Humility...

Tonight I was talking with a good friend from Crossfit Durham.  It was awesome to catch up with him and to find out what he has been doing.  It was very hard for me to leave all my friends at Crossfit Durham and Crossfit Local.  They were all amazing athletes and were even more amazing people.  Every one of them would go out of their way for each other.  They created such unbelievable training environment full of competitiveness and support.  I was very stressed when I moved back to Chicago that I would have a tough time finding another box like this one.  Now we all know that no two things in this world can be exactly identical but they can be pretty damn close.  I was lucky to stumble upon Windy City Crossfit and it was exactly what I needed.  There are great coaches, a great training environment, a great sense of community, and a wonderful support system.  I am very happy to have the opportunity to be a member of Windy City CF.  I had found my new Crossfit home. 

Back to my previous thoughts.  I was talking with this friend from Durham and during our conversation he had asked how things are going.  I told him things were good, trying to keep up with everyone and getting used to the new gym.  He then said I am sure you are destroying it to which I responded I would not go that far I am just doing my best.  He replied "Big Pat you are always a humble man".  Now it is funny that my friend calls me big Pat because he is at least 6' 3" and 300lbs and is an ex college football player.  He is almost a foot taller than me and is double my body weight.  If anyone should have big in front of his name it should be him.  The conversation continued and it turns out he is doing great and can't get enough Crossfit.  What a guy!

After the conversation I began to think about being a "humble man" and what humility is in general.  What is it?  What does it say about you?  I had to look up the definition to understand all the various meanings. 

Humility (adjectival form: humble) is the quality of being modest, reverential, even politely submissive, and never being arrogant, contemptuous, rude or even self-abasing. Humility, in various interpretations, is widely seen as a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions. 

I guess I am a humble man.  I believe that your actions in life always speak louder than the loudest voice.  We all have seen these people in life.  They have to talk about how great they are, all the things they have, and what they have accomplished.  If you truly have done all these things they will show in their own time.  You do not need to walk around squawking like a chicken.  Just go about your business.  I learned a great deal of humility from my parents.  They never talked about their accomplishments.  They told us nobody likes a person that brags all the time...they like someone who works hard and asks little in return. 

I think that a lot of humility comes from the understanding that no matter how great your accomplishments are there will always be someone that has a better accomplishment.  That sounds kind of harsh but it is true.  I learned this in wrestling.  No matter how good I seemed to think I was there was always someone out there that could beat me. 

I never feel it necessary to boast about my accomplishments.  I let them speak for themselves.  Whether it is a work accomplishment, a new PR, or a faster time on a WOD it doesn't matter.  I am proud of these accomplishments don't get me wrong I just no that there is more work to do.  I want to train around these kinds of people as well.  I want to train around people who work their butts off, push themselves to their limits, and never question whether or not they could have done more.  These people are the right kind to support your athletic accomplishments.

A humble man will reach heights that the biggest boast could not ever imagine reaching.  He will do this because instead of talking he is working.  He is constantly looking for ways to improve himself and to become a better athlete.  Be proud of all that you have accomplished.  Recognize the greatness of these but move on and do not dwell.  There is always more work to be done and room for improvement. 

Get after it every chance you get.  Wow people with your actions and let everyone know how much of a badass you are without saying a word.  People will be attracted to your amazing abilities and your work ethic and will return great amounts of respect.  You can do this without a single spoken word.  Powerful actions and humility are signs of a great person.  Exude your confidence but do it with how hard you work every day and by being an example in your community. 

"To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”
-Benjamin Franklin

Life as a precious resource...

One of the toughest things in life is the death of someone who you care for and love.  Over the past 3 days at work I have had to deal with this a number of times.  My occupation is a veterinary technician and each day I have to opportunity to save animals, keep them healthy, and share in their bond with their owners.  This job  has many facets.  You have to be good with the animals and with their owners.  You need to be the voice for the pet and give the owners guidance and advice in good times and bad.  Some days it is nothing but happy puppies and kittens and they keep a smile on your face all day long.  Other days it is a true challenge with mean or difficult pets or the very sick pets.  The past three days have been full of very sick pets.  Twice in the last three days I have been part of bringing an arresting animal back to life.  I am not sure how many of you have had to deal with a life and death situation where every decision you make or action you do will either make something live or die...let's just say it can be extremely stressful.

Saturday a cat coded.  This means the cat had no heart beat and was not breathing.  Within 30 seconds the cat was intubated, oxygen support was going, and your standard emergency drugs were being injected into the IV catheter.  A few seconds later the heart was going again and the cat was breathing on its own.  What a cool feeling.  We just took this dead cat and made it live again.  It was great.  Stepping back from the situation I began to think about it.  This cat died in my hands and then as a team we brought it back to life. 

Have any of you felt life leave something? 

It is an awkward feeling.  Something that was living and breathing has now stopped and there is a very good possibility that it will never do that again.  Even tougher than this is trying to explain to that pet's owner that their loved one is no longer with us.  There is a massive range of emotions of sorrow, sadness, and even relief.  Sometimes the owner knows their pet was suffering and they didn't know what to do.  Now they no longer have to worry...the suffering is over.  Watching adults cry is very difficult to witness.  It is equally difficult to be strong in front of them. 

Why am I writing about all this unpleasant stuff?

I am writing about this because I think that we all take life for granted.  We as Crossfitters are always wanting to be better, eat healthier, go faster, be stronger, etc. and get really frustrated when these things don't happen.  WAIT A MINUTE...You are alive!  You are working out, having a great time, and are more fit and a better athlete then most people anywhere in this world.  Think about how precious your life is and how precious the lives of your loved ones are.  Think about the people around you in the box suffering and sweating and how precious their existence is.  Sometimes we need perspective on how amazing you are as a person and as an athlete.  This perspective is the key to understanding how precious each day is. 

I get really frustrated with myself sometimes when it comes to Crossfit and Olympic lifting.  I am very hard on myself and never believe that I have gone fast enough or pushed hard enough in the WOD.  This motivates me to be better the next time I walk into the box and that is great.  After the past 3 days of work I will not go any easier on myself but I will be more appreciative of the chances I have to go into the box pick heavy stuff up and suffer through the WOD.  I am extremely lucky to have this opportunity.  Don't you think you are lucky as well?  If you don't come spend a day in my world. 

Everyone I know in the Crossfit community has been truly blessed by many things like determination, work ethic, athletic ability, and perseverance.  I think that most of us know how lucky we are to have the experiences and friends we have.  We cherish our opportunities to get better as an athlete and truly want the same for our friends.  Next time you walk into the box think about how precious your life and the lives of your friends are.  Be thankful for each step you take and each challenge you conquer.  If you are not motivated by these opportunities think about it a little more or watch the world news.

Life is a gift.  Cherish each moment that you have.  Put everything you can into it, never short yourself, and always be thankful for the people who love and care for you. 

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”
- Ashley Smith

Living with your choices...

I know that everyone at some point in time has made a poor choice and had to live with the outcome.  We learn from this mistake and move on.  The same thing is true about Crossfit and the WOD's.  It happens a lot with beginners and with guys who think they are a true badass but really aren't.  I love the look on their face when they hit that moment in a WOD when they immediately regret their decision to use the weight they are using, wearing a vest, or going too fast at the beginning.

What does this mean?  A LOT!

There is a reason behind the design, designated weights and times of the WOD's.  They are desiged to create a certain metabolic conditioning effect within the body.  For example if the WOD is created to be completed in 8 mins at a weight of 95 lbs what do you think the finishing time should be?  It should be roughly 8mins +/- 30 seconds.  Does it make any sense to have an athlete take 16mins to complete this WOD just to say they used the RX weight.  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  This athlete got little to no metabolic conditioning.  They missed the entire principle of the WOD.  They did not become stronger or become a better athlete.  They simply can say they completed the WOD slower than every other person in the box.  They did do the WOD with the Rx weight...STUPID!  That is what that line of thinking is.

This drives me crazy!  It is a real hot button for me.  I hate to train with those people that are more concerned about Rx weights than they are about properly training the skill sets in the WOD's.  Back the weight down, modify the skill, use a band...whatever it takes. Just complete the WOD in a method that will make you a better Crossfitter.  There is plenty of time for skill work and strength building.  That is the point of the strength programming or skill programming.  The WOD's are there to improve your metabolic conditioning.  When you are doing back squats would you do an incomplete squat just to say you can squat a heavy weight.  NO!  You would train the full range of motion and use less weight because you know it will make you stronger.  This is the same for the WOD's.

Last August when I was fairly new to Crossfit I almost never did any of the WOD's at the Rx weight.  At that time I did not feel that using less weight would make me any less of a man or take away from my ego.  Instead I knew that if I trained the lifts and WOD's properly I would be able to complete the WOD's as Rx'd in no time.  By September of that same year I was all over the Rx'd weights and WOD's.  If I had not done this I would not be where I am today.  It is a slow building process and due to learning proper range of motion and properly building strength I am able to compete with the rest of the men at my box during the WOD's.

If I could say anything to new people or any Crossfitter it is to check you ego at the door.  Your ego will be the biggest hurdle to your training and will become the greatest interference on your path to Crossfit greatness. 

When do we decide that we should go Rx?  This is a very fluid concept and a bit subjective.  It varies from person to person.  Some people will be more willing to take the leap.  In my opinion once a person has developed the skill sets, been involved in the strength cycles, and has put their time in at the box then they should move onto to Rx.  Some people will ask "What are you going to use?  Do you think I should go Rx".  My answer is usually what do you think?  If I have been watching this athlete train and know they can do it I will encourage the Rx; otherwise I will encourage the athlete to use more weight than they normally would but not quite Rx.  It is important not to rush our athletes and friends into Rx weights or skills.  It is our responsibility to to ensure safety and proper skill levels and then encourage Rx. 

You can't sprint before you walk.  Pretty simple concept and it applies to every aspect of Crossfit.  This is not just for the beginner but applies to all levels of Crossfit athletes.  All levels of athletes continue to learn skill sets and build strength.  They too need to check their ego's and stay with fundamental and appropriate training.

Train honest and true.  Learn the basics and go back to them frequently.  Never forget where you want to go and where you came from.  Help others in your box learn the proper skills and techniques, support them and guide them. 

"Big egos are big shields for lots of empty space.”
-Diana Black

Inspiration and failures...

Today I was browsing around some of my favorite Crossfit blogs doing some research and looking for new training tips.  A suggestion from a friend lead me to Dutch Lowy's blog.  His blog is written very well and gave some great perspective in regards to Crossfit and Olympic lifting.  Today he wrote about Olympic lifting and how people his same size can snatch 2 times what he can.  He was obviously referring to the best Olympic lifters in the world.  In his blog was a video clip from the 2009 world championships and was the 69kg class.  What an amazing video...truly inspiring.  I watched this video not just to watch it but to learn from it. I watched a number of times and tried to see what made their lifts so effective.

Commitment!  Each time they stood on that platform to attempt their lifts everything in their being was in the lift.  Their technique was perfect, their execution was perfect, and the lift was perfect.  It was truly inspiring.  It is hard to imagine that these guys missing lifts, they make it look so easy.

I sat back and thought about my training and where I want to go with it.  I also thought about my lifts and whether or not I am fully focused and committed to making them better.  I know that I will never be like the guys on the video but I do want to be the best I can be and to be competitive.  This will only come with time and a lot of work.  I need to make the most of each moment I have in the box and to improve my technique every time I step on the platform.  These are all things that I can do.  I can work hard, focus on improving my technique, and with time increase my strength levels.

This is why I think Crossfitters and Olympic lifters are amazing people.  They do not look for a magic pill to make them better quickly.  They look at how to improve themselves and understand that it is matter of time and investment of effort.  There is no pill in the world that will make you better on a clean and jerk or help you do a muscle up.  Crossfitters get better at what they do because they are not afraid to fail a million times. They know that their efforts will be returned 10 fold when they get that first muscle up or a PR on any of their lifts.  Big shout out here to my friend Ashley Denton!  She was having a difficult time getting muscle ups and went to the Dirty South Regionals and still had not accomplished a muscle up.  Guess what was in one of the WOD's...muscle ups.  Guess what she did?

She got her first muscle up!  I wish I had been there to see it!  The look on her face must have been out of this world.  I am very proud of her!  She deserved that muscle up because of all the effort she had put in. Great job Ashley. 

What it really comes down to is whether or not you have the discipline to work your butt off.  Are you willing to put in the effort and deal with the frustrations of failure.  If you aren't then I don't want to train with you.  I want to train around athletes who go outside of their comfort zone and aren't afraid to take risks.  I want my fellow athletes to be strong and competitive and at the same time deal with their weakness and failures just like they do for the strengths.  Embrace your failures, take them in stride, and work to improve them.  You never know when your failures will become an success...it may just be exactly when you need it the most.  

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
-Colin Powell

"Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something.”
-Frederick Smith

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