Why Crossfit didn't work or isn't working for you and how to implement some changes

The following content is based on the notion that the local crossfit 'box' has some sort of idea what they are doing in regards to programming as well as having a coaches' 'eye'. Can a coach see movement, dissect movement, communicate faults, and implement new movement to better the individuals' (you) pattern. I fortunately have been apart of the CF community since 2007 and have seen it grow almost too fast. I have seen what works and what doesn't, as well as the different walks of life trying to achieve the same goal (however the prescription is not the same). Crossfit has done many great things for the 'fitness' community but there are a few things that might not be so positive. The old saying of 'you can never have too much of a good thing' does not apply here to our crossfit training. Before CF become popular, predominately (mostly) athletes were the only ones doing high-intensity training and weightlifting (real weightlifting).  With the sprouting of CF, people started to grab a barbell more often, run with a little bit less volume and a bit more intensity. They also started to do things they might have never done in a conventional setting (not use machines, gymnastics, and explosive movements). Most understand the value of HIIT, however if one is only used to doing HIIT there comes a point where one drops out because their 'gains' aren't coming anymore, or 'burn out' in which they do not choose to stop but their body (hormonally) forces them to stop. This has a direct correlation with 'competing in exercise'. Too much HIIT, too much 'competing' can lead to a host of psychological issues but also physiological. I too like most, got into CF because of the competitive aspect, however when I got into it there were no CF games, no local bumfuck elite throw downs, just hard and honest work with the attempt to go a bit harder than the other guy. Now everyone is so hell-bent on becoming better at 'crossfit', which didn't you get into this to become healthier? The same thing that you started to do to become healthier might in fact be making you unhealthy (in a multitude of ways). Too much HIIT just like anything can overstress the CNS, leave your adrenals empty and elevate cortisol so much that you develop insomnia. For you, you are on the right side of the spectrum. You need some balance in your training along with some progression. For others who this does not apply, they most likely have never sparked a HIIT muscle fiber in their entire existence in a CF gym. These are the folks who typically refuse to have a different mindset, who make more excuses than attempts, and they are the folks who believe they need to 'carb' up for life and their nutrition is spot on. Nutrition is a highly debated topic and this is not the post for it, however the people that have been a paying member of a CF gym for over a year and have stayed the same body fat % …their (your) nutrition flat out needs work. For someone who follows their basic gym/.com programming plus eating a lower carb diet with whole quality foods without a doubt, lean out and put muscle on; It's a fact. These next pieces of information will help you figure out why CF didn't/isn't working for you and how possibly you might change it.

1. Define - One needs to define their goals. Everybody should have something they are training for, regardless if it is a sport, activity or overall general health. If it is a sport the training needs to be directed so to better develop that individual for his or her sport. If it is an activity like Golf, local 'cf' competitions, or running 5k's with friends, the training/aux training should look a bit different than the 18 year old high school football player. Finally, if it is just for health, health needs to be defined. For me, as I get older I hope to be able to run, jump, squat, and pick up something heavy if need be. I hope to not have syndrome X, and I hope that I can go shoot hoops with my grandchildren without the pain train that follows days after. Defining what you are doing is key as well. Once you can look at your gym time as training vs. working out, you are one more step in the right direction. Training has a goal, a purpose. Working out is moving, its pulsing (pilates), spinning, and zumba-ing. But for the person who wants to change their life, one is going to need to accept that Crossfit is completely different than anything they have ever done and should look at it with the goal of being able to lift more weight, run faster/longer, and jump higher. Those are tangible goals that prove you are 'fitter'.

2. Acceptance -

a. patience - You will not get in shape in 30 days, even 60 days. The journey is never ending, there is always something to improve on in the gym and with your nutrition. Joining a local CF gym, they hopefully expose you to different training ideas as well as different nutrition guidelines. There is a multitude of information bestowed upon incoming members, to most it is a totally different language. In my opinion it takes about 3 months for a new member to get acclimated to the pace, movements, lifestyle, and general approach. 3 months is the bare minimum, anything less the member did not give it a shot. It takes months if not years to get ones nutrition dialed in. Learning the tricks of the trade in grocery shopping, how to best prepare food for that meal and days ahead…living out of tupperware. It takes time for the individual to learn how much to cook and how long it takes them to cook. Once this gets dialed in, most of their time will be thinking "What are we having for dinner and how can I get the most leftovers out of it?". After about 3 months following a solid whole foods nutrition plan + Crossfit training, stomachs start to flatten, shoulders broaden, and butts start to plump up :) Again, patience and dedication are all that is required to change your life. 

b. approach - How you approach anything is typically going to have the biggest affect on the outcome. Ray Allen is one of the best free throw shooters in the history of the NBA. He would shoot over 100 extra everyday in practice and stated that he would approach everyone the same as if he was in the game. The same dribble, the same spin, the same look. One cannot get better at something if they just take it for granted and act as if it were a 'chore'. I would be lying to you if there are days that it doesn't feel like a chore, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, right? This is your life here and you deserve to be happy. With anything in life there needs to be a positive approach, if you are always negative walking into the gym, into a lift, or standing in the back cause you don't want to 'fail' in class then you'll never push the boundaries and grow, physically or spiritually.

c. consistency - 3 days a week doesn't work. I do not like the approach that gyms take of buying 'packages' where they member can pick and choose what they want. If the person programming has a bit of knowledge the hope would that people would come at LEAST 4x/week, if not 5. For those who say they cannot, there are truly only a few that really 'can't'. For most I ask, "how important is it to you"? Understand that there are 168 hours in a week. Let's say you worked 12 hours a day (which you probably don't), slept 9 hours a day (which you probably don't), went to church for two hours on Sunday (which you probably don't), and cooked for 1 hour everyday to ensure healthy eating habits. That is a total of 156 hours a week spent working, sleeping, and cooking. That leaves 12 hours a week for whatever else you choose. Are you telling me out of those 12 hours you can't find 5-7  hours a week to train? Life happens, I get it, but priorities must change if you want your life to change. Training = work+nutrition+rest. Take 1 of those 3 out, your gains come slowly if at all. You need to train, eat well, and sleep (7+hours).

d. intensity - This is one of the biggest downfalls of why people can't see any physical changes in their body. They 'attack' for the lack of better terms, 'Fran' with the same approach/intensity as 'Eva'. Fran is a 3' event where as 'Eva' is a 30+' event. That doesn't mean you don't put out 100% effort; what it means is that it takes an entirely different pacing structure. Surely the intensity level must heighten for something that only has 90 reps of a light weight movement and a fast gymnastic movement vs something that has a long mono-structural exercise, and 300 reps of two other things, but depending on the type of athlete you are, strengths/weaknesses, and level of conditioning, all determine how 'fast' you can do something. Carl Lewis used to talk about how to pace the 100m dash, if he can pace, you can pace. Pacing does not mean lack of effort, it means controlled effort. But when it is time to go hard, you go hard, REALLY hard. Pushing past mental barriers is everyones issue. Little does the individual know that THEY are the only ones holding them back from growing, no one else. If one has a pretty decent nutrition plan yet stays on a bit of the heavier side, most likely they put out the same intensity level on a 2k row that they do for a 5k row, which isn't ok. 

3. Have fun - If you aren't having fun than training/eating right is ALWAYS going to feel like a chore. Find people you like, make new friends, introduce yourself to every and all people. Ask your coaches questions, go to all the gym events. Research, learn and grow in the mind first then your body. A group environment will surely push you in a competitive way but also in a nurturing way. You also have a coach/friend in me if you have any question please ask. Lift heavy, run fast, row harder, and have fun! 

Fixes - 1st make a goal and tell people. If you put it out in the public or to a group of people you trust it is official. If they are good friends they will hold you to it. Train for it and have fun doing it, who doesn't like to see/feel improvement? For me when I get a heavier lift or run a faster mile, it only makes me want more (improvement).  Understand that real change in the body comes through the mind. It comes through the honest dedication and self-awareness that you keep on a daily basis. Give it three months and I promise you'll see a difference. We have to start involving our mind into things. We have to be aware of ourselves with everything we do. How our grip feels, feel the balance in our feet. Do we tense up during double unders, or if we fail to eat within a 4 hour period do we crave sweets? All things experienced by the individual need to have a note on it, mental or on paper. Dissect yourself and figure out ways to improve (ask a coach too) How about positivity/negativity? Are you always making an excuse or finding the negatives in things? You are at the gym, you have the ability to walk and run and jump. Be thankful, there are many that don't have those privileges. Learn how to get better and have fun with it!  Like I said earlier, 3x/week doesn't cut it. That is 3 hours of movement a week, we need at least 4 if not 5/6. That could be 4 classes a week, a run with your friend on another day and a pickup game of basketball on another. Intensity. Some people just need a smack in the ass, and others need to be carried. What many think is hard, isn't infact hard. Test the boundaries, test and re test. You'll never know your limitations till you fail. If you fail try again, make note of it and go into it with a positive mindset each and every time. Feel, learn, improve, and heal. It's a long process, enjoy the path taken. It is worth it in the end. Cheers!

Rowing

A quick note

I have long held an affinity for rowing. Not rowing as a sport, and not rowing as a warm up but rowing to find out who truly one is. The main difference between rowing and running as cardiovascular exercise is that attached to the rowing machine is a monitor. This monitor politely tells you when you are speeding up and when you are slowing down. In other words, when going for max effort, it tells you if you got it or you don't; quitting or fighting. Inside my affinity is the effort of the 2k row; 2,000 meters for time. It is not a sprint nor is it an endurance event. I like it because much anyone can do it. It is the ultimate power-endurance event. You have to pull hard, and the amount of pulls is enough to classify it as endurance-esque.  The monitor gives you an 'average pace' for every 500m you are rowing. It constantly updates and what the avg. 500m pace means is however fast you are rowing in the current event is what you would finish at if you were rowing that speed for 500m. A 1:45 pace is a 7:00 2k, too me that is an average 2k. 

I think olympic rowers can row a 2k in 5:45/5:55. My best time is 6:39, and I am in decent shape for rowing and that time domain. To beat me by an entire minute is incredibly impressive, but also know what is impressive, the guy who rows a 6:30. Only 9" faster than me, but the amount of pain, and mental fortitude it takes to row 9" faster on that 2k is tremendous. This is where the strong, the average, and the weak classify themselves. 

The name of the game in all athletics is consistency. How consistent can I be at the highest level over the entirety of the event/game. Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretsky, and Rich Fronning (for you CF freaks) are great because they are consistent. Rowing is exactly the same. Someone who rows a fast 2k does not do so because they change paces the whole time, or go really hard when they feel and then have some shitty ass pulls for 30''. They have a set pace and hold that for as long as possible till maybe about 600-500m left, then at that time they either know they will kick it up a notch, or fight to hold on which usually leads to the notion that their original pace was too hot out the gate, which is fine! We only know our true potential till we fail, those people will get better. It is the folk who think 7' of rowing isn't hard because they ran your local bull shit 10k and walked part of it., which is fine too! But that doesn't illicit any psychological change in their life. The real g's are the ones that set their minds to a certain pace and hit for those 7 minutes, for those that have the same pace pull for 7 whole minutes. Being consistent is hard, real hard. As one of my remote clients said 'If I don't know the feeling of a consistent pull I don't know what consistency even feels like in life, which means I actually have to pay attention to it" And as James Fitzgerald said "If a client of mine walks in and sees an all out effort 500m row on the board and they have a response of 'that's it', then those are the people who don't know shit, and lack any type of work ethic desired"

Rowing is a love hate relationship like the barbell, however it is different because it takes a different type of focus/pain/and humility. The monitor tells you when you are slowing down, when you making excuses for yourself. All you can do it sit on that seat, and pull and see your time dropping, see your 'hard work' isn't really hard work. If one can accept the humility, the road to improvement and self-enlightenment starts there. It is easy to lie to yourself when none is looking, but you can never be lied to by the rower.

Fitness industry just like Craft Beer community?

Party people,

Roll with me on this one. I was watching a documentary on Stone Brewing Co. (my favorite brewery) the other day and part of the hour long episode was a discussion about collaborations and the quality of craft brewing. Collaborations with other breweries, which typically is when two or more breweries come together to make a "special" beer. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don't (in terms of beer-geek popularity) but the film piece made me realize that the beer industry is incredibly similar to the fitness industry. 

I started ''working out'' in my early years because I wanted to be better at sports, whatever that meant. I continued on with my 'fitness' passion because I thought that to be a male meant benching and curling a lot of weight. Boy was I off the grid in both respects. I reference being off because as I sit here with the little knowledge I have about all things fitness, training, strength and conditioning, athletic development, etc; I realize that the things I was doing years ago had nothing to do with the goal I had at the time. My goal as a 14 year old boy was to run, jump, explode, hit and tackle like the NFL greats. However, I wasn't running, jumping, exploding or anything else like NFL greats. I was running miles at a time, bench pressing sets of 15, and doing calf extensions on the machine. Does this relate at all to athletic improvement? Not one bit. The industry that I knew at the time told me it did. Maybe power cleans, squats, and lateral movement/change of direction drills might have benefited me. What was good for me and what I THOUGHT was good for me was totally dictated by the media/general masses. I ended up growing and learning, long story short my 'fitness' life turned into a 'training' life. If I could increase my deadlift, squat, and press would I not have more muscle mass therefore less fat? What if my mile time went down, was my fitness getting better? Yes and yes, so why has the fitness industry never caught on to performance related activities, measurable activities? What I am referencing to for all you meatheads out there is your pilates class with that ever incredible pulse, and the burn of your legs in your spin class, or your p90x sweat angel has nothing to do with becoming fitter because I cannot measure those things. As I have said, what I can measure is depth/weight of my squat. The time of my 5k run, and the weight put over my head. If all of those improved, would therefor I not be fitter and then therefor look better (decent diet assumed, post for another day)? 

Beer is the most boring and sexy liquid product on the market today without any change in the near future. Many of you wine-o's are flaring your nostrils at this point but again, ROLL WITH ME. I have had chipotle stouts, lemongrass lagers, piney India Pale Ales (Zeus of all beer), and wild-yeast ales that are fermented by the wild yeast that occurs naturally. Beer to most peoples knowledge is bud, miller, coors, rolling rock, stella, corona, insert you name the product here. This would be the same as telling people you enjoy coors because you love beer as I love Mcdonalds because I love hamburgers. The difference here is the quality of the product. Is budweiser really beer? Is Mcdonalds really a hamburger? That is something you'll have to personally answer but just cause it quacks like a duck doesn't mean it's a duck. In the great american beer Budweiser, barely is replaced for rice, and HFCS is added to increase the alc. content. Last time I checked beer is not supposed to have rice or HFCS in it. Ever heard of soy? It is a beef product right? No it is not? Well in the hamburger(beef) at Mcdonalds it is…What I am getting at is understanding or asking the question personally why you got into the 'business', regardless if its burgers or barbells. Once in it, do you welcome 'competition' or do you do things to put other people down. It is simple to see who truly cares about the 'hamburger' or the clients 'well-being'. If one dumb downs the product isn't that grounds for lowering the standard of the community therefor ruining the product all at an expense to save a dime? There is a community of craft brewers out there (Stone, Avery, Anchor Steam, AleSmith, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Great Lakes, Lagunitas, Magic Hat, Russian River, Upslope, Oskar Blues..etc) that put in whole ingredients, no adjuncts, for the purity and quality of the product. Brewers get into business for one thing, one love, and one passion; the beer. The taste, the subtlety, and beauty of the product. Pilsners, pale ales, ipa's, stouts, porters, saison's, heffe's, and many more are the make of beer. Inside of those beers I have tasted cilantro, chipotle, cocounut, chocolate, and cinnamon to name a few c's :) Training people SHOULD be the same way. No fillers, no gimmicks and no bull shit. You can of course put your own twist on it but the end goal SHOULD be the same. Get people to reach their goals (show them their goal) and improve their life OUTSIDE of the gym. With beer, to deliver a product with character. A product that leaves a lasting impression wanting more and yearning for the positive development of other beers, and other athletes.

No one gets into a business to loose money, but not everyone gets into business to make an extra penny at someone else's expense. That is the difference between great brewers and bud, miller, and coors. That is the difference between gyms that get people to reach their goals, change their life, and change their conduct on a 24/7 basis. 

My favorite brewery is Stone Brewery as I have stated. I am partial because I am from SoCal but I also appreciate the beauty in a west coast IPA that is so hoppy that it leaves you going 'holy fuck that was awesome'. Isn't that the same way many of you feel about your 'crossfit wod'? In that interview owner Greg Koch talks much about competitors vs compadres. He defines a competitor as someone who makes 'beer' that does not elevate the product and advertise against their beer. In crossfit very similar, you see people trash talk other gyms, say their gym is the 'best', and leave friends in dust in chase for that extra penny. A compadre to Koch is one that helps elevate the game, helps promote the product that is beer in the finest quality way. The mass population is used to frosted flakes, low fat cheese, pasta, and wine which is the same population that has led to obesity, budweiser, and a society that is aesthetics driven. Maybe that isn't the way? Maybe the way is to eat real food, to drink real beer, and to 'do' real fitness. Fitness isn't fucking machines, it isn't 'pulsing' on some stupid piece of wood with chords. It is running, jumping, putting HEAVY weight over your head and testing the limits. Not all beers by craft breweries turn out well, but the community appreciates the effort. It is not a negative effort because the next time they go to brew, a better product follows. "Be amazing" Koch says. If everything you do is based upon putting out the best product possible, the money and praise will follow. No brewery that produces a phenomenal beer ever goes unnoticed, know why? People want good tasting beer. I hope the fitness (crossfit) movement follows.

Cheers.

grey is a color

What happens when you have a life experience that changes your perspective on things? Insignificant or not, what happens to your eyeballs, your senses, your ability to process and cope with everyday situations. Some are hard some are not, but all of it comes down to how we take in situations and how we react to them. Life goes on without us, life will go on without us. The world spins, and the world grows; depending on how we look at it, within or without us…within or without us…I find myself fighting the world as if it were black and white, too inclined to believe the right thing is an instant answer. On they flip side I also discover that when I can't quite come to a conclusion that the answer must be grey matter, which goes against the previous sentence…why? How can we black and white and grey at the same time? There are many things that are black and white, there are also things that are too grey, too lost in translation that all we can do is accept change. Some feel repressed, some feel alienated, some feel that they have a God-given right to do whatever they please, and others just assume that is the way the world works…for them. 

But what do we do when our eyes, hearts, and unemotional brains that think in black and white have changed forever? Is there an acceptance or a refusal? Is one right or wrong or is one just better…better to who? Dictating policy has its benefits but who are we to dictate? 

If you feel like you are a dying breed, or a select few…chances are you might be. Not because you are better or worse, just because you are different. Do you accept the change or stand for what is right….black, white or grey?

Sunday Night Football

As I watch Sunday Night Football I am intrigued. I love football for the athletic prowess, intensity, shit-talking, commentating, but I love the game because of the chess match. People do not understand the preparation, the amount of hours spent in the film room dissecting the opponents plays in certain situations. The down, the score, how many yards for a 1st down, who is on the field and who is not. Is the strength of their line on the weak or strong side, what is their tendency with all of this? It truly is a guessing game/chess match and with the hope that your athletes will out think/play theirs. All of these coaches are professionals, yet there are few that are considered great. The ones that I feel that are considered great do not have any more knowledge than those who are not 'great', but what sets them apart is their ability to connect and get through to their players. They want this or that down, but if this or that does not resonate with the player than really what good does it do?

Coaching people in the gym is not nearly the job that this is, however on a smaller scale share some similarities.

I use to be an awful 'coach'. I still am trying to work on my weaknesses but one thing I have vastly improved upon is my ability to connect with different types of people. The reason for this is the various places I have been and various people I have come in contact with. "Why don't they understand me?" I would ask myself. I am saying the exact words from the CF Journal. I am saying exactly what the head coach is saying, but it still does not get through. It was a combination of what I said, the way I said it and the timing of when it was said; all incredibly important. As a coach, a good one, I need to be able to read the client/athlete and learn a bit of their language so I can better help them understand. If they play basketball can I equate bringing hips through and elevating/getting full-extenstion to them on a Snatch? Can I stress the importance of hamstring/glute recruitment on a KB swing VS just bending over and throwing the KB up, and WHY it's important? Not everyone reacts the same, not everyone learns at the same speed but everyone can learn. Maybe Susie Q will never snatch from the floor but she sure can pull from above the knee to overhead and look like she knows what she is doing.

I relate this a bit to watching football. They can come up with the best schemes but if they do not make their players understand it, then what good does it do? Unfortunately there are a lot of 'coaches'…trainers…in my line of work that think because they have a certificate and hold a position of 'class trainer' that it automatically gives them authority on the subject.

This approach does not appeal to everyone, but the people that truly want coaching and have a desire to develop a coach/athlete relationship understand the process.

With that being said, I'll get back to my football, IPA and quiet.

1st week of an Endurance Phase

Hey party people!

Have you ever seen Homeland? I am somewhat addicted to the show. I do not know why but I know I have a problem when I pass on my normal morning ESPN for this show...

Anyway.

Monday

1. smr+mobility
2. 40' steady state
3. (did a workout w/ other trainers, went about 75% effort; their idea)
 5 rounds for time: 3 rope climb, 6 snatch @ 135, 9 front squat @ 135

Tuesday

1. smr+mobility
2. 10' row
3. 15x 30/90's. Starting at 150m per/30'', build every 30'' interval, 1 more meter than the last. 90'' active rest period (less hard). Started at 150m, ended up at 172m
4. 10' row
5. 4x AMAP strict HSPU+kipping HSPU+ring dip, 2' rest between
6. 3x 60/90s, seated DB press @ 40#.


Wednesday

1. smr+mobility
2. 3 RNFT: 400m run, 10 kb swing (focus on hamstring glut recruitment), 8-4-2(pull up/c2b/bar mu), 10 band pull apart
3. front squat 8@40%, 3@65%, 5@75%, 3@85%, 2x1@95%, 3@85%, 5@75%
5. EMOM for 10': 5 DL@315 + 1 rope climb
6. 3' rest
7. EMOM for 10': 40m farmer carry @ 88#, 5 burpee box jump

Tomorrow will be an active recovery day.

Hope all is well with you.

3 weeks in.

I have been in LA for 3 weeks now and am excited to see where it goes. New things always come with a bit of stress and uncertainty but I am fortunate to have some good souls in my life.

Relationships are a huge glimpse into ones life. Who you surround yourself with is a huge indicator to what type of a person you are. It's all too easy to fake what type of being you are to the sheep public but to those of 'us' who understand that demeanor, it is a facade; the true indicator to whom one is, the people that they surround themselves with. Again I am fortunate for the growth I hope to have here in LA.

Training is non-exisent. My sleep has been spotty again, and have accepted that there needs to be an extra-cirricular activity. Sleepy shitty, work in gym, workout in gym, work in gym, go home and program/email/think/write for gym. An activity outside of the gym needs to happen. I am looking for some advice on what this might be. I came up with 3 things:

1) rock climbing
2) join a beer club who likes to nerd out on IPA's like me
3) play rugby again

Playing rugby again would be dangerous for two things. It is somewhat of a beer club, typically shitty beer, but beer nonetheless, but also because your face gets smashed everyday Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday. I am excited to get back on the pitch and love the community that it brings. I only hope to look as pretty after as I do now : )

Since I am still feeling some low energy and effects of stress. I am limiting my lifting and power-endurance stuff and focusing on some LSD stuff, recovery movement/gymnastics. I also am taking the time to work on some weaknesses (hamstring/glut recruitment, gymnastics, and aerobic capacity)

Hope you are all well.

The only muscle worth training sits inside your skull.

PS.

I am sad to see Jim Leyland go.