I look around each class and take a mental inventory of the athletes and the progress each of them has made since we first met. While everyone starts with a different set of goals, everyone changes and moves in the direction of those goals! Which, to say the least, is awesome! As Head Coach, I am consistently challenged to help everyone progress and improve in their individual ways which is what keeps me motivated and excited for each day at the box.
Since opening, I've seen a few athletes make huge strides forward, many be consistent in their progress and a handful that are still lagging behind. What I have learned is that there are a few key principles that seem to permeate the group of athlete's that make more significant advances to their goals. So, let's review them.
1. Be Here, Now.
Life is busy. We run from one thing to the next trying to fit it all in. The result is often times simply going through the motions of life. This absolutely can't happen during training. It's critical that the moment you walk through the door you leave your suitcase of bullsh** outside and turn on your "athlete brain". While multi-tasking is a necessity for life, there is no room for it in the box. You are here for one reason, and one reason only...to get better. Get focused on your training. Get better results. Period.
2. Be a Student of the Sport
While I'd like to think that I have everything and know everything you need to get better, the reality is I don't, and neither do our other trainers. This means that you, as an athlete, need to invest some extra time away from the box, learning and studying. Watch You Tube videos of top performing athletes. Read articles or books on nutrition. Do whatever you can to fill your mind with the best information possible to make you better.
3. Consistency Is King
Each week presents a different set of challenges in life. There is no doubt that the busy-ness of life get's the best of us at times. When we set clearly defined goals, it makes it easier for us to be consistent in our effort. Keep track of your workouts. Log your weights. Stay focused on your nutrition. The more consistent you are with your workouts and the effort you put forth, the better and longer lasting are your results. We all have excuses, and quite honestly, none of them are real good. :)
4. You Can't Out Train a Bad Diet
I've said it once, and I'll say it until the day I take my last breath. You simply can't make great gains while having trashy eating habits. Cut the sugar. Minimize the grains and dairy. Seek out quality protein sources. Supplement with quality products. Eat 4-6 smaller meals each days. Think like an athlete and eat like one, too. Yes, we all fall off the wagon. Don't stay off! Get back on track immediately and be grateful for the great health that you have and be even more excited about the great things that are to come. Make all the sacrifices count.
5. Get Extra Coaching
We have great and amazing trainers and coaches for a reason: to make you better. Take full advantage of our passion and knowledge for health, fitness, strength and conditioning. Show up for Friday Night Lights and get some extra work on your clean or snatch techniques. Schedule a couple of 1-on-1 sessions with one of us for video analysis, goal setting or nutritional guidance. While we provide a ton of help and coaching during class, you can get 10x the benefit from some focused, individualized training.
My job as Head Coach is to elevate each of my athletes to their full potential. To not do so, in my eyes, is failure at it's highest level. Use these 5 Keys to help you get more from your time at CrossFit. Here's to finding your own BeastMode!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Pursuit of Excellence
For those on the outside looking in, CrossFit stirs up a quandary of emotions that are unintentionally expressed through words, expressions and body language. A daily conversation in the box with athletes goes something like this,"Hey Doc, I've been talking to a buddy of mine about coming in for a free session to give CrossFit a try. He seems curious but doesn't think he is in good enough shape for it." Or even better, "I've told a couple of my friends they need to try CrossFit but they all tell me there's no way they could do it."
Well, if you've had this or a similar conversation, let me just say, it happens to me almost daily. After having dozens of these encounters, I've come to understand the 2 main roadblocks for people stepping off the ledge and coming in to train.
1. FEAR. We live in a world that is predominantly driven by the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain. Think about the decisions you make on daily basis. What am I going to wear to work today? What am I going to eat for lunch? What car should I buy? What do I need from Target? What weight should I use for my deadlift? Simple questions we ask of ourselves are answered based on an emotional response driven by the need to fulfill our desire for pleasure (which can also be read as "approval") or by our need to avoid pain (which can be read as "disapproval or rejection"). These emotions are powerful motivators, which when not recognized or held in check, drive us to a life of mediocrity filled with "vanilla" experiences and little achievement.
2. EGO. A second motivator in decision making is the Ego, or better yet, the protection of or expression of, the Ego. Our Ego is equally as powerful as Fear in driving our life to mediocrity. Each of us knows our strengths and weaknesses. The vast majority of the population spends the greater part of their time and energy in areas of which they perceive themselves as being strong or proficient. A natural reaction for an Ego driven mind is to rationalize their way out of new or challenging circumstances and opportunities. Preservation of Ego is a detriment to growth in all aspects of life.
So here is a truth that I see played out everyday in the box: athletes who train using CrossFit methods have an uncanny ability to face fears and leave their ego at the door. I see this every time we introduce a new athlete to box jumps, rope climbs and cleans. You can read the emotion in their face and body language. You can see the turmoil and contention in their gut. You can "feel" the impending pain of potential failure. All of us in CrossFit have witnessed this and experienced it first hand.
The result of facing these fears and checking our ego? Confidence. Personal power. Strength. And then, somewhere along the way, a simple thought enters the mind..."I can do better." No longer are we satisfied with an 18" box jump, I want to get to 30". I have to get a pull up. Now, at this point, the mind is opened to possibility and in creeps a most contagious, powerful and overall life changing concept. The pursuit of excellence.
I can do better. I can be better. I can work harder. I can, I can, I can. Life on the other side of fear and ego preservation is filled with opportunity and possibility. The pursuit of excellence is more contagious than the common cold. When you surround yourself with like minded individuals that are consistently pushing and challenging for more and better, you become more and better. And isn't it ironic how "can't" leaves your vocabulary? And even more thrilling is how the pursuit of excellence leaches and flows into every other aspect of your life!
Our tag line of Reclaim Your Life is more than just 3 words. It's more than just wanting to look good, feel better and live healthy. It's a mission, a purpose, a rally cry for individuals to face the fears that are holding them back and beat down the Ego that leads them down the path of mediocrity. This is your life. You get one shot. Be excellent in all that you do in all areas of your life. Anything less is a waste of a life.
Well, if you've had this or a similar conversation, let me just say, it happens to me almost daily. After having dozens of these encounters, I've come to understand the 2 main roadblocks for people stepping off the ledge and coming in to train.
1. FEAR. We live in a world that is predominantly driven by the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain. Think about the decisions you make on daily basis. What am I going to wear to work today? What am I going to eat for lunch? What car should I buy? What do I need from Target? What weight should I use for my deadlift? Simple questions we ask of ourselves are answered based on an emotional response driven by the need to fulfill our desire for pleasure (which can also be read as "approval") or by our need to avoid pain (which can be read as "disapproval or rejection"). These emotions are powerful motivators, which when not recognized or held in check, drive us to a life of mediocrity filled with "vanilla" experiences and little achievement.
2. EGO. A second motivator in decision making is the Ego, or better yet, the protection of or expression of, the Ego. Our Ego is equally as powerful as Fear in driving our life to mediocrity. Each of us knows our strengths and weaknesses. The vast majority of the population spends the greater part of their time and energy in areas of which they perceive themselves as being strong or proficient. A natural reaction for an Ego driven mind is to rationalize their way out of new or challenging circumstances and opportunities. Preservation of Ego is a detriment to growth in all aspects of life.
So here is a truth that I see played out everyday in the box: athletes who train using CrossFit methods have an uncanny ability to face fears and leave their ego at the door. I see this every time we introduce a new athlete to box jumps, rope climbs and cleans. You can read the emotion in their face and body language. You can see the turmoil and contention in their gut. You can "feel" the impending pain of potential failure. All of us in CrossFit have witnessed this and experienced it first hand.
The result of facing these fears and checking our ego? Confidence. Personal power. Strength. And then, somewhere along the way, a simple thought enters the mind..."I can do better." No longer are we satisfied with an 18" box jump, I want to get to 30". I have to get a pull up. Now, at this point, the mind is opened to possibility and in creeps a most contagious, powerful and overall life changing concept. The pursuit of excellence.
I can do better. I can be better. I can work harder. I can, I can, I can. Life on the other side of fear and ego preservation is filled with opportunity and possibility. The pursuit of excellence is more contagious than the common cold. When you surround yourself with like minded individuals that are consistently pushing and challenging for more and better, you become more and better. And isn't it ironic how "can't" leaves your vocabulary? And even more thrilling is how the pursuit of excellence leaches and flows into every other aspect of your life!
Our tag line of Reclaim Your Life is more than just 3 words. It's more than just wanting to look good, feel better and live healthy. It's a mission, a purpose, a rally cry for individuals to face the fears that are holding them back and beat down the Ego that leads them down the path of mediocrity. This is your life. You get one shot. Be excellent in all that you do in all areas of your life. Anything less is a waste of a life.
Monday, October 7, 2013
A Winner's Philosophy
I'm willing to bet that you have a significant, underlying philosophy that guides your life in every decision you make and action and you take. You might say no, but I would strongly disagree. Everyone has a philosophy and it is expressed in every aspect of your daily life.
Philosophy is nothing more than having a set of ideas or principles about how to live. But these ideas permeate every nook and cranny of your life. For most of us, our philosophy of life was developed by our MFTP (mothers, fathers, teachers and preachers) or people of influence in our life.
Having a philosophy is not an esoteric concept or something for only the highly educated. No, our philosophy is at the core of our being and serves as a guideline for all of our actions and decisions. Things as simple as choosing Charmin or Cottonelle is based on our philosophy; american made cars or imports; chess or football; cash or credit.
Here are a few samples of philosophies that can easily be seen demonstrated around you in the people with whom you associate:
- Life's a b*#@& and then you die
- The whole world is out to get me so I must fight back
- Everyone else does it, so should I.
- My life is a result of luck and chance
- I am a victim of my circumstance
- If it is to be it is up to me
- Hard work pays big dividends
- The least amount of effort to simply get by
So whether you have consciously developed a personal philosophy or simply fell into one by default as a result of our MFTP, we all have one. Think about yours.
Now, let me share with you a common philosophy of winners, people who excel in everything that they do. Honestly, it is one word: Excellence. Expanded, it can be a bunch of words and ideas, but my favorite explanation is this: how I do anything is how I do everything.
Developing and implementing a philosophy of excellence can and will have a profound impact on every aspect of your life. When you live from the perspective that everything that I do, I do with excellence, you move to a new station in life. No longer will "good enough" be in your vocabulary.
Relationships change. Your career changes. Your parenting changes. Your results in the gym change.
In your work life, excellence looks like consistently working towards being a master of your craft or trade. At home, excellence looks like exceeding the needs of your spouse and building them up. In the community, excellence looks like a volunteer that works had to provide the best opportunity or experience for her community members. And in your workouts, excellence looks like keeping the bar close on your deadlifts or maintaing active shoulders during your overhead squat.
A life philosophy of excellence permeates every aspect of a winner's being. Not that this person has to consistently win in competition with others, but that he is always competing with himself to get better at whatever task is put before him.
Look around at the people you hang with. If you maintain a life philosophy of excellence, chances are the life you are creating will be that much more...excellent. Be excellent. How you do anything, is how you do everything.
Philosophy is nothing more than having a set of ideas or principles about how to live. But these ideas permeate every nook and cranny of your life. For most of us, our philosophy of life was developed by our MFTP (mothers, fathers, teachers and preachers) or people of influence in our life.
Having a philosophy is not an esoteric concept or something for only the highly educated. No, our philosophy is at the core of our being and serves as a guideline for all of our actions and decisions. Things as simple as choosing Charmin or Cottonelle is based on our philosophy; american made cars or imports; chess or football; cash or credit.
Here are a few samples of philosophies that can easily be seen demonstrated around you in the people with whom you associate:
- Life's a b*#@& and then you die
- The whole world is out to get me so I must fight back
- Everyone else does it, so should I.
- My life is a result of luck and chance
- I am a victim of my circumstance
- If it is to be it is up to me
- Hard work pays big dividends
- The least amount of effort to simply get by
So whether you have consciously developed a personal philosophy or simply fell into one by default as a result of our MFTP, we all have one. Think about yours.
Now, let me share with you a common philosophy of winners, people who excel in everything that they do. Honestly, it is one word: Excellence. Expanded, it can be a bunch of words and ideas, but my favorite explanation is this: how I do anything is how I do everything.
Developing and implementing a philosophy of excellence can and will have a profound impact on every aspect of your life. When you live from the perspective that everything that I do, I do with excellence, you move to a new station in life. No longer will "good enough" be in your vocabulary.
Relationships change. Your career changes. Your parenting changes. Your results in the gym change.
In your work life, excellence looks like consistently working towards being a master of your craft or trade. At home, excellence looks like exceeding the needs of your spouse and building them up. In the community, excellence looks like a volunteer that works had to provide the best opportunity or experience for her community members. And in your workouts, excellence looks like keeping the bar close on your deadlifts or maintaing active shoulders during your overhead squat.
A life philosophy of excellence permeates every aspect of a winner's being. Not that this person has to consistently win in competition with others, but that he is always competing with himself to get better at whatever task is put before him.
Look around at the people you hang with. If you maintain a life philosophy of excellence, chances are the life you are creating will be that much more...excellent. Be excellent. How you do anything, is how you do everything.
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