LET'S TALK CROSSFIT

I have been doing Crossfit since April of 2011. As one of my coaches often reminds me, I'm still a baby Crossfitter.

My fascination with human movement started when I was just 8 years old. Growing up in a religious household, I was forbidden from listening to secular music, but outside of my home I sought every opportunity possible to watch and listen to hip hop videos and music and imitate the dance steps popular at the time. As I grew older and entered middle and high school, I continued to dance and added basketball and track & field to my favorite list of physical pastimes. In 1996, I enrolled at Temple University as a dance major. Two years later I became a certified personal fitness trainer and group fitness instructor. When I graduated, I went on to dance and choreograph professionally before stepping into the world of fitness and figure competitions from 2001-2007. During this time, I also started boxing, and I became a Pennsylvania State Golden Gloves in 2008.

I am not new to fitness. My body has done and can do a lot of different thing but as i get older the reality is i enjoy competing . I have done it all my life. In my search for a new activity i stumbled upon crossfit . I briefly  heard thing about it in 2008 from a fellow trainer , but because he just wasn't the brightest guy the way he articulated what it was made me turn away ." so yeah div you should try this crossfit stuff, you'll do 50 pull ups as fast as you can "...WTF!!! Why in gods name would i want to that .

So fast forward 2011 i roll into a crossfit tribe on a Sunday the girls are working ...i just remember sitting there like WTF ...To be honest i wasn't sure what happened. i remember coming home telling my partner , "its was so dam fast it was like a workout blur"hahaha

I was intrigued so  i go back and decide I'm not going to anything that makes me super nervous or uncomfortable. I noticed right away there were a lot of exercises that required a lot shoulder mobility that i didn't have . Boxing made my shoulders really  tight so i could do the wrong thing  and be numb for a week .So i committed and  start to go 3-4 times a week , and i noticed something . There were major gaps in my fitness. I noticed with the gymnastics movement strength at the top not at the bottom . Then with the Olympic lifts  i noticed i was strong enough to things up but not get them through a full range of motion.
Oh my god I suck ! I was not good at all ....with that said I was in !!!!!

All my life all those sports no one ever made me do a real clean and jerk. All those years no one ever forced me to squat below parallel.For years most female athletes can relate depending on your coach all you did was calisthenic they never or rarely made you do strength conditioning like our male counterparts. I was strong but the strength was not through full range and that where the injuries occurred. Interestingly enough as dancer i did it every day for 15 years and it never hurt me.

I know crossfit gets a bad rap.  lets be honest there are gyms all over the world where if you walk in on any given day there at least 10 people doing bad technique. Seriously .So for people to generalize and say across the board that crossfitterrs have shitty technique is an unfair claim. Like many other fitness modalities when it is new and people see it works( though i believe if you commit to anything whole hearted it will work) , they do their version of it. In their mind they are doing butterfly pull ups like Rich Froning .In their mind they can do a heavy ass grace like Rob Orlando but truth is like with anything it takes time and proper skill to develop good technique. Are there bad crossfit coaches out there? absolutely!, but there are no more of them than there are bad trainers at the globo. When aerobics first came out it was so hardcore at the time everyone did everything high impact and got hurt. They thought more was better. When bodybuilding became popular same thing happened , people when nuts on the weights and the time spent in the gym and got hurt. So whats happening in crossfit people want to have a sub 2 min Fran time when the are not doing clean reps and what happens ,they get hurt.You look at the top crossfitters and see these amazing bodies but  keep in mind they eat fairly clean .What works for one athlete doe not necessarily work for the other but diet is a big part of them being able to compete at the level they do . And working out  intelligently .Not senseless movement just because .


So what does this mean ? You have to find a box where people are getting results and not getting hurt.
Pride makes it hard, cause you wanna do all the crazy long insane workout but i learned very early if i have to scale, i do . Every WOD is not the games . If you goal is to get to the games or be competitive you need clean efficient movement, if you want to be in the best shape of your life you need to do clean efficient functional movement  . Look at all the top competitors they are damn near flawless . Everyone has there own style and way of doing things , no two people train alike .

So in reference to crossfit not being safe i say it the movement is functional ,it is  proper coaching and scaling that keep people safe.Crossfit is not for everybody. Everybody doesn't want to do Olympic lifts and gymnastics moves. Everyone does not want people yelling aka motivating them as crossfitters do :) I feel it has put the fun back in exercise and created a heavy resurgence in Olympic lifting and gymnastics. I have even see the effects of it in the globo . The concept of cross training now has a whole new  meaning. I've watched it evolve over the last 15 years.

I watched the days of 1hr of cardio and hour of weight change to  interval cardio sessions  and total body workout , change to what i see now short intense workouts . Functional compound movements  with the results being everyone getting more bang for their buck as I tell my clients:)

So is a crossfit a sport?
To that i say bodybuilding is a sport and they lift weights for a desired physical result .
jogging around the track is exercise , racing your friend becomes sport. Sport I believe is defined by competition, not by how cool your injuries are. Hell archery is a sport, whats that happens tendinitis. Doing heavy deadlifts in the gym is exercise but doing it to lift more than the next man is sport.  At least with crossfit , there a physical result , functional results and winning is cut and dry. If i finish faster and do more reps than you I won , there is no question about it and no ones opinions matter .

So when you go to your box day in and day out you work out  to get in the best shape you can. Or if you are challenging yourself to be better than the day before. When the Crossfit Open comes up and your goal is to lift more weight and do more reps than the next person you are now involved in a sport.
I enjoy the workouts and camaraderie but i definitely here for the sport.
I believe crossfit is it solid program but its not for everybody but can be scaled for anybody.

I do crossfit and now my jeans don't fit !

"I do crossfit and now my jeans don't fit"

So it's a comment I have heard  in many of the boxes that I frequent. I've also seen this in news feeds on twitter, facebook, and various blogs.So this is just my take on the issue.

Crossfit is about fitness not physical aesthetic . It's about function and the bodies ability to do it all:)So most programing it's created for the masses of a the box ,not individual.

So sometimes what happens is people get in the best shape of their life but look the same. Like any fitness regiment you can not reap the benefits without proper nutrition.
Yes, you can you lift heavy and get lean . But poor nutrition will kill any and all results.

There is a lot of responsibility left on the athlete/client.You have to take control of your fitness.Crossfit is small group training. If what the group is doing does not work for you seek out answers from your coaches to guide you in the right direction.

Being a personal trainer for 15 years I can tell you that some people get amazing results from a group situation and others don't. If your goal is to enhance your fitness then general programing will work for you. If your goal is  (a look) you may want to tailor the programing to fit your needs. Consider doing some  private sessions with your coach, do your research and ask questions.

This is in no way bashing crossfit. Everyone knows the kool-aid is in my veins. This is just my opinion. I definitely want to be the best athlete I can be.But ...... I Crossfit to look good naked :) All jokes aside just be clear on your goals #Get after it. Officially open for discussion.

Red Pill Blue Pill

So the alarm goes off, you hit snooze. Not today!  Whatever exercise regiment you have planned can wait until after lunch. . . or maybe after work. Or. . .maybe I'll just do it tomorrow.

The days turn into weeks, the weeks into months, and months into years.Your procrastination and lack of motivation have spiraled out of control into overweight and unhappy you. Everyone has that something deep inside of him or her that gets actived once he or she hits rock bottom: it's that moment when a person wakes up and realizes the only way to dig oneself out is to get off one's a** and try. But you are scared of being a better you! So, self sabotage sets in: I'm meant to be this big because it's in my genes; I can still move around; I'll just use this extra weight as an excuse to go shopping.

We all have millions of reasons why our health and well-being often take a back seat to the rest of our lives. It only becomes an issue when we are going on that long-awaited vacation and want to feel good in our swimsuit; or when our health professional tells us we are at risk for high blood pressure, high cholestrol, or diabetes; or the few extra pounds have translated into a daily inconvenience because we can no longer walk up a series of steps without some difficulty breathing. Whatever your motivation, find it and run, or at least walk more than you presently do!

You have to want to be a better more fit you.

You have to want it so bad that your friend bailing on the workout doesn't effect you. You have to want it so bad that you get up an hour before the rest of your house so you can get uninterrupted time with your favorite fitness dvd. You have to want it so bad that you skip company happy hour because you have goals and looking good is more important than drinking thousands of calories and eating crappy bar food.

No one ever said being fit was easy, but there are so many ways in 2012 to get fit: It's as easy as taking a walk or joining a low-cost gym or one with all the trimmings; then there are more specialized fitness options like signing up for a crossfit box, yoga studio, running club, or boxing gym. One can even turn his or her pursuit of an improved physique into a social event by finding a fitness-meet up group online. No one cares how you do it; like Nike so appropriately reminds us on every piece of apparel they produce, Just do it! Every little thing you do gets you one step closer to the body you want.

People always idolize celebrities, especially females, for their (typically) slim physiques, but keep in mind that even with a lift here and a tuck there, they still have to meet with their trainers. Sure, some  have private chefs and many have nutritionists, but at the end of the day if they don't eat the proper food their desire to be fit, thin, and beautiful won't translate into reality. The work still has to be done: there is no avoiding it people.

So it comes down to this - like Morpheus says in the film The Matrix, you have a choice: you can take the red pill or blue pill. In the world of fitness, the red pill means you choose to stay in your current reality and popping the blue pill means you are ready to see what your mind and body are truly capable of.

Red pill or blue pill, you choose!

yes i f*cking love bacon cheeseburgers

Yes, I said it: I f*cking LOVE BACON CHEESEBURGERS!!!!

In all my years of working as a fitness professional the primary thing that has hindered my clients' progress the most is their relationship with food. I have several beliefs when it comes to healthy eating.

I believe. . .
every nutrition plan isn't for everyone;
everyone has to find a healthy way of eating that he or she can maintain;
everyone is not meant to be "skinny";
everyone IS meant to be healthy.

For the average person, food should be enjoyed! Now if you are an athlete preparing for any level of competition, this article is not for you. Instead, I'm talking to the busy supermom, the techie who sits behind a desk all day, and the person whose life is so overwhelming that any form of eating healthy feels damn near impossible. It is for these individuals that I want to provide some general rules for eating healthier in pursuit of better quality of life. Remember, no one eats healthy all the time. If anyone tells you he or she never eats a cookie; has a few chips; or eats completely fat and carbohydrates free, he or she is a f*cking liar.

1) Eating healthy requires a lifestyle change.
Eating healthy has to become a part of your life, like breathing. The key is to make the best choice given the options in front of you, and you need to keep unhealthy options out of the house. If they aren't there, you will be less likely leave the house to go get them. A good rule of thumb is to prepare your lunch during the week and keep a "good snack" on hand for the weak moments. Most people's bodies tend to crave sugar and/or salt. Nuts instead of chips and fruit instead of cookies are good options. Designing a food plan is the first way to get regimented when it comes to your eating.

2) Cheat Days
You have to be disciplined before you allow yourself a cheat day.  Eliminate unhealthy snack foods during the week. Save your favorite cheat foods for one day during the weekend and only consume them in small quantities. However, if your goal is to reduce significant body fat and weight, ideally you should eliminate these foods all together for an extended period of time before you allow yourself that treat .

3) No-carb diets makes you  hungry and evil.
Just so we are clear, vegetables and fruit contain carbohydrates. You want carbs that contain vitamins and minerals and few carbs that contain added sugars and little nutritional value.When making the adjustment from processed carbs to healthier ones, you may experience withdraw, but keep your goals in mind and these feelings should pass after a few days.

4) Don't exercise to eat.
Don't eat junkie foods and say, "I'm gonna burn it off." When trying to change your body composition, you want to burn more calories than you consume, not break even. Keep in mind that liquid calories count. So be aware of your soda, juice, and alcohol consumption because it does add up.

5) Nothing beats water.
It flushes the body's excess sodium. Helps curb hunger, aides in keeping you skin clear, and helps flush fat through the blood stream. Water is essential for life. Soda, juice, tea, coffee and alcohol are liquids; they are not water. How much water one should have is still up for debate, but most experts agree that at least a half gallon a day is a good start.

6) If you can't maintain it, it it's not for you.
The weight you need to be is the one you can maintain without killing yourself, a weight where if you want an occasional cocktail or cheat meal, you enjoy your indulgence and don't feel guilty after. A healthy weight is one where you can stay within 5-7lbs of no matter what time of the month it is or what you ate in the past seven days. If you have to work out intensely for 3 hours a day most days of the week to maintain the weight you think you want to be, then that weight is probably not realistic or healthy for you. Being healthy is about having a complete balance between food, gym, and family .

7) Diet
I hate this word. We should eat to enhance our quality of life and eat to enhance our athletic performance. We want to eat a balanced diet so that we can avoid obesity, which contributes to high blood pressure, diabetes, and numerous other ailments. It took time to develop the bad habits and it going take just as much time to break them and develop new ones.

8) When you fall down, get back up: No one is perfect.
I repeat. . .no one is perfect. We all have days where we eat well, and then we all have days where we don't eat so great. The thing that separates average people from those that are great is their ability to recover from the bad days. When you have that bad day and fall off the healthy eating bandwagon, you have to get back on track, keep going, and not give up.

So like I said in the intro, "Yes, I f*cking love bacon cheeseburgers". . . just not everyday.

Athletic Zen

So after being run down and in bed for two days with god knows what, I wonder whether I should risk becoming more ill and be there for my team and compete in last competition day of the first week of the Crossfit Games.

To most people there is an obvious answer to this question, but if you are a true athlete and hunger for competition, then my answer won't surprise you. I'm doing it ! There is a point in all athletic performance where you reach a Zen-like state of mind, a place where the body transcends the mind and all you do is breathe and move.

It's almost like an out of body experience where your normal self watches your athletic self in a state of awe "like so that's what the next level looks like." It's a weird feeling. The activity becomes a "movement meditation" and through it your athletic self and normal self find different levels of growth .

Of course I'm writing this before I go in to do the first WOD, as many burpees as possible in seven minutes, but it's an all too familiar feeling.

I know going in, I'm exhausted, and tired as hell. I am  prepared to breathe, pace, let my body do the motions, and step outside of myself .

There comes a point where you become present in your athletic reality but remove all limitations. I go into to every athletic event with the mindset of giving it all "to death." You do it to the point of no return. There is this part of me that truly believes there is a life rhythm you have to be in touch with  to do the inevitable; not to the point of injury, nor am I talking about being reckless and stupid. I am talking about pure, efficient movement; flawless; god like; and to perfection. This is what I strive for in my athletic endeavors; pure, efficient movement. Conquering and controlling the movement of the body is so great and powerful it can be challenged no more than the most simplistic mathematical equation.