Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:
10 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball
10 GHD Sit-ups or abmat situps
10 Back extensions or supermans
Wow- lots to say tonight...
1- First, before I forget- the 7 pm class is no longer advanced- it is open to everyone. That's effective this week- so get to class!
2- I want to say congratulations to Lizen and Angie for their PR deadlifts yesterday (!) and to Scott whose 425# deadlift is going on the board!! Thanks, Scott, for necessitating me to buy a larger bar and and Olympic platform sooner than I thought... :P I also wanted to recognize Sharon- on Monday night, I watched her struggle to get a double under. I don't know if she did or not because I had to leave, but that's SO not the point. She just kept trying, no matter what, kept at it, and kept smiling!! Wound her way through that vicious workout, and worked so hard. Good job Sharon! You don't fool me- I can tell there's a firebreather in there!!!
3- So, this topic came up at the instructor class recently...why do you Crossfit? What is it that keeps you coming back week after week? What are you trying to accomplish? What do you love about it? We want to know. Because I'm guessing that while it might have been about the end game for you when you first started (looking hot in a bikini- or Speedo, if you're a guy, or losing some weight), I bet that you have found something else in it and in the gym (community, your inner athlete). I really want to know, so I'm taking the restrictions off the blog- you can even post anonymously.
I'll share that to be honest, I don't really know why I started Crossfit... Alan and I were living in Huntington Beach and Crossfit Marina was like 3 seconds from our house. I was training in Krav and I had been teaching Bodypump (don't ask), but I wanted to do something different. I could not believe my first workout- it was something similar to the baseline that we do- I was smoked! I went back because I said I would, and then I just kept going back. Then it became about how awesome I felt when I accomplished one of those crazy workouts, even if it was modified, and then it became about improvement. Then I wanted to get my first pullup. Before I knew it, Alan had brought Crossfit to the Willow location, and then we got Cherry. And whaddya know- I'm heading to my Level 1 Cert and managing a gym! All the while thinking- hey, don't these people know I'm a geek?? I met Jolie and Dave Castro at my cert and thought, yikes, I'll never measure up. LOL. Yes, I know you all know I am a geek. Then, Alan asked me to take over Cherry. It's been a busy year! What I realize as I write this is that what I love about Crossfit and why I do it for myself as an individual is because I love to succeed at things that are really, really hard. I've shared with the instructors and I'll share with you- yes, despite being 8 months pregnant and resembling a manatee, I'm setting a goal to go to the qualifiers next year. All I want to do is perform respectably. And I'd like a shot at the cup team next year- though we are having tryouts, and who knows if I'll make it? Why do I love owning the gym and teaching Crossfit-- because I LOVE helping people. I LOVE seeing the look on someone's face when they get their first anything or when they set a PR. I love it when someone comes in and is sure they'll never be able to do something...and then they do! Love that!
So- why do you Crossfit?
14 comments:
Um, how many guys here wanted to look hot in Speedos: show of hands please? Riiiiiight . . . .
I thought it was just crazy. Erik Knoedeller was doing something called "Fran," and Alan wanted to borrow my 25 lb. Olympic plates. Then Erik started adding speed-drills to noon bag class (20 seconds, max burpees jumping to touch the overhead bag apparatus; 3 rounds). It sucked, but I sure wanted that high number. Then we got Cherry, and I thought "let's go improve our movement" (because there are people in my head I have to include, or they feel left out). Alan asked me how my "kip," I said "fine," then I saw some video of Greg Ahmundson doing kipping pullups. Eye opener. I wanted to learn. I was very disappointed at my early numbers, so I determined to get better. Then I started meeting the new people who weren't strictly from Krav. And everybody was really cool and supportive, and there was healthy competition with loads of encouragement and support. There was no kidnapping, no brainwashing, no giving up of worldly goods. No shaved head, no pony tail, no chanting. It just became something that is part of my everyday life, something that I look forward to, and still with excitement.
Donna Summer: "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it."
Why do I CrossFit?
Many of you who I have had the pleasure of meeting have also seen the scales that I have climbing my left arm. To explain why I CrossFit, let me explain my scales.
On the Yellow River at Hunan is a waterfall called the Dragon Gate. It is said that if certain carp called Yulong can climb the cataract they will transform into dragons. While many people have carp and dragon tattoos, each respectively representing hard work and life’s struggles, and success and adoration; I chose a different path. My scales are ambiguous as to whether they are carp or dragon scales. Each morning I wake up and look at my arm to think about where in life I am, where is the next waterfall to climb.
CrossFit has turned into one of my favorite waterfalls.
Each day is a new opportunity to fight for success. I love the mental “toughness” I have developed through CrossFit and I see it bleed into other areas of my life. Beside the mental and physical changes I have undergone, more so than any other reason, I CrossFit because of the community.
CrossFitters, especially 360 CrossFitters rock! I challenge you find a single sports event, globo gym, or fitness competition where your fellow athletes are as supportive of you as they are of themselves. Simply put, CrossFitters make each other fire breathers.
I may never compete at the same level as Mikko Salo, but you bet I’m going to try.
CrossFitters are the carp in the river, moving and thrashing to fight to the next level. Our success comes not from our individual fight, but from the support of the carp around us; collectively pushing each other to bring out our inner dragons.
Why do I CrossFit?
I started CrossFitting because I was sick and tired of creating my own workouts... bored w/ working out by myself... and feeling like something was missing from my life. After the first day (Baby Kelly!), I HAD to come back. "What a great workout!", I thought. In the beginning, it was always about getting a great workout... if we had a short WOD like '50 burpees for time', I would ALWAYS do another WOD from a previous day before I left :) I wanted to get my money's worth!! Ha!
Anyway, the gym was still pretty new when I started, so sometimes it would only be me and Alan at a class (can you say 'ouch'??). At first, I wanted to just get through these new challenges. Then, I started to understand how to better handle the act of pushing myself (thanks, Alan!).
After a couple months, I began to realize that I was good at CrossFit. I would get better times than the girls from the Olympic water polo team (and they had just returned from Beijing!!). I was catching up to the stronger guys. I liked it. I liked being the one to beat. And I loved the cameraderie and the support. The whole CrossFit experience was giving me immense amounts of energy and enthusiasm for life! I haven't been the same since.
And once I qualified for the Games - completely surprising myself at my high placing, with NO idea that I would ever be caught amongst the best in SoCal - I have become more and more convinced that I found CrossFit for a reason. It has re-awakened the competitive spirit in me. It has helped me accept that fact that I am capable of being great. It has made me more confident about many other things in life besides my physical abilities. That's why I CrossFit.
And you better believe that I'll be CrossFitting for a long time. The Games experience made me thirsty to improve all my weaknesses (there are many!), and to reach my potential in strength, power, and skill level. You ain't seen nothin' yet!!
Oh, and P.S. -
SARAH GOT A PR ON DEADLIFTS YESTERDAY TOO!!
530am
AMRAP in 20min.
Efren 12
Adrianna 11
Lori 11
Johnny 13
Katherine 12
Fantastic effort in the weee hours of the morning!
Quote of the day: "Winners never quit and quitters never win."
-Vince Lombardi
Yay Sarah!!! Sorry I missed that :( Also congrats to Efren- who I saw at Petsmart last night- who told me that he also PR'd! :)
Jenn
I'll throw my hat in as well. I PR'd yesterday.
I crossfit because I look damn good doing it! LOL.
When I first heard about crossfit I thought it was cool but I wanted to get hulkamania status, so I stuck with the gym. Then I did my first WOD "kelly". I still wasn't completely sold. Jumping on top of a tire, and throwing a ball up in the air wasn't my cup of tea.
After doing a few more crossfit WOD's at the studio, I was hooked. I hate it when I am at the gym and I have to wait for someone to get off the bench with his D-bag bandana on talking on his bloody cellphone. Crossfit has got me doing things that I never thought possible. Just when you think you got it down it throws something at you which exposes your weakness (for me its pullups, running and cleans).
The gym is a set schedule. Monday-chest Tuesday-legs etc etc. Crossfit keeps it interesting everyday. With crossfit, krav, bikram yoga, and the proper nutrition I have gone from 208 to 179 in 3 months (after jen posted the scale post I stopped but I couldnt help it this weekend) With crossfit not only do you see results you feel them.
AMIT
I was always picked last for any team sport, and came in last on every run (still do sometimes, haha). I was never "athletic", nor did I think I could be.
Until I started to CrossFit. I had tried just about everything-yoga, pilates, weight training, running, spin, kickboxing...you name it. But with CrossFit-finally the dedication was paying off! I saw my body change, my strength improve, and my attitude changed as well. It's given me more confidence than I've ever had before. For some reason, being able to kipping pullup/overhead squat/clean and jerk/etc. makes me feel like I can do anything! And I NEVER felt like that athletically. BUT I DO NOW.
I love to see how CrossFit has changed others like it's changed me. When I left the 5:30 a.m. class yesterday where Scott hit a 425 deadlift I was BEAMING. I couldn't stop talking about how Gabriel got 50 lbs. above what he thought would be his PR when he took off those damn gloves. And don't get me started on Adrianna doing kipping pullups yesterday like she'd been doing them all her life...or Carmen when she walks into the gym-you all know what I'm talking about, she makes everyone smile!
It doesn't matter who we are before we walk into those doors-it's who we become during and who we are after that keeps me coming back. I want to improve. I want to see everyone else improve. And I see it every day I'm there.
I can name a million reasons why I CrossFit...in short I guess...why not???
11am
Alex 14
Zulfi 11
Pat 10
Jaclyn 14
Magda 11
Lisa 13
Excellent efforts, way to keep pushing it to the buzzer.
why do I crossfit?
Well lets see when I first saw it I was very intimidated I thought there was no chance in HELL I could do the things that were listed on that white board. I didn't let that hold me back, I talked to Steven about it and he said I should give it a shot and I did.
When I went to my first one (kelly) I noticed it was not as bad as I thought it was very reassuring to get support from the other crossfitters that did not even know me but still were showing support. I've played sports in my day and I still do but crossfit is something that is so much better. There is no other sport that your competitors cheer you on while they are competing with you. That in itself showed me how great these individuals were. After seeing that I made my decision to be apart of this group.
I too have noticed a significant change in weight, physical appearance, and mental toughness. Even though I have seen improvements I'm hungry for more every time I go into the crossfit gym even though I'm going to be hating every minute of it, I still go. It's like a drug once you're hooked that's it you're HOOKED!
Now when I go to crossfit no more intimidation, just straight going there handling business and feeling like a Champ. I saw this quote in Men's Health and I thought it would be appropriate for crossfit "It's not how good you are.. It's how bad you want it!"
All the best, see you guys at the gym
-RJ
So you don't have to read my whole post the short answer is because I get bored easily. With CrossFit there is so much new to learn and master. It is also a different workout every time!
I don't like to exercise so I have to trick myself. I play basketball because I have no idea I'm exercising; it is so much fun. Now I also crossfit because I have to concentrate on technique or trying to do something faster that over shadows the fact that I hate every exercising moment (Well not always). My brain doesn't have room or time for those thoughts with crossfit (well not always).
Krav would also fit that bill but I've been there, done that. I have so much martial arts background and more weapons training than you want to hear about that it is nice become skilled at something else. The funny thing is that I started to get away from empty hand martial arts and migrate to weapons because I was getting older. With crossfit I'm probably in better shape then when I was doing martial arts 6 times a week, 20 years later.
My brother also CrossFits so we have a fun competition between us. And I LOVE the people and attitudes of people that find their way to Crossfit.
Tustin
All in Tustin done with abmat sit-ups and supermans
6pm
Jonathan 15
Kristin 11
Eammon 15
Storm 25
Alec 16
Earl 11
Paul D 12
Garth 15
7pm
Ryan 8
Jose 14
RJ 16
Amit 16
Way to push it to the end tonight great job!
5pm
15min AMRAP
Byron 8
Sharon 9
Charles 6
Jesse N 8
Mark 7
Tim 11
6pm
Annemarie 11
Joel 10
Jesse F 10
Aaron 12
Lily 11
Scott 10
Angie 11
Arnie 10
Luis 11
Julie C. 9
Very well done folks, you guys were pushing yourselves through each and every round!
speedos, hands down...
oh, and a few other things.
Short answer: I got into CrossFit because I want to become an Air Force Pararescueman, and CrossFit was recommended.
(Really) Long Answer:
In December '05 I felt cramping and tightness in my hands. By mid-January '06 I felt sluggish, my body would always ache, all of my joints were stiff, my lower legs and feet were swollen, my limbs would go tingly and fall asleep, and I could not straighten my fingers... my friends lovingly referred to me as "the claw". I was 23 and felt like a 90 yr old. I was eventually "diagnosed" with Sarcoidosis, and given prednisone and methotrexate as a treatment... nasty stuff when taken long-term. I didn't want a band-aid, so I chose to make intense changes in my nutrition and physical activity, and weaned myself completely off prescription drugs in summer '06. I went from experiencing a "treatable but not curable" chronic disease to having no recurrence of symptoms since my last dose of drugs 3 yrs ago.
What does this have to do with CrossFit? I'm amazed at the capability of the human body. Even more, I went through a very scary time physically, and am extremely thankful for my current condition. I can't take that for granted, so I strive to take full of advantage of my capabilities.
CrossFit is an amazing tool for many of the reasons already mentioned: mental toughness, constant variety/new challenges, and it's a lot of "fun". Also, to be honest, I like it because I'm good at it. I played sports growing up, but I was pretty much un-spectacular and consistently middle of the pack. With CrossFit, I like "cheating": being able to surprise other people and myself when this lanky-looking guy can put up good times/weight thanks to good form and efficient movement. CrossFit encourages and rewards efficient movement, which, when I really think about it from a functional perspective, is more of a priority than simple strength.
Wow, I'm rambling. Anyhoo, I have a blast with y'all, and I love being a CrossFit nerd. I love that CrossFit takes normal, out-of-shape slackers and helps them turn into well-functioning humans, and in some cases physical specimens. The human race is killing itself with sedentariness and convenience foods, and I love being a part of something that not only combats this, but is EFFECTIVE at doing so.
.Matt.
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