4 Reasons Why You Need a Coach

Hello all! I hope everyone's summer has been off to a great start! Mine has been... interesting to say the least. I have had some pretty significant things happen in my life, but none of it has been negative. In fact, I feel better than ever. That could be, however, only due to my generally pleasant disposition. I like to keep things positive... but that's a topic I'll get more into on the next entry. This entry we'll be focusing on something that is very important to me: coaching. More specifically, why you need a coach, and if you have a coach, why you need to listen to him or her.  Not you in the abstract sense of some person who could potentially be reading this blog simultaneously. I mean you. And don't write this off as some contrived attempt to get you into a CrossFit gym. The fact that you're reading this pretty much guarantees that you are already at a  box. With that, sit back and learn yourself some things.

4) SAFETY


Let me start by telling you that I work out by myself entirely too much (see, you're already learning so many things!). I go to the gym at least 4 times per week to complete a workout alone. It's not that I like to, in fact I can't stand it. It's a convenience thing is all. I can't expect someone else to drop everything over the lunch hour just to work on their snatch, and I'm ok with that.
So the other day I'm working out by myself, and the WOD calls for a muscle-up to max effort ring handstand push-ups (thanks Outlaw). I set up my iPhone to record and.... tried my best. I'm not telling you this because I think it makes me sound cool, rather, it makes me sound like a complete idiot. First of all, the last time I attempted that same maneuver over a year ago, I ended up injuring both of my shoulders. Second,what would happen if I straight up fell? Yell at Siri (iPhone for the uninitiated) to dial 911? I don't think so (but the Apple folks should really get on that). Last, there was nobody to tell me to try something else first. I just jumped straight in like so many people with too much confidence are wont to do.
In retrospect I'm a dummy. And I don't want something to happen to me or you that could have been prevented with a sane person's rationality in the same room. I'm not saying you're crazy, but anyone can fall off of a pull-up bar, or slip during an Oly lift. There are just too many variables. I don't care if you're a 30 year vet or a newb, get a damn spotter.

3) SKILLS


So you're in the gym, and you're coach is harping on you, "open your hips, extend all the way, get to full depth, blah dee blah..." But you've been doing this for a while, and you know how your body works. So what you have a small technique flaw? You just did a sub-3 minutes Fran! You should be coaching! Well feast your eyes friends:

That was a world record snatch of 214 kgs. For those of us Americans that are having trouble with that conversion, let me math that up for you. That dude snatched OVER FOUR-HUNDRED SEVENTY ONE POUNDS! You're argument is invalid.
I bet you didn't even notice the other guy in the yellow shirt at the beginning of the video. We'll call him the Iranian Mr. Miyagi. You know what I bet he can't do? Snatch the equivalent of two baby elephants. You know what I bet he did do? Coach his ass off. Everyone needs it. Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Albert Pujols, Wayne Gretzky, and Mr. Most-likely-human-to become-a Stan-Lee-character up there all did. So do you.


2) IDEAS


Ideas change the way you think about things. Here's an example- I went to my CrossFit Level 1 certification seminar a couple weeks ago. I was looking foreword to learning the finer points of CrossFit, and I wasn't disappointed. What I wasn't ready for was the laser-like focus the program had on the fundamental movements. Now, I have been doing this for two years so I thought I'd be good to go. As you can probably guess, I was wrong.
It's this simple. One very minor, almost impossible to detect flaw in my squat was sabotaging my performance. I cannot begin to tell you how minute it was. Oh, but what a difference it made. My one rep back squat max became my 3 rep in 3 days. I was sold.
This is different from skills up there because of one major reason: I no longer thought about squatting the same way. Coaching can get you outside of your box if done properly. And by "if done properly" I mean if you open your ears. If you aren't learning something new from every coach you have, official or unofficial, you're doing it wrong. You can be stubborn and stuck in your ways... and that's exactly where you'll stay - stuck. Don't blame coaching or lack thereof on you're weaknesses. Go ahead and listen to how that little voice in your head reacts when you here a new or different idea.


1) MOTIVATION


This should go without saying, but a coach's main goal is to motivate you to reach your full potential. Every coach has a different style, and every person need to be coached a little differently. That can be tricky, but understand that if you have a coach he or she wants what's best for you, and that's fantastic. Who else does that, your parents?
Here is where things get tricky. You might have a really large class, our not go to a class at all (I'll get to you). How do you find motivation in that situation? Like I said, that's completely up to you. But I bet you never thought of asking your coach. I'm up front about it. "Hey, can you come yell at me while I workout?" Because that's my style. If you need some encouraging words, ask for that too. It's not some big taboo that you like or don't like to be called dirty words while staring at the business end of a 30" box jump. And I bet most coaches will be willing to accommodate. Try it.
For you guys and gals that don't have a coach at all; the P90Xers, yoga/ pilates/ rumba video pros, and those of you that go it alone: STOP. Get a friend or something. Anything. How awesome do you think you are that you're handling your workouts and diet by yourself? People get doctorates in the fields of anatomy, physiology, nutrition, behavioral science, and a plethora of other related fields. No one-person is good enough to coax themselves, not even with a video camera. Besides, working out is so much more fun with other people. Isn't that worth it enough?

Frustration and Other Words

Before I get started I would like to thank everyone for all of your great comments and feedback on this blog. It really means a lot to me, and if I can help you all out I am more than happy to do it. If any of you has any questions about diet or CrossFit… or life, email, Facebook, call, or post it. Thanks again everyone!

Last week I wrote about Regionals and how awesome it would be. I also noted that if you went you would very likely find it a motivating experience, and that I had forgone writing about frustration to encourage you to attend Regionals. I AM SO GLAD I WAITED. I attended the SoCal Regionals all day Friday and Saturday. It was a blast checking out the vendors, getting free samples, synthesizing Vitamin D and, most importantly, watching all of the incredible events.

I knew that I would be pumped up and ready to hit the box after being there, but I didn’t realize how quick that would set in. I thought by the end of the week I would have a nice little boost that would get me through the Games. Just enough to give me something to shoot for. I was WAY wrong. The very moment I looked over the barricade and into the competition square I tensed up. My teeth clenched and I could only think one thing, “I can do that.”  The more I watched, the worse it got. “I can do that,” turned into, “I should be doing that… NOW!”. For two days.

If you were hanging out with me you definitely heard about it (I don’t keep things inside), and thanks for hearing me out. But it ate at me then and it still is this very moment. This is the part where I’m supposed to segue into my discussion on frustration, but frustration is only a part of what I’m feeling. Before I go any further I think it’s important that we all understand the importance of language. This is what I’m talking about (1:32 - 3:00... or 5:00) (or finish the whole thing... just try to finish reading after please):

(Caution: NSFW language)

If I use the word “frustrated” I think some sort of image will come to mind, like when your crappy computer starts to freeze up on you, and seriously all you wanted to do was check your damn email. That is frustrating. I’m frustrated, yeah… but here are some other adjectives I would more readily use to describe just how I feel: disappointed, discouraged, angry, shameful, saddened, and resentful. That’s a whole lot of negative, I know. And that’s the mood I’ve been in. I work hard and expect a certain outcome. I know that a lot of people consider me to be a pretty good CrossFitter, and it’s not that I’m unhappy with that. I’m (all of those words above) because I know where I want to be, and I’m just not there yet. It’s kind of like that feeling you get when you see someone you know doesn’t diet that hard or workout that much, and they take of their shirt and KAPOW 36 abs hit you in the face. Seriously, you people annoy me.

So this is where “frustration” meets motivation. I had to, with the help of some very key people in my life, dig myself out of that hole. I know everyone has experienced some version of it. But this is where toughness comes in. What do you do when you’re out, and back to “normal”? As I see it you have two options: 1) Stop putting that much effort in or quit all together, that way you don’t have to feel like that anymore, or ; 2) Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and go like hell. Because what’s worse? Am I going to get to that point again, where I’m all out of sorts and I don’t feel like training/diet/life choices are paying off? You bet your ass I am. And I’ll do it all over again, until I get it right. It’s a continuous cycle that makes you better in the long run, regardless of how crappy it can be. In short – “FRUSTRATION” IS A GOOD THING!!!

So, for all of you out there who feel the same way about anything – Just keep going. Keep learning, keep trying, keep improving. And when someone tells you to stop being so hard on yourself, tell them you can’t. You’ve got goals to achieve.


P.S. - Shout out to all of my CrossFit Lincoln family competing this weekend. I wish I could be there, but you guys are going to kill it. I miss you all, now go and get it done!

CrossFit Regionals

REGIONALS IS THIS WEEKEND!!!!!! Originally I was going to write this post to talk about how being frustrated can be a great motivator, but I'll save that for next week. What everyone in SoCal (next week if your in North Central) needs to be focused on is regionals. If you can go, please do. It's amazing. Way better than any video you have seen online. It will motivate you to no end. It's like being a part of a weekend long Rocky movie. I participated last year, and it changed everything for me. Suddenly I had concrete evidence of where I wanted to be... what I wanted to work for. You may not ever want to compete, or you might not think that you're "good enough", but trust me: this experience will light a fire. Somewhere, deep down inside, you will be able to empathize with an athlete struggling with a weight. You try to help them lift it with your will. You know that feeling. One more round. One more minute. One more rep. It's not just you either: the ENTIRE crowd are CrossFitters too, and now you're caught up in this storm of enthusiasm and encouragement. And that is the beauty of the whole thing: everyone, including the men and women who have already competed and won, are pulling for the underdog. Why do you think the world went nuts about Spealler last weekend. That is our community. Go get into it. 

Enough said. Stay tuned for more everyone!

Do Your Research!

I’m sick of writing. Seriously. Before I go any further, let me clarify that this blog doesn’t count as “writing”. No, this is me talking to you via the mystifying power of the interweb. I would do a video blog, but I’m pretty sure everyone would just think the fat kid from the sandlot was trying to make a comeback. Plus, I’m not very funny in person. Instead I’ve decided to put this one sided conversation in paragraph form so it’s easier for you to sit through. But I’m getting off topic.

If you didn’t know, I’m on the downhill side of graduate school. I honestly think it’s a little easier than undergrad for a couple reasons. For instance, you are limited to taking only two classes per term, and, if you do it right, you will finish in two years. Each class only meets once per week, and that’s cool so long as you can stay awake for the eternity of four hours. What isn’t cool is the unbelievable amount of literature reviews, reflections, journals, and responses that are required of every class. If anyone even cares to wonder why I don’t post very often on here it’s because at this point I’ve got carpal tunnel and bleeding fingers, not to mention CHEST TO BARS AND DEADLIFTS CROSSFIT WTF!!! I’m writing at least ten pages a week of the absolute worst kind of literature: peer reviewed, scholarly, 3^rd person, APA formatted… you get the picture. If you don’t, imagine watching C-SPAN in black-and-white on mute and multiply that by soggy bread. It’s the print version of whatever horribly boring product you get from those two factors.

What does any of this have to do with fitness or diet? It’s really simple actually. Over the course of writing these papers I spend countless hours in front of a computer finding, reading, and analyzing scientific studies, journals and research. This is tedious, but there is a lot of very good information out there to find. The same thing is true for figuring whether or not you want to try a diet or exercise program; what are the risks and rewards, what can you expect, does it work for people like you…. There are all very real and very answerable questions. The thing is, you have to be willing to do a little digging. Either that, or trust some trainer, coaches’, or friend’s word who I promise you doesn’t have a full understanding of the scientific concepts they’re preaching (except for me… I don’t know everything, I know ALL OF THE THINGS). I’m sure they know the basics and that their idea “works”, but have you ever asked them why or how it works? Just because they look the part doesn’t make them an expert on the subject. Yes, I know I might be throwing some people under the bus, but I really don’t care. If people are giving nutritional and exercise advice they should absolutely be held accountable for understanding what they are talking about. If they don’t, they should be willing to direct you to resources to get the information they acquired. Then you can make an educated observation on whether or not that information makes sense, or whether you think its garbage wrapped in bologna. You also have to be willing to admit that some things actually need an advanced degree to understand it completely. If the resources you are directed to can’t explain it in plain language it’s either highfalutin or completely BS. And for goodness sake, do not trust anything that markets itself as a “miracle”.

With all of that have been said, here is my offer. I’m going to give you the shortcuts to some of the research I have followed: CrossFit, paleo, intermittent fasting. This isn’t a comprehensive list, nor is it a full scope of everything I have learned. It’s a start. Take this and run. Get out and make some life-changing decisions. AND BE SMART ABOUT IT.

CrossFit

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html

http://www.25idl.army.mil/PT/U.S.%20Army%20CrossFit%20Study.pdf

Paleo

http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/

http://thepaleodiet.com/faq

http://thepaleodiet.com/published-research

Intermittent Fasting

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting/#axzz1sPgJ4mqs

http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Research

I Am Still Alive!

First off, let me apologize for not posting in over a week.  I would have updated everyone sooner but, you know, life.  That, and my computer got to close to my lunch during a "feast" session last week and I inadvertently ate it.  I'm back now, though, with wonderful tales of joy and woe (mostly woe) from my adventures with intermittent fasting.  It's been just over a week now, and I'm still keeping up.  I've broken down what that first week was like in a list, because everybody loves lists. 

5) THE HUNGER
When I started this deal, I knew I was going to be hungry.  Two or three hours was just about my limit when it came to meal time, so going 16 per day seemed unfathomable.  This is, by far, the oddest thing that I have discovered: I do not get hungry until 11:00am.  The first day I thought it was a fluke.  The second day I chalked it up to excitement.  At about day four I started to realize that this was going to be a lot easier than I though... at least up till 11.  As per my fasting cycle I only get to start eating at 1pm.  That means that for two hours, every single day, I experience the most primal hunger pangs I have ever felt.  I get on edge, irritable, and I'm generally unpleasant to be around.  I went to a BBQ this weekend over my girlfriend's friend's house, and when the grill broke (I am most definitely not making that up) they became genuinely concerned that I would eat one of the other guests. To give you an idea of what it takes to quell this storm of tummy grumbling, here is a list of what I had for my first meal yesterday: 3 hamburger patties, 5 bratwurst, 4 eggs, 1/2 lb. of broccoli, and 6 oz. of guacamole.  This is not a game. Luckily for me, though, my first workout of the day usually happens at noon, so I only have an hour to get through before my mind goes somewhere else.  Unluckily for me I still have to get through the workout....
4) WORKOUTS
My first two workout on an empty stomach sucked. I was terrible. Not only that, but I was in a bad mood before I even started working out. That's a recipe for disaster.  I needed to get my mind right... embrace the suck, if you will. A funny thing started happening on my second workout though (after I had eaten). I would go in to the gym and be in the best mood ever. I was like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde if, instead of science, Jeckyll lifted heavy ass weights and Hyde was less of a beast and more of a whiny brat.  I've pr'd on three different bench marks this week: one lift and two girls. One of those even happened during my first WOD! I don't think that's all the diet, but I do think it's worth pointing out that it's possible to operate at optimum capacity on an empty stomach. I'm not jumping on the bandwagon yet, I'm just saying that it can be doable.
3) RECOVERY
Even with some questionable workouts, it still seams like I'm getting the most out of training. I have been crazy sore all week long, but not in a bad way. It's that special kind of sore where you're sensitive to the touch, but can still get into your workout when properly warmed up. Again, I don't know what this means... but I can't say it's good or bad yet.
2) SLEEP
My sleep has been the same, but on the third night I had a dream that I was at a Sloppy Joe and chili cheese burger buffet. Damn it, now I'm hungry again.
1) RESULTS
I have been dieting long enough to know that you don't see results overnight. I mean, I thoroughly understand the time-frame that I should expect results in and I know it's going to be at the very least a full month. Things take time, you know? But......... that doesn't stop me from checking the mirror to see if it's working yet. That has never stopped, ever. I've lost close to 100 lbs. in my adult life, and I still look at myself and go "man, I wish this thing would work already!" You think I'm joking? Ask anyone who's lost weight and kept it off. It's insane. I'm really sorry if you're one of the people who have heard me bemoan the fact that I'm "not lean enough". I know that seems preposterous, but I do you think Michael Jordan or Jerry Rice were ever like "yep, got that down. Time for a break!"? Absolutely not. But I digress. My whole point is that I don't expect to see a big change in a weeks time, and neither should you if you so choose to take up a diet or learn a new hobby. Even a month seems short in the bigger picture. So if you know somebody going through a lifestyle change, accept the fact that you might not know a lot of the why's and how's and be supportive. And at the very least, please don't be destructive. They have enough to deal with without their friends trying to sabotage their goals. Good luck to everyone walking a similar path right now, and just remember to give it some time.

Intermittent Fasting

If you know me, you know that my diet is very important to me.  If you really  know me, you know that's because I used to be built like the Michelin Man. Over 3 years of dieting has led me through all of the fads, supplements and miracle diets that you have all possibly considered.  Not that they all didn't work- every step that I took was a big part of the transformation that I have been able to achieve. It was an evolution. I recommend that people should be Paleo if they want to be healthy... but I got to that understanding by reading literature, asking questions and trying it out. 

 I understand that when people see me, especially those that don't know me very well, they see a muscle-bound jock that likely daydreams about barbells all day (which is true). What they don't see is the fat kid deep down inside me that still has to decide whether or not to wear an undershirt to hide my rolls, because that's the kind of thing fat people worry about. So I cannot expect a reasonable person to fully understand my conviction when I explain why diet is so important; they don't get a time-lapse camera of me losing 90 pounds. I promise I can see the moment in the conversation when I start explaining why I don't eat grains and dairy, and their mind goes "Fu*k that, cheesecake". And I understand that, because I used to think like that.

I just feel like everyone should understand that this diet thing isn't easy. Not even a little bit. My closest friends all think that it's a walk in the park for me. Like I'm some sort of diet Jedi that can somehow make a daily serving rinsed tuna and raw almonds taste like the most decadent delicacy that Wonka could dream up. Trust me, I love all of the same foods you do, if not more-so. I used to make a ranch and bacon-bit dipping sauce for my stuffed-crust meat lover's pizza that I would eat the day before football games. Probably because I had some sort of vendetta against my heart for tricking me into falling for girls that wouldn't date me because I was fat.

But I saw the error of my ways (that's a much longer story), and through trial and error I have become a physically fit, healthy individual. But like I said, it was and still is a process... which is why I have decided to try a new philosophy: Intermittent Fasting. I am making this decision because I want to see a change. I want to be leaner, I want to be smaller and I want to be faster. I have done my research and I feel this might give me a pretty good chance. I have tried to explain my thought process to friends and fellow fitness folks, and I have already been met with the same questions- 1)What fat? You don't have any to lose, and 2) But isn't skipping meals (breakfast) unhealthy? To which I usually give a very convoluted answer, because I need to get a more firm grasp on the science. But trust me, I wouldn't be trying this if I didn't think it was healthy. And I definitely wouldn't be trying it if I thought it would hurt my CrossFit performance in some way. 

Here are the basics - I'll still be Paleo, because I'm 100% on that. I will eat every day... this isn't a calorie restrictive diet. I will eat after I workout everyday from 1pm to 9pm, then fast until after my workout the next day. Also, I get to eat my normal amount of food in that eight hour window (which my inner fat-child is seriously pumped for). I absolutely do not think that it will be without it's downsides. Here are a few of the "side effects" I can look forward to over the next two-weeks:

1. I will be very hungry in the AM for a couple weeks, which will lead to...
2. General grumpiness - and I don't like that guy
3. Sluggishness
4. Moodiness

After two weeks, all of the bad should start to fade. I am supposed to see energy, focus and strength increases shortly after. Also, I should start losing the fat I want to as well,which will help my gymnastics and cardio and... you get the picture. The most important thing to take away here is that this is a trial run. I'm not going to go around preaching about it, because I personally don't know if it works. Science has got its back, and so do a few well respected scholars. At worst, I lose 2 weeks of training... not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

In order to see a change you have to make a change. I feel like this is where everyone falls off the boat in regard to diet. Consequentially, this is also the reason why people can get rich off of diet pills, shakes and exercise machines. If it was easy, everyone would have a "rockin' beach bod". Nope, the easy way isn't for me anymore. I have made the decision to punish myself into success. Call it what you want to call it; trial by fire, the path of most resistance, or as our fellow firebreathers say, choosing the wrench. IF might not work, and if that's the case I'll move on to the next idea. But until then I'm giving this all I've got. 

Wish me luck.

It just got real

This is where I begin.  It is one day following the release of CrossFit Open wod 12.5.... and I am frustrated.  Being a big dude does not help my chances at this sport. I'll be honest - I whined for about 12 hours, but that isn't what this is about.  I understand that it's up to me to get better.  That part is simple.  The difficult part, and I'm not alone here, is figuring out how to improve.  What's it going to take to be one of the best?  I'm going to try to find out.  I want the whole damned thing. Top 4%.  I'm the first person to point out that the people who win these things are genetically blessed.  All pro athletes are.  The difference is that we can all compete in this sport we call CrossFit.  Even better, some of the workouts even favor me.  You don't get that in other sports.  There isn't a single center in the NBA that I could back down, let alone attempt a shot. It'd be like watching a young kid play basketball with their dad, except their dad is seven feet tall with gang tattoos on his face.  No, we all get a shot.  Even better, I believe that hard work can pay off.  Let me make myself perfectly clear: even though I talk as if I'm going to win the Games, I know I don't stand a chance. There's a better chance Mitt Romney will be selected first in the NFL draft.  I know what my limitations are.  But do I think I can be in the top sixty? Can I get better by 6 burpees, 30 box jumps, and 8 muscle ups?  If I didn't think so there wouldn't be a point to CrossFitting.  So here I go. The 2012 season is just starting, but my eyes are on 2013.  I'm changing my diet, changing my workouts, and changing my attitude.  I will not be outworked. 3...2...1.........