Posts Tagged ‘Blog Central’

CrossFit Blog Central: 5/4/11

Posted: May 4, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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CrossFit All-Star Rob Orlando (also founder of Hybrid Athletics) was approached by Muscle and Fitness Magazine about doing an article on him. They wanted to feature his history in Strongman Competitions and his story of learning about and getting into CrossFit.

The added bonus is that they told him they were considering putting him on the cover, too! They’re not very confident, however, that having a CrossFitter on the cover will sell enough magazines.

Rob put together a 5 question / 10 second survey to share with CrossFitters around the world to help support him. Please take a minute to watch his video, and then 10 seconds and fill it out the survey and poass it on. The survey link is posted right below the video of Rob talking about it!

GOOD LUCK, ROB!!

Please click here to watch Rob talk about the campaign, and to take the VERY fast survey!

CrossFit Blog Central: 5/3/11

Posted: May 3, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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Lisbeth, thank you for knowing what’s happening in my life most of the time, and then writing about it.

🙂

Another gem from Lisbeth talking about “Scars” and what they do (or don’t) mean. I’m on the topic of “Mental Toughness” during the beginning of this month, and this post of hers is right in line with that. How are you letting your “scars” determine your decisions going forwards? Are you too scared to charge on? Or is your head held high, fear pushed aside and you’re ready to go, regardless of the outcome?

Enjoy.

Scars ~ By Lisbeth

Wounds heal, but often leave a mark. We like to think that whatever was broken becomes stronger than ever. Sometimes, this is true.

But sometimes it isn’t.

Life takes its toll. The years and the injuries add up. They are the price we pay for wisdom, if we are lucky. Or else we are just like those boats in the Great Gatsby, “borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

I’m not here to tell you that scars are pretty or sexy or noble. Scars just are. They tell a small tale, like a limp. You tell the greater one. The mark on your shin from that box jump gone horribly wrong? It will always be there, like the rope burn etched into your ankle from that day you wore shorts but decided to do “Tommy V” anyhow and finished all those rope climbs, even as the blood started to trickle. Was that a smart decision? Who is to say? It is done and the mark remains.

We have marks everywhere, seen and unseen: from the misses and the makes, the losses and the wins, in the gym and in the world, and in our hearts and souls. I can no more tell you what that scar on your leg really means to you any more than you can tell me about the bruises on my heart. Each of us must carry our burden and bear the weight of what has happened to us. But don’t try to tell me that all is healed. It never is. You are changed. I am changed. And life goes on.

See, scars don’t tell the story. They don’t even tell half the story. Scars are just a visible reminder that you had pain. What you did after that pain tells us all so much more. Did you use that pain as an excuse to fail again? Or to put the hurt on someone else? Did you point to the scar and say “It stings too much. I can’t do that.” Or maybe you just went with half a heart, scared to really commit to something that could crush you again. Or did you say “F*** it. Let’s roll” and throw yourself right on the damn line again, pain and scars and all.

Here’s to the ones throwing themselves on that line, standing tall and brave and true, scars and all, and not letting memory and fear hold them back. Scars never looked so beautiful . . .

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/26/11

Posted: April 26, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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I’m not even going to try and come up with a clever little intro to this post.

Lisbeth (creator of the CrossFit Lisbeth Blog) does it again.

I know I share a lot of the same messages over and over again on my blog, but they’re motivating to me, and help try to keep ME honest and inspired through life. Hopefully you guys enjoy these, too.

Recovery ~ By Lisbeth

Recovering from a bad start is not an easy thing to do.But it’s a skill you have to learn — in the gym, in your relationships, at work, in life.

Sometimes, you start your WOD and everything just sucks. Everything. Your hook grip feels funny, you smack your chin with the bar, and your chest-to-bar pull-up catches . . . only air. WTF.

Life sucks. You suck. And then you die.

Or so it seems.

In reality, though, you have basically two choices: You can get bitter or you can better. You can quit or you can make something of this piece of sh** day you’re having. That’s always your choice. Nobody makes it but you.

So, decide. Reset your jaw and come right back at that WOD, and life.  Make it — WILL it — to get better. Finish your rep, finish your round, finish what you started. Do what you said you would do.

Or be a p**** and go cry about it. Quit something else in this life. Give up. And then convince yourself that you never really wanted it anyhow. Because that’s just how you roll.

Your day, your choice, your life.

Recovery isn’t a drink after a workout. It’s the entire way you approach life.

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/25/11

Posted: April 25, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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If you’ve ever worked out with me at CFLW, you’ll know that sometimes I yell during my workouts. Not at people (coaching and cheering is not yelling), but at things, the bar… myself. Greg Walker called it my “War Cry”.

Lisbeth seems to agree with my logic there, and her post today is awesome. Get some, let it out… and then move on. The gym is an incredible place to “de-stress” and let out some aggression in a productive way. When you’re done, pull yourself together, walk out the door, put a smile on your face and go on with your life with a little bit less weight on your shoulders (literally and figuratively).

Yell At Your Bar ~ by Lisbeth

Go ahead, do it.Yell at your barbell.

Or your kettlebell. Or your jump rope. Or your sandbag.

Give it some horrible swearword name and tell it to go f*** itself.

Why?

Because it feels good. Because you’ll dump some stress. And because I’d rather have you yell at your barbell than have you yell at your spouse or your kids or your partner or the guy giving you change at the gas station.

That’s half the reason we go to the gym anyhow. Yes, we want to get fit. Sure, we want to be healthy. But, ultimately, we want to be happy. And it’s really hard to be happy with the weight of the world on your shoulders. At some point, you have to dump some of that weight or it will crush you.

So start now. Start dumping the stuff in your life that just doesn’t matter. Learn to say “no” to unimportant sh** and “yes” to stuff that really matters — and to the people that really matter in your life.

So, yell at your barbell if you need to. Glare at it, scowl at it, get good and mad at it. Drop it, manhandle it, call it bad names. (Just don’t drop an empty barbell or you risk the wrath of the Ghost of Weightlifting Past and/or your affiliate owner.)

And then leave all that behind you. Beat your anger and pain into the metal and the rubber and the platform and leave it there.

Walk out of the gym with a lighter spirit. And go and do good things in the world.

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/17/11

Posted: April 17, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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I saw this article shared on the CrossFit Affiliate Page, and wanted to share it with you guys. It comes from the crew at “Compete Every Day”, and goes into a bit more detail about what “an hour in the gym” means to us as CrossFitters.

One of my favorite parts:

For us, CrossFit is about life. About taking everything that life has thrown at you and standing firm. Even if it forces you to your knees, you know you’ll stand back up, strong as ever.
Life comes at all of us hard. It’s going to knock us down. The difference is, we’re training ourselves to fight back. We know that laying it on the line after “3…2…1…go!” doesn’t just apply to the Box.

Full article can be found here

It’s just one hour ~ by Jake

It’s just one hour.

Day in and day out we enter our Box to push ourselves after the words “3…2…1…go!” We break limits that we thought our bodies could not handle or overcome.

Sometimes we push ourselves for 3 minutes. Other times upwards of an hour. It’s excruciating painful at times.

Full effort, 110% – it’s the only way we know how to go. Give it everything we have for a limited amount of time.

And then it’s over. We shower and walk out of the Box to face the day. To face whatever life throws at us.

CrossFit is more than just 60 minutes. To the outside eye, people assume CrossFit’s just about how strong or fast you are. And they’d be wrong.

CrossFit is not about how heavy you can squat clean, how fast you can run a 5K, or what your Fran time is.

CrossFit is about pushing yourself beyond what you once thought possible. It’s about learning that CrossFit, like in life, you’re going to struggle with certain things. But CrossFit is going to force you to face those struggles and learn how to overcome them.

It’s about competing against yourself and the clock. Not the person next to you.

It’s about community and encouraging that person next to you who is giving it their all – no matter if they are faster or slower than you. You are shouting words of encouragement in between reps and your gasps for air.

See, CrossFit may last just 3,600 seconds, but it’s about building life skills that go well beyond that. It’s mentally preparing you for whatever comes your way when you walk out that gym door. You learn that a pullup without a band is within reach – just like that promotion at work. That your dream career is not going to jump into your lap just like you’re not going to magically learn to do a muscle up overnight.

It takes hustle and dedication. That sudden urge to eat Paleo instead of Lay’s potato chips and fried food won’t just improve your Lynne time, it’s going to change your whole life. Give you energy you never knew existed after 2 p.m.

Remember shout of encouragement to your fellow CrossFitter this morning? She’s the same one giving you a hug that afternoon when life decides to kick you in the teeth, reminding you that you’re not alone.

See for us, it’s more than just about that one hour in the Box each day. It’s more than the Opens games. Most of us won’t even make the Regionals, much less than actual CrossFit Games. But it’s ok, because we’re still doing each Opens WOD with everything we’ve got.

Struggle with double-unders? So what, I’m going to give it my best shot.

Squat cleans too heavy? Who cares, I’m going to try and try until I nail one. Even if it’s just one because that’s one more than I thought I could do yesterday.

For us, CrossFit is about life. About taking everything that life has thrown at you and standing firm. Even if it forces you to your knees, you know you’ll stand back up, strong as ever.

Life comes at all of us hard. It’s going to knock us down. The difference is, we’re training ourselves to fight back. We know that laying it on the line after “3…2…1…go!” doesn’t just apply to the Box.

It’s more than just one hour.

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/13/11

Posted: April 13, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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CrossFit Lisbeth! Thank you for another post like this! As I woke up a little sore today, I thought, “Am I really going to do this workout tonight?” Then I stopped for a second, thought about it, and said, “YES. Now stop complaining and get pumped.”

I dedicate this edition of “CrossFit Blog Central” to Casey. This is a conversation we had just the other day. I don’t want “Sunday Funday” to be fun and happy. I want it to be an awesome workout, just like every other one we do. So I accept and APPRECIATE your feedback the other day about how “hard and challenging” the workout was this last week. My response: Mission Accomplished!

To quote Lisbeth’s post below:
“Dear CrossFit,
Keep pushing me, don’t ever stop.”

Post entitled Dear CrossFit – By Lisbeth Darsh

Dear CrossFit,

I like that you push me. That you shove me around. That you don’t listen to my whining, my excuses, my belly-aching.

When I say, “This is hard” . . . you say, “Do it again.”

When I say, “But I’m not good at this” . . . you say, “So, practice. Get good.”

When I say “This hurts” . . . you say, “So does life. Get over it.”

You poke me in the chest, you kick me in the ass, you drive me over the edge.

And I love every single flippin’ minute of it. Even as I hate it too.

If I wanted my workout to hug me and make me feel special, I’d be rocking some jazzeryoga40x in my basement. With some chamomile tea. And a blankie.

But I’m not here for the party. I’m here because I don’t need another person in life to tell me that I’m special and I’m good enough and I’m wonderful. (I mean, don’t stop with that, my ego kinda digs it.) But I want the truth. I can handle it. And I can handle the work to make myself better.

I don’t have a muscle-up. And I needed to be reminded of that, and the many other things I need to motor on.

See, CrossFit, we understand each other. Keep pushing me, don’t ever stop.

XOXOXOXO

Me

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/8/11

Posted: April 8, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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The guys at LifeAsRx shared this link today. It’s an article written by Miss West Virginia USA 2010 (Erica Jade Goldsmith) and I think hits on a pretty key point that we run into a lot. When we talk to friends about CrossFit, or working out in general, a lot of people say that don’t have three things (aside from money)- Time, Equipment and a Location.

Read the quick little article below, or click on the title to be taken directly to the link itself. Good advice, short and sweet, hard to argue. Enjoy.

Lessons from a Pro. You have the Time…

“I don’t have time. I don’t have any equipment. I don’t have anywhere to workout.”

Those are the three most common excuses I hear when people are talking about their lack of exercise. People don’t believe me when I say they can get a complete workout in 20 minutes, with no equipment, and they can do it anywhere. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not; it’s CrossFit.

Of course, I’m sure everyone in the CrossFit community is very familiar with these simple moves, but you would be amazed how many people haven’t heard of them or didn’t realize they could get a complete workout with absolutely nothing, but a few things that can be found almost anywhere.

1. Running-Who doesn’t love a good run? I’ll admit, I still haven’t found the elusive “runner’s high,” but I love starting my WOD with a run to get me in the zone. You can even mix it up by doing sprints, running up and down stairs, running backwards, etc….the possibilities are endless.

2. Air Squats-I like to introduce my friends to this first, since it’s quick, easy, and they will need proper squat form for a lot of CrossFit exercises.

3. Box Jumps- It doesn’t matter where I go, I can always find a place to do box jumps. I particularly like the park benches and picnic tables because they’re sturdy and you can find varying heights.

4. Burpees- I have a love/hate relationship with burpees. Burpees are tough and they wear me out fast. My friends’ biggest complaint about doing burpees is how crazy they will look and how dumb they will feel, but I always tell them that they may look crazy for a few minutes, but the results are worth it. If they complain about it too much, I make them do box jump burpees.

5. Pull-ups- If you’re at the park doing your WOD, you’ll probably find a set of monkey bars. If you can do unassisted pull-ups, you’re awesome, you know what to do, but most people, who are just starting to workout, have problems with pull-ups, so I take them to the shorter monkey bars that are just tall enough for them to do a jumping pull-up.

6. Push-ups- Everybody has done a push-up at some point in their life, even if the last time was during the Presidential Physical Fitness Test in elementary school. So, this one is pretty self-explanatory.

With those exercises, that don’t require any equipment, you can do Angie, Murph, and Barbara, just to name a few. So the next time you hear someone complaining about not having the time, the space, or the equipment to workout, introduce that person to some simple CrossFit moves that could change their life, or at least put an end to their excuses.
Miss West Virginia USA 2010

CrossFit Blog Central: 4/5/11

Posted: April 5, 2011 in CrossFit, Training
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Part of my goal in sharing articles with you guys is to simply inform, or sometimes remind, you guys of things that can effect your performance in and out of the gym.

This article was shared with my by Trish O’Donnell (Coach and friend at Alpine CrossFit) and as soon as I read it, I thought… “Great, some of my teammates on Team CrossFit Lakewood are going to be mad at me after reading this.” But you know what, most of us already know this stuff.

The reason I’m sharing it with everyone, is that some of us may NOT know this, and this information is critical to performance, recovery and muscle growth. So read the quotes I have pasted below, and then go read the full article here. Knowledge is power.

Alcohol Will Make You Suck ~ by Zeke

“Research overwhelmingly suggests that alcohol use and athleticism do not go hand in hand. Although it might not be realistic for some of you to quit drinking altogether – if you want to thrive in the athletic environment you should take steps to limit and eventually eliminate it because…”

“While dehydrated, you are greater risk for many injuries including: cramps, muscle pulls, and muscle strains. Also, dehydration can lead to severe brain impairment and even death when coupled with extreme temperatures and intense practices. Dehydration also leads to muscle loss – muscle which you are working so hard to gain.”

“Alcohol, when consumed in amounts typical with most college aged drinkers, will dramatically decrease testosterone levels. Less testosterone = less aggressiveness in workouts, loss of motivation, weakness, & once again muscle loss.”

“Aside from messing with your coordination, endurance, & judgement (not just when you’re drunk, but afterwards too). Alcohol also interferes with lactic acid breakdown, which means you stay sore longer.”

“So, here’s the deal on alcohol & “leaning out for the summer”… Aside from taking in over 1,000 calories on a conservative night of drinking…alcohol is stored much like fat in the body. More importantly alcohol destroys amino acids and stores them as fat.”

“(Alcohol use) will disrupt and fragment two stages of your sleep, where your body produces the most human growth hormone. Bottom line is that if you’re not getting enough sleep – your body will not recover, you won’t grow stronger, and your energy levels, mood, & performance will suffer.”

Then, Zeke ends the piece with a Zinger. I lot of the time, people want to blame others for their lack of progress, fat loss, strength gains, etc. Check out the last two lines of the article. Very well said.

“Ultimately, the decision is yours – you know the facts. This has been my personal testimony and I hope it encourages you to make changes. If not, don’t come bitching to me on why you’re getting weaker – it’s not our programming – it’s YOU.”

CrossFit Blog Central: 3/29/11

Posted: March 29, 2011 in CrossFit, Media
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Very interesting input from CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman on blogging, and it’s impact on “Daily Blogging.”

I’m trying to create this kind of community with this blog! All I need is involvement from you all 🙂
Don’t just sit back, become an active part of this blog “community”! We all talk about it for the one hour in the gym. Let’s keep the conversation going throughout the day, too.

What do you think about the impact of this blog to our “family”… Is there one at all?

CrossFit Blog Central: 2/22/11

Posted: February 22, 2011 in CrossFit, Media, Training
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CrossFit Lisbeth posted something today (from the CrossFit Affiliate Cruise Ship?) and it has to be shared.
The title of Lisbeth’s article is
10 Ways To Be a Better CrossFitter

Sometimes when I share blog posts from other CrossFitters I just post summaries or select quotes. This one gets a full paste. While it may seem like she is talking directly at you, she cautions at the beginning of the article:

“Warning: I wrote this post to myself. But if the lifting shoe fits . . .”

10 Ways To Be a Better CrossFitter

10. Hold the bar straight.

9. Pay attention to your breathing.

8. Use less chalk. Really.

7. Read the CrossFit Journal articles and watch the videos. What’s this going to take? Like 15 min a day? Worth the time and worth the $25 per year. Stop whining and commit.

6. Stop whining and commit. Yeah, that was so good and simple, it needed to be said again and for like all of life.

5. Put sh** away where it belongs. You might call it housekeeping but, really, it’s a form of discipline. You don’t want bumpers or collars or KBs or whatever all over the place. Pick your item, use it, and put it away. Mental discipline is as important as physical discipline, maybe even more so.

4. Get to class 15 minutes early, all the time. Use that extra time not to chat or work on stuff you’re good at — use it to suck. Suck at L-sits, suck at deadhang pull-ups, suck at KB snatches. All the stuff you and your ego have been avoiding. Put on your big girl panties and do the stuff you don’t want to do. It’s called being a grown-up. And a CrossFitter. Go do it.

3. Shut up about programming. Nobody’s ever happy with programming unless they’re the ones doing the programming. Do the workouts. If you’re getting stronger and quicker and feel better, guess what? The programming is working. And if you’re not getting stronger or quicker and you don’t feel better, grab a coach and address your concerns privately.

2. Pay attention. Stop chatting and daydreaming and goofing off. Focus.

1. Stop praying at the bar. Gather yourself, address the bar, breathe, and lift. Don’t make it more complex — in movement or thought — than it needs to be. Lift the flippin’ bar.

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