Had a great last few days. Not because I met the love of my life or won the lottery, which I guess would call for some word better than 'great' but anyway. Wednesday night I had a decent size class at Crossfit Uptown. It was myself, Jason, Joanna, Megan, Garrett, and Michael. All pretty experienced 'crossfitters', but was surprised that everyone showed up (Crossfit Uptown has been open for two weeks) If no one was going to show up that night I was going to work on some Olympic lifting, but then as everyone trickled in, I realized we didn't have enough weight for everyone. So the question came up, what are we going do with the class. Mike brought up a workout I had done a while back that I epically failed it. one round = 3 strict pull ups, 4 handstand push ups, 5 burpees. Do one round on the minute for 40 minutes, yep forty whole minutes. This workout takes strength and endurance, both physical and mental. To be able to do that many reps for 40 minutes is hard on your body and also your mind. This workout is definitely more challenging than your average crossfit class workout, partly because of the duration, and partly because the volume of work being done is a little too much. If you cannot complete the round in the minute given, you wait for the next round and continue. (workout is scored how many rounds you can successfully complete in the 40 mins, I had 36)
Understanding that I had done this workout a few months prior, I warned people that it is long and taxing..ie = much pain involved, everyone wanted to try it (which says something about the characters inside CF uptown)
after a bit of a warm up...3,2,1 go and we were off. Turning CF Uptown into a sweat box, steamin the windows with our sweat and heavy breathing.
I do not like bragging, but I do pride myself on the effort that is usually given. With that being said, in my 'crossfit' life, there has never been a workout that I did not complete Rx(prescribed weight and reps) or did not finish. These 'on the minute' workouts such as 'chelsea' (5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats for 30 minutes) I have always successfully completed the task at hand
Then this workout comes a long and the first time I did it, if my memory serves me correctly I completed 26 or 27 rounds. This time I completed 36, an improvement, but still did not complete all 40.
...
and then today, Carter showed up with me at 830am to do a short little power endurance workout. 800m run, 12 muscle ups, 24 deadlifts @ 315#, 48 box jumps @ 30in box, 800m run. And if a crossfit workout was a fight (which it's not, so people who compare it...stop) Carter beat my ass. He came in around 13.50, me a sluggish effort of 14.30.
Well some of you might ask why are you writing about this? What does this have to do with me?
In fitness, sports, or work have you ever been content with where you are at? Said to yourself, I have done enough or just skated by earning respect by some? We all have, so do not lie to yourself. There has been a point in everyone's life that you were told you are awesome, great job, you killed it, you're a stud, etc etc. Then most of us just kind of relax and love the feeling that people admire us.
Newsflash, there is and always will be someone better, stronger, faster, smarter, and willing to work harder than you. Great you had the heaviest 1 rep max back squat in your gym, or you ran the fastest mile. You walk out with a huge smile on your face feeling awesome about yourself cause everyone 'oooo'd and awe'd' over your achievement. As they should a 400pound back squat is amazing and a 5 min mile is ridiculous, but why stop there? At work you closed out the biggest deal of the year and made everyone tons of money, but why settle for that? You know you are better than that right? You know that is not the limit you are capable of, so do not let other people set the bar, stay hungry. Stay a bit on the edge and go for more. You lost 10 pounds on the paleo challenge and are half way to your goal of 20. You look in the mirror and feel great and 'reward' yourself with a large pizza. STOP IT, your goal should be never ending without sacrificing other things of course ie (family, morals, etc etc)
The reason I bring this up because every once in a while I will get my 'ass kicked' and realize "hey mike, cmon now lets pick your shit up" aka...not being able to complete every round of that 1st workout, and Carter embarrassing me this morning. With other things in life, do not be content with other peoples admiration's and likes, be content with what you want of yourself, and never settle. Never EVER settle for someone else's standards. You alone set the bar for you. Be accountable for yourself, and if you fall of the wagon of food intake, that's fine, brush off that bowl of ice cream and make sure that's more motivation to fight the urge next time. Not give it your all in a workout? Who has not, but remember that feeling after and promise yourself you will not 'settle' for sub par effort again.
So my kudos to that group who let me workout with them on Wed. evening, and kudos to Carter for destroying my 'birthday' workout.
Keep elevating your game.
ps. I wish Michigan's defense knew how to tackle a ball carrier, I thought we were taught that freshmen year of high school.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Direction
Everyone in this world is 'fighting' some sort of battle. Divorce, money troubles, weight issues, self esteem issues, whatever whatever. We are all dealt a different hand of cards, but how we play them is up to us. Do you fold, and make an excuse or do you possess the energy to fight back? Taking on life's curve balls are never easy, but how we respond to the suffering is how our character is shaped. So looking at this note card again, where are you now and where are you headed?
Do you want to be just like everyone else, making excuses for being fat, unhappy, slow, etc etc. Whatever the case may be, you have the ability to change it. But the question stands, what are YOU going to do about it? You are twenty five pounds overweight, a relationship is falling apart, you are not doing so well at work...? What is your course of action to better yourself? Revolution time.
At CrossFit Deep Ellum we started our 3 month paleo challenge today. I urge all of you to not think of it as a challenge but a way to change your life. Yes, loosing weight will be awesome, but is not the way we feel inside, the way we sleep and the way we move more important? Changing our eating habits has so many more positive effects on us than we think. Yes eating whole foods is a big change to most of us because it was not how we were raised, and its all too easy to eat something from a drive thru. But how important is sleeping better, feeling better, and looking better naked to you? This is CANNOT be a 3 month 'challenge' that at the end of it we go back to putting crap into our bodies. This is a 'challenge' that changes your life, that improves your life, that might even save your life. I'm not kidding. It is going to be difficult, but look at all the people that showed up on Sunday to do it? We have a support system, lean on them, the coaches, or how about lean on the faith that you should have in yourself. If you have an urge, put your foot down, have the resolve and energy to fight back. Do not resign. Today is the beginning of your own personal revolution.
"Declare war, on yourself, on your thoughts, on your inner-demons. Cut away all distractions. Place yourself on "deathground," where your back is against the wall and you have to fight like hell to get out or die." (SD)
For all your life you have been eating the crap food we tell you not to eat and this is where it has gotten you, unhappy with your body and your fitness. So what is it going to be make excuses, be a quitter, and resign? Or will you take on your own personal revolution?
It won't come easy, just as anything worth 'fighting' for doesn't. How bad do you want to change? What are you willing to give up and do, to see that your goals are fulfilled and stay fulfilled? Take a look at that note card one last time, where is your dot...look at yourself inside and out...and plot that dot, just make sure you are doing everything possible to move it.
Every morning look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are doing everything possible that day to become a better athlete, mother, father, brother, sister, boyfriend, girlfriend, human being... Do it. stare yourself down and be tougher than the person that stared back the day prior, declare war and be free.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
keepin' on when keepin' on hurts, bad.
Perseverance. Endurance. Fortitude.
As a CrossFit coach I am awarded to see awesome physical feats. Deadlifting 450 pounds, running a 5 minute mile, 40inch vertical leap, you get the picture. However, many people are born with a set of talents (I'm still trying to find mine) that most of us could never conceive of having. Before we get into an argument, I cannot throw down any references to scholarly articles proving this, but what I can lay down are years of actual experience.
Example. Do you remember on the playground as a 4th grader playing basketball and there was one person who was just faster, could jump higher, and could make three pointers all while you couldn't even dribble? How about playing little league baseball and the average pitch from most players was say around 45mph but then a little skinny kid could throw it 65mph? Or when you start lifting weights and for some reason the first time you max out at bench press you are so excited that you benched 135 pounds (that is a 45pound plate on each side for you non meathead types) to be stomped on by the new kid who did 225? I see examples everyday. While I lifted weights outside of football and had a speed coach there was a guy I played football with who never trained outside of what our coach made us do, never lifted an extra weight or did an extra sprint outside of our football compound, yet he was one of the most gifted athletes on the field. Oh, he also ate 2 western bacon cheeseburgers from Carl's Jr everyday for lunch and had a six pack on top of a six pack. These things I am describing I believe are things that you are born with, but that is no excuse for someone to get rid of their goal cause they weren't dealt the same hand of cards as someone else.
It's easy to complain, make excuses, and find some way to make you feel better about yourself. But what does it really do in terms of making you better at your individual goals? Nothing, it makes those goals seem even more unattainable. The paragraph above are things we cannot control. Obviously the kid who could throw a 65mph fastball has a different muscle makeup than I, but the excuses and the way we perceive and act on things we can control, and that is what makes us who we are. Whether it be in the gym, relationships, or your job, the way you let outside things affect you is solely on you and you alone.
The reason why I bring up amazing feats in a Crossfit Gym and title this the way I do is because I spend most of my time in a CrossFit gym since it is my 'job'. Every once in a while you will witness something that inspires you, or puts things in perspective. Last night I witnessed an incredible scene. It did not have anything to do with one physical act, rather it was covered in perseverance, endurance, and fortitude.
To keep it brief, one of our members who normally finishes at the top of the pack in regards to a workout that is timed (meaning complete the set number of sets and reps as fast as possible), was not doing so hot in the workout. Being a personal friend I know she has a lot on her plate and does not get much sleep paired with quite a bite of stress. When most people were finishing up the workout I would venture to say she was about half way there with a look in her face that appeared to be ready to break out in tears at any moment. I know this look as I see it often. When every thought is consumed by the same one of 'stop', she continued on with rep, after rep, after rep. For someone like her who does not play a sport, want to compete in Crossfit, or even have a job where physical fitness is relied upon, why do this? Why would she punish her body when she already is in a state of physical and mental fatigue? Because her mind told her to finish, she was not going to let this workout break her.
Scenes like this say a lot about individual character, and I whole heartedly believe that what happens inside that gym translates 100% to the real world. Again, it's easy to make excuses, miscount reps, take weight off, and tell yourself I'll make it up tomorrow. And witnessing this display of mental fortitude was truely awe inspiring.
CrossFit workouts are hard, very hard. They are not for everybody and it takes a special person to endure. Everybody wants to be first place or the best, and if you don't we need to have a serious talk. But when an individual knows they are finishing last and holding up the rest of the group from going home, it is all too easy to stop and say I am done, or maybe 'miscount a rep'. But it is one of the most difficult things to push past physical pain through the mind...aka...keepin on when keepin on hurts, bad.
As a CrossFit coach I am awarded to see awesome physical feats. Deadlifting 450 pounds, running a 5 minute mile, 40inch vertical leap, you get the picture. However, many people are born with a set of talents (I'm still trying to find mine) that most of us could never conceive of having. Before we get into an argument, I cannot throw down any references to scholarly articles proving this, but what I can lay down are years of actual experience.
Example. Do you remember on the playground as a 4th grader playing basketball and there was one person who was just faster, could jump higher, and could make three pointers all while you couldn't even dribble? How about playing little league baseball and the average pitch from most players was say around 45mph but then a little skinny kid could throw it 65mph? Or when you start lifting weights and for some reason the first time you max out at bench press you are so excited that you benched 135 pounds (that is a 45pound plate on each side for you non meathead types) to be stomped on by the new kid who did 225? I see examples everyday. While I lifted weights outside of football and had a speed coach there was a guy I played football with who never trained outside of what our coach made us do, never lifted an extra weight or did an extra sprint outside of our football compound, yet he was one of the most gifted athletes on the field. Oh, he also ate 2 western bacon cheeseburgers from Carl's Jr everyday for lunch and had a six pack on top of a six pack. These things I am describing I believe are things that you are born with, but that is no excuse for someone to get rid of their goal cause they weren't dealt the same hand of cards as someone else.
It's easy to complain, make excuses, and find some way to make you feel better about yourself. But what does it really do in terms of making you better at your individual goals? Nothing, it makes those goals seem even more unattainable. The paragraph above are things we cannot control. Obviously the kid who could throw a 65mph fastball has a different muscle makeup than I, but the excuses and the way we perceive and act on things we can control, and that is what makes us who we are. Whether it be in the gym, relationships, or your job, the way you let outside things affect you is solely on you and you alone.
The reason why I bring up amazing feats in a Crossfit Gym and title this the way I do is because I spend most of my time in a CrossFit gym since it is my 'job'. Every once in a while you will witness something that inspires you, or puts things in perspective. Last night I witnessed an incredible scene. It did not have anything to do with one physical act, rather it was covered in perseverance, endurance, and fortitude.
To keep it brief, one of our members who normally finishes at the top of the pack in regards to a workout that is timed (meaning complete the set number of sets and reps as fast as possible), was not doing so hot in the workout. Being a personal friend I know she has a lot on her plate and does not get much sleep paired with quite a bite of stress. When most people were finishing up the workout I would venture to say she was about half way there with a look in her face that appeared to be ready to break out in tears at any moment. I know this look as I see it often. When every thought is consumed by the same one of 'stop', she continued on with rep, after rep, after rep. For someone like her who does not play a sport, want to compete in Crossfit, or even have a job where physical fitness is relied upon, why do this? Why would she punish her body when she already is in a state of physical and mental fatigue? Because her mind told her to finish, she was not going to let this workout break her.
Scenes like this say a lot about individual character, and I whole heartedly believe that what happens inside that gym translates 100% to the real world. Again, it's easy to make excuses, miscount reps, take weight off, and tell yourself I'll make it up tomorrow. And witnessing this display of mental fortitude was truely awe inspiring.
CrossFit workouts are hard, very hard. They are not for everybody and it takes a special person to endure. Everybody wants to be first place or the best, and if you don't we need to have a serious talk. But when an individual knows they are finishing last and holding up the rest of the group from going home, it is all too easy to stop and say I am done, or maybe 'miscount a rep'. But it is one of the most difficult things to push past physical pain through the mind...aka...keepin on when keepin on hurts, bad.
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