the beginning of my transformation.  I started to have some confidence and started to believe in myself..."maybe being short and small wasn't that bad".  Again it was!  I got pushed and shoved into the football lockers, got spitballs shot into my eyes, stuff taken from me and this was all done by my teammates.  When I walked down the hall at school I often would get kicked or pushed.  One time a guy whose name I will never forget kicked me so hard in the back I flew into a coke machine fell down in front of a hall full of people and then he and his girlfriend stood over me and laughed.  I picked myself up and went about my business.  This happened until I was junior in high school when I finally was strong enough to stop people from hurting me on a daily basis.

Where is this going?  Tonight when I was at such a disadvantage I started to feel like freshman Patrick but the bully this time was me.  I was beating myself up after the WOD because I expected myself to do something that no matter how hard I train or work just isn't in my deck of cards.  This doesn't mean that I won't train it or work at it...it just means I can't expect to row like the Olympians...I can only expect to row to the best of my potential. 

I talked with my Dad tonight because he too is small guy and has had to deal with this his whole life.  He said that being short is not fair but it is how God made you.  You have gifts that others don't and you are better for it.  You have worked your whole life to be the best you can even though most of your life your best has never been good enough.  I watched you work so hard, always giving more than others, and always putting in the extra effort and it has given you a lot.  He had a statement that really put it into perspective and it is funny..."you can't go up to a squirrel and ask it to lay an egg because you want an egg for breakfast".  He said "even if that squirrel wants to lay an egg for you no matter how hard it tries it won't happen".  I think what he meant was even if I want to be an amazing rower and to keep pace with my crossfit friends it won't always happen and no matter how hard I try it won't always happen.  He said take that effort and focus it on things that will make you a better athlete, don't always focus on your weakness.  It is important to train them but it is even more important to continue to train what you are good at. 

I still feel very defeated and frustrated but it will not take away from the rest of this week.  I will try even harder now in the rest of try out wods and will keep my chin up.  It will not be a failure if I know that at the end of the week I tried my best.  Perspective in the face of a challenge can often provide the most direct path to attaining the goal at the end of the challenge. 

I applaud all my friends at WCCF tonight for their out of this world performances.  I am proud of my effort tonight, I am proud of my frustration, but I am most proud of who I am and what I am made up.  I am made of patience, commitment, compassion, tenacity, understanding, and an undying will to keep working. 

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
- Mario Andretti

                           My hound dog Mable.  She is unrelenting in her ability to be an amazing friend!

Personal Records...

Tonight at olympic lifting class it was the end of a 12 week training cycle and we were given the opportunity to max out on three lifts: the snatch, the clean and jerk, and the back squat.  When I found this out I was a little doubtful that tonight was going to be the night for me to do this.  I have been going pretty hard, I have been tired, and I am still adjusting to a new schedule/routine and box.  I had to put this out of my mind and attack the lifts. I grabbed my platform and it was on.  I was going to pick really heavy stuff up off the ground and put it over my head. 

The snatch was the first lift.  It is a very technical lift and is extremely difficult to do well.  I admit that my form is not perfect on these lifts but it is getting better.  I have a bad habit of letting the bar travel out and away from my body instead of straight up my body.  Despite this flaw I pushed through it.  I worked up to my previous PR of 185 lbs and caught it.  Next I put 195 lbs on the bar and snatched it.  The bar travel too far away from my body and I missed the lift.  I was FURIOUS!  I wanted to beat the 200lb mark.  I backed away from the bar, collected my thoughts and attempted again.  I CAUGHT IT!  I was floored I just caught 195 lbs.  Next I decided lets go past the 200 lb mark and try 205 lbs.  I caught it on the first try.  I CAUGHT IT!  Again I was floored.  I had been working towards this since the Wilkes Olympic Lifting seminar back in February.  I decided to try my next goal 215 lbs.  The snatch went up got it into the catch position but could not hold on to it.  It was a good place to stop.  215 lbs will come another day.

Next was the clean and jerk.  I warmed up going from 135 lbs to 225 lbs with relative ease.  I knew that my old PR of 245 lbs would be hard to hit but I was feeling confident and knew it was just mind over matter.  The next lift was 235 lbs and I nailed it.  Next was 245 lbs and that went easy.  I decided to jump another 10 lbs and attempt 255 lbs.  The first time the clean went easy and the snatch made it 90% of the way up and I lost it.  I did not drop deep enough into the snatch and was unable to lock it out.  I backed away from the platform, took some advice and encouragement from Coach Will and thought about the lift.  I stepped back on the platform and nailed it.  It went up easy.  I was excited and overjoyed.  255 lb clean and jerk...100lbs over my body weight.  The training has been paying off. 

The last lift of the night was the back squat.  My previous PR was 355 lbs and I was not sure what was going to happen with this lift.  I had already pushed beyond my previous limits on the 2 previous lifts and now I had to reset my mind and attack the back squat.  I warmed up through the weights from 135 lbs to 315 lbs.  For some reason 315 lbs seemed difficult and my confidence was wavering.  I dropped that bad attitude and got my head back in the game.  I threw 335 lbs on the bar...down and up no problem.  345 lbs and 355 lbs went the same way.  Okay time for a PR.  I put 365lbs on the bar.  I got underneath the bar, stepped back, and then down and up.  Right knee came in a bit but the lift went up.  I got my third PR for the night...365 lb back squat.  I was amped up but exhausted.  I could not wait to tell Kara what I had done.  She was very excited for me and told me that she and Mable needed to get me a cape.  I laughed and said I don't think so.  It is time to get back to work.

I would have not reached these PR's without a combination of hard work and great programming.  I was very fortunate to have a great strength bias at Crossfit Durham and to enter an amazing oly lifting box at Windy City Crossfit.  I am extremely pleased with these PR's but there are more desires and expectations on my horizon.  I want to train hard and push my limits even more.

Anything is possible if you put your mind, heart, and effort into it.  It is extremely important to have goals when it comes to crossfit.  You should have 2 types of goals: realistic goals and fantasy goals.  Realistic goals are goals that you can realistically achieve in the course of your immediate training and fantasy goals are goals that you can't imagine reaching but if you did it would be best thing in the world.

I wish you all the best of luck with the pursuit of your goals and conquering your weakness.  Never give up.  Every time you lift make every part of the movement count.  Every time you WOD push yourself to your breaking point.  Most of all never give up and never be satisfied, stay hungry and you will rise to levels you never before thought you could.

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
- Gail Devers

Integrity...

Integrity.  What does integrity mean to you?  Do you have integrity? 

Integrity is the adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.  Based on this definition alone having integrity is an extremely difficult character trait.  Integrity is not a trait that is easily expressed or maintained by most people.  It takes a great deal of courage, confidence, and strength to have integrity.  It is adhering to your morals or a community's moral code in the face of a challenge.  A lot of people talk about integrity or claim to have integrity but has it ever been tested.

The first time I remember having my integrity tested as an adult was when I was at Officer Candidate School for the United States Marine Corps.  I was running through 4 feet of water on route to a simulated small arms fire fight on an enemy bunker.  I heard a voice in the distance yell "Rifle up Candidate Curtis".  I responded "huh..oh yeah".  The voice immediately got closer and become 100 times more harsh and angry.  I had disrespected by Platoon Commander in front of our entire training company.  Let's just say I made a massive mistake.  As I finished plowing through the water and was on dry land I was given a 1000 word essay to be completed on my free time about situational awareness where only words of 4 letters or more counted.  This was going to be difficult because our free time was between 2200hrs(10pm) and 0500hrs(5am) and we were to be sleeping during this time.  Lights were out what was I going to do?

After this training exercise we returned to our squad bay to clean our rifles first and then to clean up ourselves.  Rifles were always taken care of first because they will keep a Marine alive in battle and they needed to function perfectly every time the trigger is pulled.  My Platoon Commander told me that he would approach me once we returned to the squad bay to give me more specific instructions about my punishment. 

Well this had not happened.  Hours had passed and he was not clarifying his instructions.  I looked deep within myself and asked the question "what should I do?"  I was raised to be honest and accepting of the consequences for my actions.  I decided to go to my Platoon Commander's office.  There was very specific protocol for entering the Drill Instructor's and Platoon Commanders office/sleeping quarters.  A candidate had to stand by the door, bang three times on the wall, then state Good Evening Platoon Commander Captain America Candidate Curtis requests permission to enter.  You needed to wait for a reply and then if entrance was granted you would smack the wall once more and state Candidate on deck.  I stood at attention, very nervous and scared, and asked my Platoon Commander what the guidelines were for my punishment.  He had forgotten all about it.  I was floored, he was a human, he had forgotten.  He stated to me "Candidate Curtis you just showed me great integrity and caused yourself more work than you already have".  The guidelines were the same nothing changed, but my character was no longer in question in the mind of my Platoon Commander.  That night before and after my fire watch duty I completed my assignment.  I was proud that I had done the work, I kept my integrity.  My moral code was not broken and stood strong against a large test.

Where is this going?  Crossfit requires an amazing amount of integrity.  We are given strength programming and WOD's everyday and are expected by trusting coaches and friends to keep a proper count, do all the required rounds, and  not cheat in any fashion.  Without integrity people could make up all kinds of things, inflate their scores, skip rounds, and not complete the exercises properly.  As we progress through the games season Crossfitters around the world have the integrity of their training challenged.  The integrity for effective training and completing WOD's and skills properly will have massive impacts on their performance. 

Next time you enter your box think to yourself...Do I have integrity?  Am I giving my best effort?  When you are squatting are you going all the way down, when you are doing pull ups is your chin clearing the bar every time?  If it is not get it there, train harder, do not sacrifice the integrity of the skill or WOD.  Do what is expected of you.  Make the hard decision to do the hard work. 

"One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.”
-Chinua Achebe

"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.”
- W. Clement Stone

My brother Quinlon and me at my USMC Graduation. 

Setting the example

What does it mean to be an example?  When I was growing up I was always told to be a good example for my brothers.  I am the oldest of 3 boys and it was always interesting.  Being the oldest meant that I had to experience everything first...the good and the bad.  No matter the situation I was always expected to set the example.  This was an example of what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.  I had no idea how to do any of these things...I just did what I thought was right. 

Was it always the right thing?  No!  Sometimes my example was the completely wrong thing to do and I hoped that my brothers would not follow that example and do the opposite instead.  It was very hard always being expected to set a good example for my brothers but I did it because I knew that's what needed to be done. 

As I got into high school I had the added responsibility of setting the example for my teammates.  This encompassed everything on and off the field.  On weekends are parties I was always sober, never drinking alcohol.  I would drink Gatorade and wait to take the keys away from friends that had way too much to drink...I was a total nerd.  I always knew that by doing this I was setting the best example I could.  I was a team captain in all the sports I played and thought that as a leader I needed to set the bar high and help others to try and reach that same level.  With some of my friends and teammates it worked and with others it never did.  I guess that is how our world works. 

How do you set the example?  What do you do in your community, in your family, or at work to set a good example?  How do you set the example in your Crossfit box?

People always think that it is the fire breather in the Crossfit box that sets the example.  I contest that!  The fire breathers do set an example and do raise a bar that most people only hope to achieve but there are many others that can do that too.  I love to watch the less gifted, less skilled Crossfitter who will never give up.  Pushes to the last possible second and is driven on guts and tenacity.  I think that raises a bar that even some of the best Crossfitters can't reach.  These people set an example and it is a powerful example.  The example they are showing us is...quitting is never an option, I will never stop working, and I gave it all to that WOD.  I am not sure how many of us can say that every time when approach a WOD we can give that same level of commitment. 

Another person in the Crossfit community that has to provide a great example is the coach.  When I was coaching at Crossfit Durham I always did the daily WOD's in a class I wasn't teaching.  I did the same thing all of my friends were going to do.  If they saw me suffering I knew that I would earn their respect.  Some coaches I have been around will not do the same WOD as the class or will not WOD around the classes.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that but I do feel your Crossfitters will begin to respect you more if you sweat and bleed with them.  It's the old saying..."actions speak louder than words".  What you do in presence of people who trust you means more than anything you can say.

I set an example of hard work, tenacity, and respect.  Everyday I walk through the doors to Windy City Crossfit I know that I cannot let anyone in that box down.  It is a great community and there are so many great athletes there.  We all try and be the best example that we can for everyone else in the box.  The individuals that graduate from the on ramp program need guidance in the world of Crossfit.  They may ask questions but more likely they will just watch the box's fire breathers.  These people need to do every movement the best they can, do every lift as technically sound as possible, and interact appropriately in the box and in the Crossfit community.  This is called social learning and we humans are great at it. 

Everyday you enter you box think to yourself...what kind of example am I being?  If you don't like it then change it.  Poor attitudes, lack of integrity, and lack of work ethic will never have a place in a Crossfit that I am training at.  Set your bars high, set expectations that seem impossible to achieve, and never give up.  NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP!  I will always be there to lift you up at the end of a WOD, to give you praise, to help you challenge yourself, and to help you reach your goals.  That is the example I want to set.  I will never let you fail as a friend and a fellow Crossfitter.

"Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance. It cannot be coaxed or bribed; pay the price and it is yours.”
 -Orson Swett Marden

Injuries, Health and frustration...

Two months ago I was at work doing some work on a microscope and realized that I was not breathing properly.  I was taking large gasps of air and not breathing in a normal rhythm.  I started to get a little anxious about this and thought to myself what the heck is happening.  I work so hard at Crossfit, train religiously, eat the best diet possible....what is my problem!  I was angry with myself and being stubborn I waited it out another couple of hours.  Finally I decided that I needed to go to the doctor.  I arrive at the doctor and they put me in an exam room.  I hate exam rooms, they smell too sterile and bad things always seem to happen in them.  Sorry for the digression.  A nurse collects my vitals, listens to my chest, asks me some questions about family history and medications and then leaves.  I told the nurse that I was having trouble breathing and my chest was wheezing.  In reality there was an audible rattle with each breath that could be heard without a stethoscope. 

Next the physician's assistant visits me.  Again we discuss my medical history.  Drive home the point that I do not smoke and never have.  I rarely drink alcohol and eat as healthy a diet as possible.  The doctor was concerned that I may have fluid around my heart or that a heart condition was causing fluid to build in my lungs.  I attempted to explain Crossfit to her and told her that if I had a heart condition I would definitely already know it.  She listened to me and stuck my finger in pulseoximeter.  This is a device that takes your pulse rate and measures the oxygen saturation of your blood.  Pulse was great...in the low 60's but the oxygen saturation was not....it was only 92% and should be no less that 98%.  The doctor looked at me and said "I usually send people to the hospital at 93% because they are flat out and purple...you must be either extremely tough or in incredible cardiovascular shape or both".  I told her it was both and we laughed.  I again tried to explain Crossfit and she told me I was crazy.  She basically said that I was having some kind of severe allergic reaction that was causing inflammation in my lungs and trapping fluid in my chest.  I had bilateral pneumonia due to allergic reactions. 

She decided to give me a nebulizer treatment and stated "that this usually helps most people get the inflammation down".  They nurse hooked me up to the machine and ran to treatment.  They retested my SpO2 and it was only 94%.  They decided to do it again and again they got the same result at 94%.  At this point they got worried because this treatment wasn't working.  They consulted me on what I wanted to do and on what my options were.  I told them I was not going to the hospital and to do whatever they thought was the next best option.  The nurse came in and placed and IV catheter.  They pulled 20 cc of blood for allergy testing and gave me an injection of solu-medrol which is a strong injectable steroid.  They gave me prescriptions for an inhaler, oral antibiotics, and oral prednisone.  I was very nervous and still was not feeling much better.  SpO2 came up to 96% and they sent me on the way.

After a 5 day rest from Crossfit I got back into the gym and was pulling the best splits of my life on the row.  I guess being able to breath and bring in the right amount of oxygen is important.  The results of my allergy test were back.  Turns out I have a few allergies.  Allergic to egg whites, almonds, peanuts, kiwi, hazelnut, some trees and grasses, latex, and a mild allergen to wheat.  I was eating egg whites, almonds, almond butter, and kiwi's everyday.  I was causing massive amounts of inflammation due to ingesting these foods all the time.  I started to immediately eliminate them from my diet and had to readjust my nutrition.  You would think this would have helped but 3 weeks later I was back to where I started.

I was back at wheezing and struggling to breath.  I was sent to a respiratory specialist with Duke Medical and told that I have horrific post nasal drip and that this is all due to allergies.  They tested me for asthma on a huge respiration machine and there is no evidence of asthma...I actually have an above normal lung capacity (due to my Crossfit training).  I was given a prescription nasal spray and told to take something like claritin or zyrtek.  I agreed to this and I was off taking pills and squirting stuff up my nose.  I hated this...I hate taking medications.  This leads us to where I am right now.  I have been doing this for a month and still have no improvement.

Can you imagine not being able to breath during your WOD's?  How about every time you take a breath you feel like you are choking because there is so much mucous in your respiratory tract you can 't get it out and you can't get air in.  Well that's what I feel like all the time.  I push through the WOD's no matter what but I am so angry and frustrated right now I am on my last straw.  All I want to do is breath and oxygenate my blood and I can't.  I am planning on seeing the doctor here in Chicago when I can get an appointment. 

Sometimes all you can do is have faith in yourself and to know that challenges can come in many forms.  A physical barrier, a psychological barrier, or an injury.  I think that most athletes have a universal reaction to an injury..."I am just going to push through this and it will get better on it's own".  Injuries can't always be made better by more training.  They require appropriate treatment and rest.  Resting for a bit may seem scary but it must be done.  If you keep pushing the injury it will snowball into something major that may possibly put you out for a long time or end your career.  What is the worse a week or two of rest or never being able to Crossfit again?

Give your injuries time, train around them, and gradually work back into what you were doing.  Try to focus on how your injury occurred.  Were you not hitting full range of motion, lifting too heavy of a load with poor technique, or over training?  By giving yourself a rest and refocusing your thinking you may be able to prevent any further injuries.  Injuries are hard to deal with and crush your confidence and training.  What can you do?

Realize they happen and that's that!  Get the right treatments, see the right doctors, and train the weakness that lead to your injury.  Improve other aspects of your training like nutrition.  Proper nutrition may help prevent any other injuries from occurring.  Don't give up, use the frustration and anger to fuel your recovery and become a smarter, stronger Crossfitter.

"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain."
  -anonymous author.

Functional life...

Long before I was training for the challenges of Crossfit and training functional lifts I was performing feats of functional strength.  My father believed in a strong work ethic, discipline, and to understand where your money came from.  The summer that followed my 12th birthday was my first chance to understand how hard it was to earn a buck.  My father's friend owned a farm and he had decided that it would be the perfect place for me to start work.  I did not know this until many years later but this had generational significance.  When my father was younger he was sent to a work farm for his entire Summer break.  There he had to cut hay by hand, stack and bale it, and then pitch fork it into wagons.  He had many other jobs that he had to complete on any given day but the bottom line was that he used all the strength and functional movements his body could muster every day. Now let's jump back to my experience.

I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday.  It was a Monday morning 6am and my father drove me to the farm.  We met his friend by the chow hall and I began work.  My father drove off and left me there and I had no idea what was going to be asked of me.  That summer I was excited because I broke the 70lb mark and was going to be playing 8th grade football that fall and needed to weight at least 75lbs to be on the roster.  I knew I needed to gain weight but that was a huge challenge for me and hoped the long days on the farm would put past the 75lb mark.  By the end of the summer I was up to 76lbs and could play football.  How did I gain that 6lbs?  It wasn't from a poor diet or trying to eat a lot....it was from 12hr days of functional movements.

There were three hay and alfalfa harvests in the summer.  During each harvest there would be an entire week that consisted of baling and stacking the hay and alfalfa.  I am not sure how many of you have had to do this but it is hot, itchy, painful, and difficult.  Each bale of hay or alfalfa weighed 75lbs and there was 180 bales to a wagon.  We loaded up to 10 wagons a day.  The baler would pick up the cut hay or alfalfa pack it into a bale and tie it off with twine and then shoot it into the wagon.  Our job was to catch the bale and stack it.  The challenge was that bales came out every 30 seconds to 45 seconds until the wagon could not hold anymore.  There tended to be gifts every once in a while like a snake that had been packed into a bale.  The twine would dig into and cut your hands, the hay was sharp and would get lodged under your finger nails, and your arms looked like they had barbwire drug across them.  Let's not forget the Maryland summers 90 to 100 degree days on end with so much humidity that it looked foggy outside.  Once the wagon was full it needed to be unloaded...what a joy and challenge this was.  You needed to throw each bale up and out of the wagon into the hay loft which was 15 feet above the ground...imagine a 75lb wall ball that has to hit a 15 foot target.  Now at 70lbs this required me to throw this 75lb bale 15 feet in the air...how the heck did I do this?

HIP DRIVE AND EXPLOSION!

I did not realize it then but I was doing my first clean an jerks!  I had to drive my hips, catch the bale as high as I could, and then jerk/throw the weight as high and fast as I could over my head.  I got lots of practice with this. 

There were many other jobs that summer that required functional strength.  We would cut down dead timber and hauled it back to various areas of the farm to be split and stacked.  The farm used wood burning stoves to heat most of the lodging for the farm hands during the winter so this required a great deal of wood.  We were lucky to have a hydraulic splitter in addition to our axes which made splitting larger logs a great deal easier.  In order to use the splitter to break apart the logs each log needed to be lifted on to the splitter.  The splitter was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet above the ground which meant we needed to deadlift the logs up to the splitter.  I was doing my first deadlifts...picking heavy stuff off the ground all summer long.

I am very glad that I had this experience.  My father did more for me that summer than any other summer that I experienced until processing through Officer Candidate School for the United States Marine Corps.  I learned to work exceptionally hard in a difficult environment.  I learned that in order to do this work over long periods of time the most efficient way was the best way.  Doing this work efficiently meant that I could do more of it for longer and the outcome was always better.

I see people from time to time in crossfit gyms just muscling movements or lifts because they happen to be strong enough to do it.  We all know that at some point the weight will be too heavy to just muscle it and technique will be the only way to lift that weight.  How can you expect to all the sudden have perfect technique with a lift and to be extremely efficient with the weight if you never practice it? 

Technique beats size and strength any day.  No matter the weight, PVC pipe or 500lbs always attack the lift with the best technique you can.  If you don't have perfect technique practice it and become a student of it.  Once you develop your technique and efficiency with a movement your PR's will sky rocket.  I would love to see all of us practice complicated lifts with PVC pipes or empty bars because it reinforces the movements and muscle memory that you will need at heavy lifts.  I practice with broom poles in my house.  If I know the next day we are going to train snatches or cleans I go into the kitchen and I got through the Burgener warm up, download snatch progressions, and read articles on the Crossfit Journal. 

I could never have lifted logs that were my body weight for 10hrs a day if I did not have mechanically sound deadlift.  The same goes for my cleans.  I could not clean 260lbs if I did not have a mechanically sound clean.  Work hard from the bottom up.  Take time to focus in on the little things and work hard at them. 

Never give up, never stop trying, and always question your potential.  There is always more in you than you think.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison

Moments...

I remember when I was wrestling there was a moment unlike any I had ever had before in my life. Prior to any match I would be so nervous and anxious that I was choking back the vomit.  My name and weight class would be called and I would take my first step onto the mat.  At that exact moment the nervousness and anxiety disappeared.  My senses heightened and became extremely focused.  I could no longer hear the crowd, feel the temperature of the room, or see outside to circle of the mat...I was focused.  I knew that only one of two things was going to happen...I was going to beat my opponent or he was going to beat me.  I always liked the first option more.  I could feel the mat sink under my feet, feel the sweat roll down my back, my muscles tighten, and knew that I was ready for battle.  Across the mat from me was 1 person and I knew he wanted to beat me.  We both put our toes on the line, looked eye to eye, shook hands, and then we were off.  Six minutes of fighting, bleeding, and undying will to win.

During my last year of wrestling I had 33 wins and only 3 losses.  Those losses destroyed me...I was beaten.  I repeat...I was beaten but I was not out of the battle.  Nothing motivates you like the taste of defeat.  I never wanted to have that taste in my mouth ever again.  After those losses I would spend an extra hour a day shooting take downs, stand ups from the bottom, and reversal techniques.  I would not be beaten again.

Never in my life was there a more real experience than when I was wrestling.  There was no way out, no one to save me, no one to blame...it was only me and my will to survive and conquer.  I am not sure how many people in this world have this type of experience but an experience like this carves a deep scar on your soul.  It gives you character, work ethic, and determination.  After I finished my wrestling career I searched and searched for another experience like this and I could not find one.  Where would I find a battle where I always knew the exact outcome like that in wrestling...you win or you don't. 

CROSSFIT!  This is where I found that feeling.  Now I know what you all are thinking...how can you beat weights or how can they beat you.  It is more than that.  I have one opponent now and it is myself.  Every time I step onto an Olympic lifting platform there are two options...I am going to hit the lift or I will fail at the lift.  I never want to fail at a lift no matter the weight.  Again it is that awful taste of losing.  This motivates me to hit the lift, pull hard from the ground, drop fast, catch strong, and stand with confidence.  Every time I stand with weight over my head it feels great.  It is as great of feeling as pinning someone in wrestling.  I am the winner and no one can take that away from me.  If you try I will beat you and you will go away the loser and hurt.  This applies to the WOD's as well.  I am not as concerned with times as some people are.  I am concerned with the outcome, the feeling at the end.  Did I give it everything?  Did the WOD beat me...it never will, I will never lay down on the floor after a WOD, and I will always have a smile.  Just like walking off the mat...always with a smile...even if it is full of blood.

I hope that all of you have a moment like this, a chance to live in the moment.  When you start your next WOD, step onto the platform, or compete in your next challenge listen for the silence, the smell of the weight plates, the feel of the steel bar in your hand, and the beautiful agony that you are about to experience.

If you can't imagine this or don't experience this I feel sorry for you.  I hope everyone someday finds this in their training.  3,2,1...Deep breath and go...no one but yourself to battle...who will be the champion?

"More enduringly than any other sport, wrestling teaches self-control and pride. Some have wrestled without great skill - none have wrestled without pride.”
-Dan Gable

                                                                             

Coaches...thank you

Everyday I have the chance to be around both amazing athletes and coaches.  The Crossfit athlete completes unbelieveable feats of strength and skill that most normal people could never imagine doing.  How do Crossfitters become these super humans? 

GREAT COACHES!   Plus a few other things.

There are many factors that lead to a great Crossfitter such as determination, high threshold for pain, work endurance but also GREAT COACHES.  No Crossfitter would be able to do what they do without the ever watching eye of the Crossfit coach.  The coach is ever vigilant in the box watching every detail of complex movements and knows when and how to modify any skill, lift, or WOD to get the most out of an athlete.  This is not easy to do and takes a great deal of organization, skill, and patience.  Think about all the coaches you have had during your time in Crossfit...what sticks out the most?

When I think about this the following come to mind:  ability to program, skilled at breaking down complex movements to their basic parts, making corrections or suggestions that help the athlete, strong motivator, and helps athletes go past their perceived personal limit.  An individual that is able to do this not only helps create a great Crossfitter but earns the respect of the Crossfit community.  These coaches help make dreams come true.

When I was coaching at CF Durham I approached every coaching session with the attitude of how can I get the most out of my athletes.  This was not for my benefit but for their own.  Sometimes people need an external force to push them or motivate them....that was me.  I tried to make corrections at the right time, keep the integrity of the WOD or skill, and set an example as not only a coach but a Crossfitter.  This was my responsibility and one that I keep close to my heart. 

I am thankful for all the Crossfit coaches that I have had during my time as a Crossfitter.  Thank you for the effort and time you put in outside of the box, the amazing programming and your undying passion for Crossfit.   

Your weakness is your key to success...

It may seem strange to think that a weakness could be the key to your success but it absolutely can. As Crossfitters we know that there is always the chance that a weakness will show up in a WOD.  What would you do if you are at the games and your weakness showed up?  Most people would loose their confidence and their focus and concentration for the WOD is gone.  How do we combat this?

TRAIN YOUR WEAKNESS! 

That is how you combat the crippling domino effect of a weakness showing up in a WOD.  Crossfit would not be what it is if you could only do WOD's full of skills that you are good at.  We all know those people in our Box that only show up on days where the WOD works in their favor.  This may give these people a sense of superiority.  This may also make up for a weakness in their work ethic.  Whatever it may be I don't want to train around you.

I have a very difficult time with rowing and know that every time there is a rowing component to a WOD I know that I am going to suffer through it.  This does not mean that I avoid the row...it means I attack the row and give it all I have even if it destroys me.  I am not afraid to admit that rowing is hard for me or that I have weaknesses...I believe it makes me a more honest and better Crossfitter. 

I applaud the Crossfitter that attacks their weakness.  I am impressed with their drive to train hard, find ways to improve, and to never give up.  This warrior spirit to never give up will carry an athlete farther than simply being good a small skill set.  Man/Woman up and work your weakness.  It will be hard, painful, and extremely difficult but it must be done.  The results of training your weakness will be unimaginable...you will find your level of fitness and ability as an athlete increased to levels you did not know you could achieve.

Tonight was an amazing night at Windy City Crossfit.  I took part in the Olympic Lifting class that meets on Tuesday/Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons.  This class has a strong focus on the Olympic lifts and heavy weighted metcons.
Tonight during the oly strength portion we attacked three lifts: the snatch, the clean and jerk, and the squat.  You read that right 3 massive lifts in one night.  I had a smile on my face the entire time.

The snatch was 3 sets of 2 at 70% of your 1rm (145lbs) then 1 set of 1 at 70% of your 1rm.
The clean and jerk was 3 sets of 2 at 70% of your 1rm (185lbs) then 1 set of 1 at 70% of your 1rm
The back squat was last and it was 4 sets of 2 at 80% of your 1rm (285lbs).

Next for the metcon.
15-12-9
2 for 1 wallball at 20# (2 squats for every 1 wall ball shot, squat then throw and squat again before the catch). 
American kettle bell swings at 32kg (70.4lbs)

I completed this in 4:40mins.
I was spent and it felt great.  Training hard and pushing through the tough times...it's what Crossfit is all about.

"Our strengths grow out of our weaknesses"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Disappoint is relative...

I would like to first congratulate the Windy City Crossfit affiliate team for an outstanding performance this weekend at the North Central Regionals.  I was not able to travel and support the team in person but followed the 2010 Games page as much as possible online and cheering on my fellow crossfitters from my living room. 

I am going to be selfish for a bit.  It was very difficult for me to not be apart of the team and not be able to compete at the affiliate games.  I wanted very badly to be apart of the team and to compete this past weekend.  Due to moving from North Carolina back to Chicago, Illinois I missed the windows of opportunity to compete in either the NC/SC region and the North Central Region.  This left me in a "bipolar" state of excitement of the competitors and frustration with myself for not being able to compete.  This leads up to this morning.  At 5:30am when I stepped out of my front door I was very angry and down....I was disappointed in myself.

As I drove down Lake Shore Drive watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan with the light reflecting off of the John Hancock building I began to reflect inwardly about this anger and disappointment.  I realized that disappointment is relative.  I mean what is disappointing to one person may be another person's dream. 

This morning it didn't matter than I can push myself harder and farther than most people, that I can do free standing handstand push ups, or that I can almost squat clean 2x my body weight...all that mattered was that I was not able to compete.  I was disappointed in myself and it was not a logical emotion or thought process.  I see new members in crossfit everyday and have trained people that cannot run a half mile and if they could do half of what I can it would make their year.  I had to trash my poor attitude this morning and decide to work harder.

During crossfit this evening we had to 5 rounds untimed of squat cleans and 10 ring push ups.  Squat clean weight was 235lbs and it went up easy.  During the WOD tonight we had three rounds of 45 seconds of 95lb thrusters followed by a 15second rest then immediately to follow was 45seconds of muscles ups follow by a 15 second rest.  I completed 63 repetitions during this WOD.  I was training hard again and realizing that my disappoint was not for the bad but was a motivator. 

After the WOD tonight I appreciated more than ever the gifts that I have bee given and challenges that I have overcome.  I have decided that disappointment has no place in my training regiment and that positive attitudes, support, and motivators will always help me push through the toughest of crossfit moments.

Every crossfitter should take a few minutes a day to themselves to reflect on what they have accomplished and the gifts they have.  As Crossfitters we push ourselves to levels that normal people cannot tolerate or imagine reaching.  We have such high expectations and dreams in our training and sometimes we focus entirely too much on the numbers and weights.  Some focus and energy needs to spent in personal reflection.  Taking time to think about our training and where we want to go will give more focus to our training.  This refocusing of our energy, thoughts, and emotions will help us to become better athletes. 


"Our thoughts create our reality -- where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.”
-Peter McWilliams

My first steps...

Tonight I decided to create a blog.  I have been debating this for a while and was not sure that I would have anything to contribute to a world overlaiden with stories and personal views.  As you all can tell I have created a blog and hope that it will be beneficial to me and anyone who reads it.

This is my first attempt at blogging and just like learning to walk I am sure I will "fall" a lot during these first blogs.  I will continue to get back up and try to write something worth while.

I am going to post many things here but a great deal of the blogs will focus on my crossfit training and nutrition.  WOD's, meals, and all the challenges that go with these everyday.

The title of this blog refers to the constant battles that I must wage on a daily basis.  These battles maybe to fight the urge to eat unclean food, push through a WOD and keep going even when I am in extreme pain, and the courage to do this day after day.

Refusal to quit when the battle enters it's darkest hour tests the true fabric of our soul.