To settle or not to settle.

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.

Direction

I was going through a good buddy's facebook the other day, (no I'm not a stalker), and I came across this photo. I quickly glanced at it and went to the next photo as most of us do, but then I thought to myself why would that be a picture? I went back and looked at it for a few minutes, and my first reaction was this better not be some hippie che guevara crap with the word 'revolution'. But thinking about it, these four words can mean something totally different to me, you, or anybody else reading it.

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.