This video does not need very much introduction, so let’s keep it short and sweet.
Chris Tefft (which I am only guessing is his name due to the YouTube “tags” below the video), comes to us live and direct from CrossFit CBD in Melbourne… and he is a BEAST. Hey, Drew-Tang, you’re next. Where’s your response video?
These pistol, or one-legged, squats he does are INSANE! Enjoy.
My buddy Robby Z owns Alpine CrossFit. This weekend, they are hosting an event called the “Legends Competition“. It’s going to be a really fun Friday night to Saturday competition that puts athletes through 6 workouts in the “two” days.
Since he knows how much I like to hear myself talk, Robby asked me to do “one of my famous” strategy videos explaining how I plan on approaching his events. Since I know how much I like hearing myself talk, I obliged his request. Well, part of it at least.
The video below features my approach to the events from Friday night’s line-up. IF you guys find value in this, I will record the video tomorrow which discusses the Saturday events. If this doesn’t really help anyone, and the only person that watches it is my mom (thanks for the support, love you, mom!), then I will not record the next video.
Pretty simple, huh?
***DISCLAIMER***
I am driving while I record this video. The safety of my vehicle and those around me is always my number one priority… I am just really good at holding the phone while I talk to myself. Lots of practice. At talking to myself.
Alright, so here we go! PLEASE let me know (either way) whether or not this information is helpful, and if it is, tomorrow we’ll get video #2!
GOOD LUCK to everyone this weekend, and I can’t wait to see so many of my friends!
There are so many people out there claiming to be “Subject Matter Experts” in their respective fields. For me, I generally rely on close friends (whose opinions I trust), or a “proven” track record, to tell me when to listen to these “Experts”.
Two certifications that I have recently heard are beyond worth it are the “CrossFit Football” certification, and the locally-held JumpNRope Seminars, hosted by Molly Metz. Molly’s certifications teach not only safe and efficient ways to jump rope, but for the typical CrossFitter, she basically transforms one’s abilities to make double-unders become second-nature! Through simple cues and great drills, I’ve not met a single person who has NOT walked away from her events with unparalleled confidence in their ability to fly through doubles in workouts.
We all know that before we know it, “Triple-Unders” will be introduced into CF too, right? Stop fooling yourself if you don’t think so. 🙂
The purpose of this “Thought of the Day” post is to invoke some thought as to the true benefit of these additional certifications. Do you think that ONLY coaches should pay money to learn more from experts? Or, as an athlete, does it also make sense to expand your own horizons and visit some of these events first-hand?
Personally, I think any athlete interested in improving their athletic performance, the safety and efficiency of their movements, and their knowledge of sport in general, should make the investment to continually learn and grow! I love walking into a certification and hearing that people are there for a variety of reasons! As a coach, I’ve learned so much from friends who went away for a weekend, and came back with a wealth of new knowledge. For me, hanging out after a class, or over a beer on the weekend in order to learn a few new tricks, is always a ton of fun. Learn and share the things you learn, because for me, I always love giving other people tips and tricks on how to be even better!
Thoughts?
JumpNrope Seminar from Trevor Norris on Vimeo.
Have you ever seen the Dark Knight in IMAX or been to a planitarium? Well I did, and I have, and when your whole world gets tilted on it’s side by some crazy turn or inversion, I always get that crazy knot in my stomach! When I saw this video today (thanks to J. Kush for sharing it!), I got that same feeling.
Some people are adrenaline junkies. Others, are just insane.
These frenchmen do some INCREDIBLE slack-lining at absurd heights. Some of them have parachutes, some rely on a simple rope and carabiner to catch them if they fall… and the craziest of them all, solo at the top (which means they use NO harness for support. You fall, that’s all she wrote).
This video is awesome. Please enjoy, but most importantly, please do not try this yourself!
I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.
How are people this talented at stuff? I’d guess through lots… and lots… and lots of practice, dedication, and sacrifice.
Funny how that works with pretty much everything in life.
The time you put in directly proportional to the success you get out. Get out there and earn those results! (source: ipaeveryday.wordpress.com)
I received this email from a co-worker of mine a few weeks ago, and have probably read it about a dozen times. It is an segment from a Commencement speech given to a business school by Brad Feld (a venture capitalist, and very influential figure in the Boulder/Start-up community). I know Commencement addresses are usually geared towards the “young 20-somethings” of the world, but if you stop and listen to or read most of them, the underlying themes can apply to almost anyone.
Most of us LOVE articles/posts/videos/books like this, and the more we read them, the more jazzed up we get to “Crush it!” (thanks, Gary V.)
But how many of us REALLY HAVE? That question is only semi-rhetorical. Make changes and take steps towards getting to the life we all DREAM of having. Instead of being so overwhelmed by allll of the requirements, make a list, and attack them one at a time. We all CAN do it. But as Gary Vaynerchuck has said in the past, those who have made it don’t mind if others keep putting it off… that leaves more for them.
C’mon, people! Let’s help each other out in becoming more accountable for reaching these goals of ours.
Thanks for sharing the speech with me, Matt! Email paste begins now….
Below is an excerpt from a speech Brad Feld gave to graduating MBAs. Worth reading. Twice.
Imagine that you are 45 and are looking back on your last 15-20 years. Is your work, and life, full of meaning?
Don’t worry about money right now. You can always get a job that pays you plenty of money. Don’t worry about your resume. Don’t worry about “am I positioning myself the right way for something five years from now.” I know way too many 45 year olds who have plenty of money, have done all the right career things, yet are unhappy with where they are in life, where they live, and what they do. Don’t be that guy or gal.
Start by choosing the place you want to make a life. If it’s Boulder, figure out how to stay here. If it’s New York, there’s an easy United flight that gets you there in under four hours – take it the day after you graduate. San Francisco? That flight is only two hours long. Just go and figure it out when you get there. Don’t talk about “I’m going to live there some day” – go get in the middle of wherever it is that you want to build a life. Oh, and Boise is a pretty cool place, as is Austin, Seattle, Miami, DC, and at least 95 other cities in the United States.
Next, choose a domain that you want to dedicate your life to. If you’ve dreamed of being an investment banker or consultant to Fortune 1000 companies since you were 10, then Goldman Sachs or McKinsey is looking for you. If you want to be an entrepreneur, working at an investment bank or consulting firm for a while is pointless. Be an entrepreneur starting now. Pick that domain that turns you on the most – start at a high level (e.g. software, Internet, clean tech) but then pick a thing that you really care about and a set of problems you want to solve. If you aren’t technical, go find a technical co-founder right now – there are hundreds of them on this campus. Get your ass out of your chair and just get started.
Finally, make sure you are living your life. You are young and hopefully have plenty of time on this planet. But don’t wait because you never know when the lights are going to go out.
I had a buddy ask me the other day if I knew of a video that explained to people “What CrossFIt is…” without it being a heavy metal soundtrack and a bunch of barbarians doing superhuman feats. I think that’s a pretty valid question, and while there are a number of videos out there talking about what CF is, and what it means to people, there need to be different approaches to what the benefits of the program can be (i.e., not just lifting a lot of weight).
I get to see so many incredible athletes every day I’m at the gym, and that doesn’t mean people who can deadliest 600lbs (although I DO know one of those… what up, CC!). For me, the inspiration comes from people who commit themselves to a healthier lifestyle (of working out and eating relatively clean), and come away from it with a noticeably improved overall quality of life. As a coach, and as a person, I find that incredible.
Stories like the one in the video below are the ones that inspire me the most. So Peter, does this count as a video that explains a little bit about “What CrossFit is”, or at least, what it can do to the people who follow the “fitness program”?
Beards = Awesome. That’s all I really have to say about that!
(Thanks to Red Black Gym Austin for this hilarious video!)
Almost all of us who have been doing CrossFit for a while have had the moment (or moments) come where you’re in the middle of a workout, and then all of a sudden… RRRRIIIIIIPPPP. There goes a hand tear, and sometimes, your ability to continue working out. The tear itself might hurt, the care for it (washing and cleaning it) definitely hurts, but the worst pain of all is not being able to keep training because your hands are too messed up to grab the bar, or anything else! Not. Good.
The post I’m sharing today is one of the best resources I’ve come across in order to show effective methods on how to take care of your hands to try and prevent tears. The video below features legendary strength coach Mark Rippetoe on one method; how to grab the bar properly. I was lucky enough to take a seminar with him a few years ago, and have been using this method myself since he taught it to me. *knock on wood* but I’ve had a lot of success with not shredding up my hands over the years, and attribute a lot of that success to proper care.
I think one of my friends, Megan, said it best.
“In general i believe in tearing wrapping paper, not hands.”
I hope you guys like the link and the article (called CrossFit Hand Care from the website Fitbomb.com) and the video!
This entire week it is going to be 80 degrees in Denver. I LOVE sunny weather a LOT, so hearing things like that is music to my ears. In my head, sun = happy. You know what it also means to some people, though… BEACH SEASON! I saw this article posted today and had to share it with you all.
Beach season, which should be one of the happiest thoughts in the world, unfortunately also leads to a wave of stress in people’s minds. WHY?! Oh, right… because we don’t have PERFECT bodies. Maybe if we don’t eat for a few days, or workout 4 times per day, or deprive ourselves of food or drink that makes us happy, we’ll be able to lose those “last few pounds”, right?
C’mon, people! Now let me qualify this by saying I have been really bad about that in my life. I still do have bouts of being unsatisfied with my appearance, but here’s the deal…. it’s stupid. In my opinion, our goal at the end of the day should be simple; Be healthy. If you have a spare tire, or a few extra pounds, and you’re conscious of what you put into your body and make smart food decisions most of the time, odds are you’re healthy. And that is something to be REALLY grateful for in this life!
Aside from that, I think our stress levels should be decreased by about 80%! I think one of my favorite comedians, Kevin James, said it best:
“My fitness goals are different than most peoples. Most people want to lose enough weight so they look good in a bathing suit or they want to lower their cholesterol. I just want to lose enough so my stomach doesn’t jiggle when I brush my teeth.”
Check out the awesome article “How to Get That Perfect Beach Body” ~ by Hamilton Nolan by clicking here. Here are some of my favorite quotes, though…
***NOTE – there is some “vulgar” language featured… if you don’t like that, stop reading here.***
– Allow me to posit to you, in the spirit of Ultimate Hardcoreness™, this idea: you have the perfect beach body already. Do you have the perfect body? No. You do not. In all likelihood your body suffers from myriad physical flaws which we won’t go into here except to just nod meaningfully at your undeveloped quadriceps. But you do not need the perfect body to go to the beach. You just need your body to go to the beach. The beach—despite being full of assholes, in many parts of the country—is supposed to be fun.
– You don’t need visible abs to go to the beach. You don’t need baseball-shaped biceps to go to the beach. You don’t need perfect curves, a slim figure, or a nice tan to go to the beach. You, with the body in which you currently reside, pale/ fat/ scrawny/ mediocre though it may be, should go the beach and have some f***ing fun. You should put on your bathing suit, take off your shirt, apply sunscreen, and frolic in the water.
– Should you work out Ultimate Hardcore™ style all year round in order to infuse yourself with a sense of empowering hardcoreness that will fill you with confidence and energy and contribute to your physical and mental health far more than any desperate vanity-driven crash diet ever could? Yes. Yes you should. But that is a matter of general lifestyle advice. It has nothing to do with your “beach body.” You, Shlubby McCouchsitter, have every bit as much right to go to the god damn beach as Mr. Universe does.
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