I have never wanted to be average in anything I do;  nor have I ever considered myself an average thinker.  Even as a child I could tell I thought about things differently than most others.  Whenever any type of personality test or trait typing has come up, I inevitably find myself in the least represented category.  I was never quite sure what to make of that.  But I do know that I can learn a great deal from others, just the same as others can learn a great deal from me.  I think that is the real purpose of those tests; to show that we’re all different and have unique ways of making sense of the world and our place in it.  Sure the analytical minds may be better suited to engineering, just as a more creative mind may be better suited as a musician or artist, but those are very shallow conclusions.  I think the point is to take a look at yourself  in the mirror every now and again and understand that you will face challenges because of your way of thinking, but also encounter great opportunities because of it.

Surely, you often hear the saying “live life to the fullest” or “live every day as if it were your last”, but what does that even mean?  If what I stated above is true,  then it will mean very different things to different people.  It cannot be that literal.  I cannot fit all those bucket list items into a single day,  let alone every day.  Does it simply mean living from day to day, not worrying about the future and always trying to live in the moment?  I’m not sure, but there can certainly be happiness found in that way of living.There is a quote I came across years ago where the author is on a train moving through a remote area of China thinking: “wow, this would be great to do again with a loved one, or when I have more money”, when it dawned on him that the reality is that he will likely never be in that place again and to do his best to experience it THEN.  The author and exact verbatim elude me, but the message is clear.  Stop looking for situations to be perfect next time around, because life doesn’t happen that way, happiness is not achieved that way.  Happiness is not a destination, it’s not something you can find on a map or a calendar.  It’s in every moment of every day for the people who choose to be in that moment.

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The other day, I found myself in a familiar conversation I’ve had over and over again with dozens of young women about incorporating strength training into their “programming”. Their reactions are always the same: “Lift weights!?! I cant do that!” – “Oh, I don’t want to get big and look like a man!” – Or even “ I’m not strong enough to lift weights!”  These comments make me shudder and feel sorry for all the cardio bunnies that have been enslaved to the ellipticals and fell victim to the 5 Minute Ab videos. Now-a-days there is a GROSS misconception with regards to strength training and its potential benefits. Women will follow poor advice from fashion magazines and find them selves on the Stairmaster for 90 minutes a day in complete self-loathing and frustrated because they a) never arrive at the stop of that stupid infinite staircase and b) because they never seem to achieve that toned physique. It’s about time women break way from the cardio inferno and realize the benefits of a heavy barbell! (more…)

I’m sure almost every one of us has heard wonderfully amazing stories of miraculous feats of strength occurring throughout the folklore of our lives.  I can fondly remember as far back as a child, hearing stories of mothers wrestling their children away from polar bears or lifting cars off of their young ones in a heroic effort. This was, as always dismissed by many as horse shit, or, simply stories to be told around the campfire.

Today, in the age of the internet, you can in fact realize that these things are not only possible, but actually commonplace. In 2006 in Tucson, Ariz , Tim Boyle watched as a Camaro hit 18-year-old Kyle Holtrust. The car pinned Holtrust, still alive, underneath. Boyle ran to the scene of the accident and lifted the Camaro off the teenager, while the driver of the car pulled him to safety.

In 1982, in Lawrenceville, Georgia , Angela Cavallo lifted a 1971 Chevy Impala from her son, Tony, after it fell off the jacks that had held it up while he worked underneath the car. Mrs. Cavallo lifted the car high enough and long enough for two neighbors to replace the jacks and pull Tony from beneath the car. (more…)

A Modern Approach to Caveman Eating

The latest and greatest trends of dieting always seem to start off with the best of intentions; I mean, take for example Atkins, South Beach and Dr. Eades, Protein Power. All of these diets had great success, and made many the authors lots and lots of money. What was lost in these diets, however, was the exact mechanism of how and why people lost weight. Unfortunately for many, the simple grasp of calories in, calories out is far too easy of a concept, and as the general public we hate easy answers, and prefer the latest and greatest gimmick. Gimmicks also sell plenty of books!

Atkins and others, relied on lowering your carbohydrate intake to the point of benign dietary Ketosis, a state your body actually likes. Even more interesting is that it is the optimal fuel for the brain. Ketosis is what happens when your body doesn’t take in enough glucose/carbohydrates etc. Your body then breaks down fats and triglycerides into useable fuel. The back bone of this fat molecule is then excreted via your breath or urine. What Ketosis also does, is make you less hungry, and less hungry = less food consumed = weight loss. It’s really quite a simple concept.

Although it’s a simple concept, it’s hotly contested. Gary Taubes, author of Good Calories/Bad Calories, and a well versed debater and public speaker, argues that Insulin only causes fat gain. (more…)

The Spirit of Crossfit

At 11:00 am on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. sent a powerful message to Washington urging them to steer a new course in the name of civil rights. Dr. King knew in order for the civil rights movement to succeed it would take more than just himself and an eloquent speech. Yes, it was moving, but it was not his speech that gave way to this substantial change in history. It was the tens of thousands of average citizens that were united by a single vision to change the country. They came from all over and gathered on the steps of Washington to hear the spoken words that would become immortal in history. These thousands of inspired believers put manpower and fuel behind those words and helped make one of greatest changes in History.

You might be asking what a Civil Rights activist has to do with Crossfit and in my opinion it has everything to do with it. Without the community, the followers, the believers and the inspired…Crossfit would be nothing but four walls and a bunch of bumper plates. Crossfit is defined by its people. It’s defined by their goals, their determination and the blood sweat and tears they leave behind.

The Crossfit Community is like none other and is one of the reasons why it is such a successful program. The only way I can describe it is like having a second family or a home away from home. It is made up of a unique group of people that encourage you when you are hurting, that motivate you when you are down and most importantly will support you till the end inside the gym and out. Many people don’t expect the lifelong friendships they develop and the experiences they have when exposed to the Crossfit community for the first time.

The Spirit of Crossfit is so much more than just fitness. In a box, everyone is an equal. No matter if you are young or old, a beginner or a vet, or if you can lift a hundred pounds or six hundred pounds; we are all equals. In a box, you are always held accountable. You can always count on someone being down on the ground with you keeping track of every last push up to ensure you don’t cheat your way out of your own goals. Unlike most 5 Minute Ab programs – our results are NOT guaranteed, they are EARNED and you can bet your last buck that this hard working attitude will carry over into all other aspects of your life. Most importantly, in a box the community always seems to share this positive and optimistic view that is completely and utterly contagious. It’s never long before a new rookie who once suffered from slight insecurities has a new bounce in their step and is brimming confidence.

If you still aren’t inspired by the idea of Crossfit, then all you have to do is look at the members and hear where their journey has taken them. Kyle Maynard, a highschool wrestling champion, trained MMA fighter and owner of Crossfit No Excuses is also an amputee with no arms or legs. Every day he challenges people to reconsider their limits and inspires them to attain the goals they once thought impossible. From Cancer survivors to war heroes, there is no shortage of motivation to get you moving in the gym.

Some of the greatest bonds are created when you are facedown on the floor ready to quit or pass out because when you look over to your left, you know that your friend over there is hurting just as bad as you and the only way you guys are going to come out the other side of this workout alive is if you support each other every step of the way. You encourage small steps and each rep done is a victory in itself. At the end of the day you know just how hard that person next to you worked and there is a level of respect that is developed between you. In a Crossfit gym, every success is worthy of a celebration. Whether its your first kipping pull up or strict muscle up, you can guarantee there will be a congratulatory picture on the website the next day!

This all may sound like some strange and twisted Brady Bunch and in a way it sort of is. Crossfit can be painful; it can be tiring and at times discouraging; but then again so is life at times. And if your Crossfit family will stand by you in the gym, you can guarantee they will stand by you when you have a rough day, or when your work relocates you to California or even when a family member passes away. They will carry you through thick and thin, clean the gym after hours, host pool parties on hot days, make photo collages and videos, show up to the opening of your new Yoga Studio, or just drop you a line to see how you are.

After all this ranting, I will try to sum it up for you. The Crossfit community has the power to change lives and that’s a really big responsibility. We truly believe in this program and most importantly we believe in YOU so if you aren’t part of the community yet, you NEED TO BE!