It's been a while because I've not had a lot to say. With a busy job entailing conference calls, then home to make baby talk with a 9 month old, guys tend to run out of words. Warning, this one is a ramble ;)
Limits
Many people sipping the Crossfit Kool-Aid (like me) believe it creates a sense of limitless improvement in your fitness and performance. I tend to agree with the statement but with some notable exceptions. Full disclosure first, I'm 41, 6 foot 3, and have 1 full arm and 1 with a slight birth defect. Crossfit has put me in the best shape of my life... at 41. My journey is well chronicled but as a reminder, I have pushed SO far beyond my perceived capabilities, it's great. (Awesome is the actual word, but this is supposed to be a respectable, if not totally awesome blog, so I don't use words like "awesome".)
Limits. I have them. I have started finding some of them and I'm completely OK with them. Before you lynch me as the Crossfit anti-Christ, let me explain why this is a GOOD thing. As I said, I have busted so many barriers, it's not funny. I've run a sub 7:30 mile, I've beat some our best athletes in certain WODs (I got them drunk as hell the night before while I played DD, but hey it COUNTS, right?). I've pushed through pain and exhaustion time after time. I've pushed past people that should beat me only because I wasn't afraid to hurt worse. I've changed my diet 180 degrees and kicked a drinking habit that was headed for alcoholism. I have felt invincible at times.
So what the hell am I talking about? I have found some things in Crossfit I consider beyond my capabilities which I have no desire to bust through. 1 arm rope climbing. At one time, I considered trying it. Instead I have chosen NOT to work toward that goal. I assessed the situation and decided it was too dangerous and would take more work than I am willing to give it. Some people would consider this bad... a failure. BUT, I've redirected that energy to getting better at something else. Specifically for me, my core strength with should not have a limit for me. In a twist of fate, Crossfit pushed me past the limits I thought I had but at the same time has exposed some limitations I DO have with my arm. I had always held a belief there was very little I couldn't do. I used to prove it in sports when I was younger. Nothing ever arose to convince me different. I kayaked, played basketball well, tennis, swimming, spelunking, rappelling, football, volleyball, and ultimate frisbee. I was pretty good at all of them. Oddly the thing I sucked the worst at was soccer... which didn't even require arms :D
Then at 40, it was easy to pretend I didn't have limits from the safety of my couch. So I find it refreshing that I have FINALLY found something so challenging, it has taught me limits. I'll never do an overhead squat, nor a handstand pushup. It will simply never happen, my physiological realities won't allow it. And... I'm
Completely
OK
with
it.
I wasn't at first, but I have slowly learned to accept them and not wish them to be different. How many of you would have paid an iota of attention had I been "normal"? Would I have inspired as many people, or made people work harder (people hate it when I yell "the handicap dude is beating you"!!!). I have limits, but knowing some of them has liberated me... and caused me to focus on the areas where I can kick your ass. So watch out!
P.S. I don't yell that at people.
Now your payoff for reading that crap:
5 Answers to a Dumb Question:
All the time, people want to know: "Is Crossfit hard?"
5. "No"
4. "Only on the days when I show up."
3. "If you rearrange the letters in 'Crossfit', you can make 'of course it's f--king hard you idiot'."
2. "Have you ever been chased by a bear for a mile, then climbed a tree only to have the bear knock down the tree so you had to run another mile, then climb another tree and then fight him off with your boot? If so, then Crossfit won't seem that hard."
1. "It's hard, but not as hard as the bodies it produces." Queue cheesy 70's music!!!! Booyah!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Dance Dance WOD
Warning, the following post is wrought with sarcasm, the highest form of humor... your job is to figure out exactly where it is.
We all know Crossfitters are elite. We are elite at WODs, elite at diet, elite at life... hell we are elite at being elite. If you doubt me, then just look at our t-shirts. Anyway, one of the main tenets of Crossfit is that it prepares its disciples for the "unknown". If you WODed (or is it WODDED, WODEDED) for very long, your mind has probably wondered how an exercise like a Thruster or a weighted lunge might play into the "unknown" one day. I've imagined some pretty interesting situations where needing Double Unders skill would pay off. I'm just not sure being held hostage by a Jump Rope Comp Team is a realistic. I put my Karen time as an accomplishment on my Annual Evaluation, but my boss made me take it off.
So I was scratching my head a bit for some of our moves.... then I saw a video of Trevor on vacation and it hit me. Dancing! For those of us "rhythmically challenged", Crossfit teaches us to be elite in yet another way.
1. Music - each and every WOD introduces you to yet another heart pumping track. You may be stuck in your "country music heaven" day after day, but you can still know all the latest rap and dance tracks in just 1 hour per day at Crossfit.
2. Volume - we also blare music directly into your ears long enough to slowly deafens you. This prepares you well for withstanding the loud club music...
3. Hot Bodies - gotta look good if your out there dancing, 'nuff said.
4. Sweating - if you've ever seen a decent dance movie (Footloose, Flashdance or Dirty Dancing), you know dance sweat is an integral part of being elite. As you swing your head around, glistening drops of perspiration must fly in all directions, creating a halo effect around your awesomeness.
and finally, the most important way Crossfit prepares us for Dancing?
5. The MOVES! You finally get up the nerve to ask the blonde at the end of the bar for a dance.... She spies your t-shirt that reads "For a Good Time Call Fran, 21-15-9" and HAS to say "yes". Not expecting to actually score a dance, you have officially entered THE UNKNOWN!!!!!!
But wait, you are prepared... just start stringing together some moves... I have provide a couple of ideas to get you started...
a. Triple T - Thruster, Thruster, Thruster, pause, then Turkish Get Up, TGU, TGU, pause, twofer, twofer, twofer, pause. Repeat.
b. Fresh Prince - 8 Jumping pulls pause, Side Step, reverse Side Step, lunge, lunge lunge, pause, burpee, burpee. Repeat.
c. Oly Oly Olsen Free - Deadlift x 4, SDHP x 4, Squat Clean x 4, Push Jerk (only 1), then finish strong with 3 OH squats!
I promise, you WILL be the talk of the club. Enjoy your new found preparedness for clubbin'!
P.S. Be honest... how many of you actually tried to picture these dances in your head?
We all know Crossfitters are elite. We are elite at WODs, elite at diet, elite at life... hell we are elite at being elite. If you doubt me, then just look at our t-shirts. Anyway, one of the main tenets of Crossfit is that it prepares its disciples for the "unknown". If you WODed (or is it WODDED, WODEDED) for very long, your mind has probably wondered how an exercise like a Thruster or a weighted lunge might play into the "unknown" one day. I've imagined some pretty interesting situations where needing Double Unders skill would pay off. I'm just not sure being held hostage by a Jump Rope Comp Team is a realistic. I put my Karen time as an accomplishment on my Annual Evaluation, but my boss made me take it off.
So I was scratching my head a bit for some of our moves.... then I saw a video of Trevor on vacation and it hit me. Dancing! For those of us "rhythmically challenged", Crossfit teaches us to be elite in yet another way.
1. Music - each and every WOD introduces you to yet another heart pumping track. You may be stuck in your "country music heaven" day after day, but you can still know all the latest rap and dance tracks in just 1 hour per day at Crossfit.
2. Volume - we also blare music directly into your ears long enough to slowly deafens you. This prepares you well for withstanding the loud club music...
3. Hot Bodies - gotta look good if your out there dancing, 'nuff said.
4. Sweating - if you've ever seen a decent dance movie (Footloose, Flashdance or Dirty Dancing), you know dance sweat is an integral part of being elite. As you swing your head around, glistening drops of perspiration must fly in all directions, creating a halo effect around your awesomeness.
and finally, the most important way Crossfit prepares us for Dancing?
5. The MOVES! You finally get up the nerve to ask the blonde at the end of the bar for a dance.... She spies your t-shirt that reads "For a Good Time Call Fran, 21-15-9" and HAS to say "yes". Not expecting to actually score a dance, you have officially entered THE UNKNOWN!!!!!!
But wait, you are prepared... just start stringing together some moves... I have provide a couple of ideas to get you started...
a. Triple T - Thruster, Thruster, Thruster, pause, then Turkish Get Up, TGU, TGU, pause, twofer, twofer, twofer, pause. Repeat.
b. Fresh Prince - 8 Jumping pulls pause, Side Step, reverse Side Step, lunge, lunge lunge, pause, burpee, burpee. Repeat.
c. Oly Oly Olsen Free - Deadlift x 4, SDHP x 4, Squat Clean x 4, Push Jerk (only 1), then finish strong with 3 OH squats!
I promise, you WILL be the talk of the club. Enjoy your new found preparedness for clubbin'!
P.S. Be honest... how many of you actually tried to picture these dances in your head?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Top 10 Moments for a Crossfitter
A journey to a healthy lifestyle is a personal one. How you get there, why you do it, and how it changes you are all unique experiences for each person. But... top 10 lists rock, so I thought I'd try to find 10 great moments in every Crossfitter's life.
10. Surviving your first WOD. You don't think it is a top 10 moment at the time. Matter of fact, you probably thought it was a top 10 worst ideas you've ever had. But months later, you realize surviving the first was a great moment.
9. The first time a "new guy" comes in and YOU explain the WOD to him. You realize you are no longer the newbie... he is! :D
8. Completing your first "girl" WOD. Us men love it because we like to run around all day declaring "I did _________, today!"
7. Writing "RX" next to your name on the white board. I don't mean a running WOD, but one with weights or body weight movements. You worked hard, you gained strength, you Rx'd!
6. Finishing your first Hero WOD. You know your mental grit and tenacity have reached new heights.
5. Your first pull-up without a band. Some fit people never experience the sheer joy of working hard for months and FINALLY shedding the bands. It can be a long hard road but the reward is so sweet.
4. Repeating your first WOD and destroying it compared to last time. This usually happens at about 3 - 4 months and it validates all the sweat and tears you have shed.
3. Finally beating "that guy". You know the one, the one you never thought you could out run or out lift. Finally one day, it all works in your favor and you leave him in the dust. It's rare, but it's great.
2. PR'ing your nemesis. It can be a WOD (Fight Gone Bad was mine) or a move (Squat Cleans), but we all have our ONE hated, dreaded nemesis. Finally kicking it in the teeth is a feeling like no other.
1. The TOP moment in CF, in my opinion is the day people realize you are different. You look better, you feel better, and you carry with more confidence. This is the moment they ask you, "what is the secret?" It's your turn to convert someone to a new lifestyle.
10. Surviving your first WOD. You don't think it is a top 10 moment at the time. Matter of fact, you probably thought it was a top 10 worst ideas you've ever had. But months later, you realize surviving the first was a great moment.
9. The first time a "new guy" comes in and YOU explain the WOD to him. You realize you are no longer the newbie... he is! :D
8. Completing your first "girl" WOD. Us men love it because we like to run around all day declaring "I did _________, today!"
7. Writing "RX" next to your name on the white board. I don't mean a running WOD, but one with weights or body weight movements. You worked hard, you gained strength, you Rx'd!
6. Finishing your first Hero WOD. You know your mental grit and tenacity have reached new heights.
5. Your first pull-up without a band. Some fit people never experience the sheer joy of working hard for months and FINALLY shedding the bands. It can be a long hard road but the reward is so sweet.
4. Repeating your first WOD and destroying it compared to last time. This usually happens at about 3 - 4 months and it validates all the sweat and tears you have shed.
3. Finally beating "that guy". You know the one, the one you never thought you could out run or out lift. Finally one day, it all works in your favor and you leave him in the dust. It's rare, but it's great.
2. PR'ing your nemesis. It can be a WOD (Fight Gone Bad was mine) or a move (Squat Cleans), but we all have our ONE hated, dreaded nemesis. Finally kicking it in the teeth is a feeling like no other.
1. The TOP moment in CF, in my opinion is the day people realize you are different. You look better, you feel better, and you carry with more confidence. This is the moment they ask you, "what is the secret?" It's your turn to convert someone to a new lifestyle.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Scaling
One of the great things about Crossfit is scalability. Most everyone who walks through the door scales workouts. Matter of fact, unless you are a gymnast, Navy Seal, or a freak of nature, I think you HAVE to scale the WODs for a while.
Scalability is what allowed this 300 lb 1 arm guy to keep coming back for more. Scaling helps you build strength faster by putting you through more reps in a full range of motion than you would gain by only doing a few reps whilst cheating form. The importance of scaling is clear.
Some people, mostly guys, are too prideful to scale. My 13 year old son insisted on not using a band
for pull-ups, even though he could only struggle out 1 or 2 full range pull-ups in a minute. I told him using a band (or going to knees on a push up) is no different than picking up the 25 lb dumbbell instead of the 50 lbs dumbbell for curls. It "feels" different because it is an assist versus scaling weighted equipment. It isn't. He finally got it and had much more productive WODs. Pride is mostly a guy issue.
On the flip side, and the main point of this post, is using scaling as a crutch. True, there are some exercises that some of us may never get. Muscle ups, HSPU, and some of the heavier weight WODs may always result in an "S" by your name on the whiteboard. That is OK. However, I think EVERYONE should be able to work up to Rx on many of the basic moves of Crossfit.
How do you know if you are scaling too much? If you scale workouts but consistently finish in the top 20%, you scale too much. I believe more difficult/slower produces faster results than being first but at B or C scale. How do you know if you've scaled to the right level? My method is to pick someone who does well at Crossfit (but isn't a rock star). I monitor if I'm finishing a round or reps about the same time. If I'm much faster, I add more weight. If I'm a little slower but doing more weight than last time, I made a great choice. Taking twice as long? It depends. If I want to Rx, it may be OK. If it is a skill I'm still developing, I may drop the weight slightly and get the form right. I adjust in the middle of new WODs all the time.
This brings me to a second point. You shouldn't have to guess at most of your capabilities. You NEED TO TRACK YOUR RESULTS. This isn't a study in narcissism, it is a practical tool for getting better. With smart phones, laptops, and iPads, you can easily track them. Figure out your own method, or refer to this old post. Not knowing your back squat max means you simply haven't written it down (unless you are new).
Crossfit can be competitive. I've seen people week after week scale the weight portion of a WOD so they can be first out the door to run. Sometimes, they beat the group by 10 minutes. They fail to realize that 38 minute at "A" weight is a better result than 28 minutes at B or C. So if you truly are competitive, load the bar, shed the band, get off your knees... be a little slower, but be an Rx'er! Trust me, you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Scalability is what allowed this 300 lb 1 arm guy to keep coming back for more. Scaling helps you build strength faster by putting you through more reps in a full range of motion than you would gain by only doing a few reps whilst cheating form. The importance of scaling is clear.
Some people, mostly guys, are too prideful to scale. My 13 year old son insisted on not using a band
for pull-ups, even though he could only struggle out 1 or 2 full range pull-ups in a minute. I told him using a band (or going to knees on a push up) is no different than picking up the 25 lb dumbbell instead of the 50 lbs dumbbell for curls. It "feels" different because it is an assist versus scaling weighted equipment. It isn't. He finally got it and had much more productive WODs. Pride is mostly a guy issue.
On the flip side, and the main point of this post, is using scaling as a crutch. True, there are some exercises that some of us may never get. Muscle ups, HSPU, and some of the heavier weight WODs may always result in an "S" by your name on the whiteboard. That is OK. However, I think EVERYONE should be able to work up to Rx on many of the basic moves of Crossfit.
How do you know if you are scaling too much? If you scale workouts but consistently finish in the top 20%, you scale too much. I believe more difficult/slower produces faster results than being first but at B or C scale. How do you know if you've scaled to the right level? My method is to pick someone who does well at Crossfit (but isn't a rock star). I monitor if I'm finishing a round or reps about the same time. If I'm much faster, I add more weight. If I'm a little slower but doing more weight than last time, I made a great choice. Taking twice as long? It depends. If I want to Rx, it may be OK. If it is a skill I'm still developing, I may drop the weight slightly and get the form right. I adjust in the middle of new WODs all the time.
This brings me to a second point. You shouldn't have to guess at most of your capabilities. You NEED TO TRACK YOUR RESULTS. This isn't a study in narcissism, it is a practical tool for getting better. With smart phones, laptops, and iPads, you can easily track them. Figure out your own method, or refer to this old post. Not knowing your back squat max means you simply haven't written it down (unless you are new).
Crossfit can be competitive. I've seen people week after week scale the weight portion of a WOD so they can be first out the door to run. Sometimes, they beat the group by 10 minutes. They fail to realize that 38 minute at "A" weight is a better result than 28 minutes at B or C. So if you truly are competitive, load the bar, shed the band, get off your knees... be a little slower, but be an Rx'er! Trust me, you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, April 25, 2011
Stages of Crossfit
I have been Crossfitting for over a year now (P.S. I just trademarked "Crossfitting" so don't use it.) Anyway, I have been through some distinct stages and have written about some of them here. I wondered if people go through the same ones as me. After talking with a lot of Crossfitters (also trademarked), I believe the answer is generally yes.
[Warning - Salty language ahead]
Stage 1: Duh
I think 90% of the people walking into the door for the first time have no clue what to expect. Some have seen results and want in on it. Others are sick of hearing about it from a co-worker, friend, or family member. While yet others are "seekers" and are constantly looking for something new to try. Regardless, Glassman said it best (this is paraphrased) "I can't really tell you what it is, just come to the box and I'll show you."
On our first day, most of us were slightly embarrassed at our newbie stature. Everyone around seemed to know exactly what was going on... but at the same time, there seemed to be no real organization. People were stretching, others were talking, some were already sweating and laying on the floor. WTF? Even after having the trainer/owner come over and start clueing us in, we were still a little overwhelmed. This stage lasts for a few days, up to a couple of weeks. Everyday is a new exercise we don't know how to do. Slowly, we get comfortable and see people we recognize. We aren't afraid to ask what something is and we know the drill: warm-up, stretch, WOD explanation, 3-2-1-GO, sweat, pass out, recover, go home.
Stage 2: Holy ShitSnacks... WTF have I done?
This stage often overlaps stage 1. It begins when you cannot rise easily from the toilet a couple of days after your first Crossfit WOD. You begin to wonder a little about your sanity, but a LOT about the sanity of the people at the box. They almost seem to enjoy this thing called HELL in a box. You ask "have I found the nuthouse for fitness buffs?" (The answer is yes.) This stage can last for a while but typically is 2 - 6 weeks. It takes that long to begin seeing your way to finishing most WODs, learning you HAVE to change your diet, and understanding all of the different exercises. But, you aren't sure how to talk about it to friends and family yet.
Stage 3: I Think I Like It
Oh yeah, you do. This is a great stage and is usually indicated by your first purchase of a Crossfit T-shirt. Suddenly you find your voice to friends about this really awesome thing you are doing. Results may start to show, but you definitely know the drill when you walk in. You know the people, you talk about how sore you are, you lament the WOD and you joke about not paying the $1 for water. You are still intimidated by most WODs, but you begin to believe in yourself. You know you'll finish, or die trying. You begin relishing the post WOD endorphin "fix". Crossfit has officially "Crossfitted" you (again, trademarked, so don't even think about using it). At this point, you'll soon need to start budgeting a separate line item for Crossfit apparel.
Stage 4: Obsession
I've written about this before. I won't belabor it... but you need to know the signs.
1. You look forward to the WOD and begin predicting your time. (P.S. You are wrong)
2. You talk about it ALL. THE. TIME. TO. EVERYONE. ALL. THE. TIME. ALL. THE. TIME.
3. You begin purchasing shoes, ropes, tape, chalk, progen-x, etc.
4. You can occasionally make the 5:15am WOD.
5. You have "liked" more CF related pages than any other on FB.
6. You have a more CF friends than other friends.
7. You plan out your strategy for the WOD.
8. You begin trademarking Crossfit terms.
9. You "witness" to friends, family, and co-workers about joining you.
10. In all seriousness, Crossfit becomes a true lifestyle change: diet, habits, workouts, and it dominates your thoughts.
and the final sign: you are in the "getting unbelievable results" stage.
Stage 5: Burnout
It has been said that if you haven't burned out on Crossfit, you haven't been working hard enough. I thought this was bullshit, until I burned out. Boy, it was rough. I actually begin hating the WODs, dreading the box, finding faults with everything from the programming, to the form, to my results. I had a seriously bad attitude and was grouchy when I showed up. I did not realize it at the time, but it was very real and a little destructive. Crossfitdom (trademarked) suggests you take a cycle off every 3 months to rest the body. I believe this is great advice but also recommend slightly longer break every 6 - 9 months to rest the mind. Essentially, you need to be "Crossfitless" for a few days (do I even have to say it? TRADEMARKED.)
For me, I decided to take off a cycle for my shoulders. Then I got sick and missed a second one. The second one allowed my mind to rejuvenate. I was SO ready to come back after the 8 days off. My burnout stage was over. It was GREAT to experience the bad attitude because now I can head it off next time.
Stage 6: Mature Crossfitter
This is the simplest stage. It is defined as "one who has passed through all the other stages." I am unequivocally in this stage and I love it. I'm still making progress, I still love it, but I can function without talking about 100% of the time. I relish WODs, the pain they bring, and the progress they cause me to make. It took me 16 months to get here.
On a Separate Note:
Honestly, there are times when I wish I could rewind and go through all the stages again. It has been such a life changing... no, that is too tame... life... ALTERING experience, I really would love to do it all over again. The pain sucked. My results sucked. I was LAST IN EVERY WOD FOR 6 MONTHS. I'm not anymore, but some days I kinda wish I was. There is a special power of being a newb and making superhuman leaps in progress. It's nice to hear Trevor tell me "I never thought you would come back after the first week." He laughs and tells me he has given up trying to predict who will take to CF and who won't. Some "naturals" never come back but other dolts like me stick around forever (my words, not his).
So what stage are you in?
[Warning - Salty language ahead]
Stage 1: Duh
I think 90% of the people walking into the door for the first time have no clue what to expect. Some have seen results and want in on it. Others are sick of hearing about it from a co-worker, friend, or family member. While yet others are "seekers" and are constantly looking for something new to try. Regardless, Glassman said it best (this is paraphrased) "I can't really tell you what it is, just come to the box and I'll show you."
On our first day, most of us were slightly embarrassed at our newbie stature. Everyone around seemed to know exactly what was going on... but at the same time, there seemed to be no real organization. People were stretching, others were talking, some were already sweating and laying on the floor. WTF? Even after having the trainer/owner come over and start clueing us in, we were still a little overwhelmed. This stage lasts for a few days, up to a couple of weeks. Everyday is a new exercise we don't know how to do. Slowly, we get comfortable and see people we recognize. We aren't afraid to ask what something is and we know the drill: warm-up, stretch, WOD explanation, 3-2-1-GO, sweat, pass out, recover, go home.
Stage 2: Holy ShitSnacks... WTF have I done?
This stage often overlaps stage 1. It begins when you cannot rise easily from the toilet a couple of days after your first Crossfit WOD. You begin to wonder a little about your sanity, but a LOT about the sanity of the people at the box. They almost seem to enjoy this thing called HELL in a box. You ask "have I found the nuthouse for fitness buffs?" (The answer is yes.) This stage can last for a while but typically is 2 - 6 weeks. It takes that long to begin seeing your way to finishing most WODs, learning you HAVE to change your diet, and understanding all of the different exercises. But, you aren't sure how to talk about it to friends and family yet.
Stage 3: I Think I Like It
Oh yeah, you do. This is a great stage and is usually indicated by your first purchase of a Crossfit T-shirt. Suddenly you find your voice to friends about this really awesome thing you are doing. Results may start to show, but you definitely know the drill when you walk in. You know the people, you talk about how sore you are, you lament the WOD and you joke about not paying the $1 for water. You are still intimidated by most WODs, but you begin to believe in yourself. You know you'll finish, or die trying. You begin relishing the post WOD endorphin "fix". Crossfit has officially "Crossfitted" you (again, trademarked, so don't even think about using it). At this point, you'll soon need to start budgeting a separate line item for Crossfit apparel.
Stage 4: Obsession
I've written about this before. I won't belabor it... but you need to know the signs.
1. You look forward to the WOD and begin predicting your time. (P.S. You are wrong)
2. You talk about it ALL. THE. TIME. TO. EVERYONE. ALL. THE. TIME. ALL. THE. TIME.
3. You begin purchasing shoes, ropes, tape, chalk, progen-x, etc.
4. You can occasionally make the 5:15am WOD.
5. You have "liked" more CF related pages than any other on FB.
6. You have a more CF friends than other friends.
7. You plan out your strategy for the WOD.
8. You begin trademarking Crossfit terms.
9. You "witness" to friends, family, and co-workers about joining you.
10. In all seriousness, Crossfit becomes a true lifestyle change: diet, habits, workouts, and it dominates your thoughts.
and the final sign: you are in the "getting unbelievable results" stage.
Stage 5: Burnout
It has been said that if you haven't burned out on Crossfit, you haven't been working hard enough. I thought this was bullshit, until I burned out. Boy, it was rough. I actually begin hating the WODs, dreading the box, finding faults with everything from the programming, to the form, to my results. I had a seriously bad attitude and was grouchy when I showed up. I did not realize it at the time, but it was very real and a little destructive. Crossfitdom (trademarked) suggests you take a cycle off every 3 months to rest the body. I believe this is great advice but also recommend slightly longer break every 6 - 9 months to rest the mind. Essentially, you need to be "Crossfitless" for a few days (do I even have to say it? TRADEMARKED.)
For me, I decided to take off a cycle for my shoulders. Then I got sick and missed a second one. The second one allowed my mind to rejuvenate. I was SO ready to come back after the 8 days off. My burnout stage was over. It was GREAT to experience the bad attitude because now I can head it off next time.
Stage 6: Mature Crossfitter
This is the simplest stage. It is defined as "one who has passed through all the other stages." I am unequivocally in this stage and I love it. I'm still making progress, I still love it, but I can function without talking about 100% of the time. I relish WODs, the pain they bring, and the progress they cause me to make. It took me 16 months to get here.
On a Separate Note:
Honestly, there are times when I wish I could rewind and go through all the stages again. It has been such a life changing... no, that is too tame... life... ALTERING experience, I really would love to do it all over again. The pain sucked. My results sucked. I was LAST IN EVERY WOD FOR 6 MONTHS. I'm not anymore, but some days I kinda wish I was. There is a special power of being a newb and making superhuman leaps in progress. It's nice to hear Trevor tell me "I never thought you would come back after the first week." He laughs and tells me he has given up trying to predict who will take to CF and who won't. Some "naturals" never come back but other dolts like me stick around forever (my words, not his).
So what stage are you in?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sore or Injured?
If you do Crossfit, we universally share at least one thing... soreness. At first, it can be debilitating and surprising because your first few WODs are typically cut in half (How can a few minutes of air squats in your first session cause you to seek out wheelchair providers?) My legs were the worst. More than once over the first few months, I wanted to install handicap rails around my toilet. Luckily, I perfected the "1 hand between the legs launch off the toilet press" which mitigated the need. But my arms weren't much better, but since I couldn't lift them the pain wasn't as acute. The worst was shampooing my hair. Who knew rubbing your head against "soap on a rope" could work so well. I looked like a cow scratching his head on a fence post, but I didn't care.
In most workout programs, as you repeat often, you rarely experience the initial soreness again. Not at Crossfit. Even the most fit athletes, there will be WODs driving you so hard, your muscles will notice. Some cycles are worse than others, but the soreness never completely mitigates. In a weird way, I enjoy it. After over a year or Crossfit, if I'm not sore, I think I loafed.
This may sound like a bad way to train. But actually it results from one of Crossfit's basic tenants, "highly varied functional movements". We don't do the same movements everyday. We "SHOCK" the body to get results. This means we challenge it in constantly different ways. The positive effect of this is VERY few repetitive motion injuries. The negative effect is a more constant presence of soreness... but normally in a different spot than last week.
Now, what about injuries. As with any sport, workout, or getting off the couch, injuries happen. We know the spiel that it is usually a result of poor form. Regardless, they happen. How do you know the difference? think if you've been coming a while, deep down you know the difference, but don't want to admit it. The easiest way to tell the difference is the immediacy of the pain. If you are working hard and the "soreness" is immediate (i.e. during the workout or just after), it is 95% more likely to be an injury than soreness. Soreness typically takes 24 to 48 hours to feel painful.
The next best way is probably localization. Soreness is more general over the entire muscle you've expended whereas an injury is typically localized to a tear, rip, or break. If you feel an acute, localized pain, you are likely injured and need to stop.
What if it's neither? There is a condition called rhabdomyolysis we should all be aware of. Basically, it is an extreme breakdown of muscle tissue. It causes damage to the muscle but can also be dangerous to kidneys if enough cells enter the bloodstream. The good news is the condition is preventable in most cases with proper hydration and reasonable restraint when exercising. Genetics can make you more or less susceptible to the condition. Some CrossFitters have experienced it (and it was the main focus of a "anti-CF" article in the NY times 6 years ago). But as I said, as long as you aren't going crazy and drink plenty of water, you are unlikely to experience it.
Crossfit... "making you sore in places you didn't know you had for more than a decade."
In most workout programs, as you repeat often, you rarely experience the initial soreness again. Not at Crossfit. Even the most fit athletes, there will be WODs driving you so hard, your muscles will notice. Some cycles are worse than others, but the soreness never completely mitigates. In a weird way, I enjoy it. After over a year or Crossfit, if I'm not sore, I think I loafed.
This may sound like a bad way to train. But actually it results from one of Crossfit's basic tenants, "highly varied functional movements". We don't do the same movements everyday. We "SHOCK" the body to get results. This means we challenge it in constantly different ways. The positive effect of this is VERY few repetitive motion injuries. The negative effect is a more constant presence of soreness... but normally in a different spot than last week.
Now, what about injuries. As with any sport, workout, or getting off the couch, injuries happen. We know the spiel that it is usually a result of poor form. Regardless, they happen. How do you know the difference? think if you've been coming a while, deep down you know the difference, but don't want to admit it. The easiest way to tell the difference is the immediacy of the pain. If you are working hard and the "soreness" is immediate (i.e. during the workout or just after), it is 95% more likely to be an injury than soreness. Soreness typically takes 24 to 48 hours to feel painful.
The next best way is probably localization. Soreness is more general over the entire muscle you've expended whereas an injury is typically localized to a tear, rip, or break. If you feel an acute, localized pain, you are likely injured and need to stop.
What if it's neither? There is a condition called rhabdomyolysis we should all be aware of. Basically, it is an extreme breakdown of muscle tissue. It causes damage to the muscle but can also be dangerous to kidneys if enough cells enter the bloodstream. The good news is the condition is preventable in most cases with proper hydration and reasonable restraint when exercising. Genetics can make you more or less susceptible to the condition. Some CrossFitters have experienced it (and it was the main focus of a "anti-CF" article in the NY times 6 years ago). But as I said, as long as you aren't going crazy and drink plenty of water, you are unlikely to experience it.
Crossfit... "making you sore in places you didn't know you had for more than a decade."
Monday, March 7, 2011
Top 10 Things You'll Never See at Crossfit
We are different. I like that about Crossfit and it's the main reason our results are so dramatic. It also means our box does not look like much when you first encounter it. For example, when I walked into the new box yesterday, I thought it looked great. Then I realized to a non-inductee, it must have appeared unfinished. "Where the hell is everything?"
Top 10 Things You'll Never See in a Crossfit Box
10. A magazine rack. Ever tried to do a squat clean or a box jump while reading GQ?
9. A broken elliptical machine. Hell even if we had one, it would never break because no one would use the boring piece of junk.
8. People with a "can't do" attitude. Charlie Sheen said one thing right. The slogan is Just Do It. We do it and we do it hard. If you say "I can't" very much, you won't be around long because you'll hate Crossfit.
7. Personal fan with water spritzers. Instead, we use the sweat flying off the person next to us. Secretly, I love those damn things though.
6. A working elliptical machine. I realized #9 was wrong. We might actually take a broken elliptical. Except we'll strap a rope to it and pull it through the parking lot as part of a WOD.
5. Bird legged muscle men. If your arms are twice the circumference as your thigh, you won't survive a month given all the squatting, cleaning and other leg stuff we do.
4. People judging you regardless of your fitness and ability. I was 300 lbs, 40 years old with only 1 fully functional arm. I was NEVER made to feel uncomfortable by anything except the WODs. I think people cheer louder for the last finisher than the first. Everyone at the box sucked when they started, so we want to help you get better. Save your embarrassment for when you drink too much at the office party.
3. TVs - see #10. If you want to watch TV at Crossfit, you'll need to hang out in the kiddie room.
2. "The Social Gym Rat" - he or she cannot exist at Crossfit. We require work, hard work. After standing around for a few day of WODs, I guarantee even the thickest skinned SGR will begin feeling outta place and be back to Steam rooms and Stairmasters.
1. Annual Contracts - Chances are you've joined a gym with a year long contract at some point in your life. You'll never find this at Crossfit. Typically people either love it or hate it. If you hate it, we don't want your money bad enough for you to be in the way during a WOD. If you love it, well, why the hell would we need to sign you to a contract?
Top 10 Things You'll Never See in a Crossfit Box
10. A magazine rack. Ever tried to do a squat clean or a box jump while reading GQ?
9. A broken elliptical machine. Hell even if we had one, it would never break because no one would use the boring piece of junk.
8. People with a "can't do" attitude. Charlie Sheen said one thing right. The slogan is Just Do It. We do it and we do it hard. If you say "I can't" very much, you won't be around long because you'll hate Crossfit.
7. Personal fan with water spritzers. Instead, we use the sweat flying off the person next to us. Secretly, I love those damn things though.6. A working elliptical machine. I realized #9 was wrong. We might actually take a broken elliptical. Except we'll strap a rope to it and pull it through the parking lot as part of a WOD.
5. Bird legged muscle men. If your arms are twice the circumference as your thigh, you won't survive a month given all the squatting, cleaning and other leg stuff we do.
4. People judging you regardless of your fitness and ability. I was 300 lbs, 40 years old with only 1 fully functional arm. I was NEVER made to feel uncomfortable by anything except the WODs. I think people cheer louder for the last finisher than the first. Everyone at the box sucked when they started, so we want to help you get better. Save your embarrassment for when you drink too much at the office party.
3. TVs - see #10. If you want to watch TV at Crossfit, you'll need to hang out in the kiddie room.
2. "The Social Gym Rat" - he or she cannot exist at Crossfit. We require work, hard work. After standing around for a few day of WODs, I guarantee even the thickest skinned SGR will begin feeling outta place and be back to Steam rooms and Stairmasters.
1. Annual Contracts - Chances are you've joined a gym with a year long contract at some point in your life. You'll never find this at Crossfit. Typically people either love it or hate it. If you hate it, we don't want your money bad enough for you to be in the way during a WOD. If you love it, well, why the hell would we need to sign you to a contract?
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