Fitness... What does that really mean?

Crossfit is the first Fitness program to give and actual definition of Fitness. That may seem hard to believe considering the word Fit has been used so many times by so many people in so many communities over the past several years. Crossfitters believe that this word has been used loosely and should be re-evaluated before using it. If you've yet to read the CF Journal on this topic please do. (What is Fitness - CF Journal #1) This will explain more about Fitness than you ever considered before.
My main reason for this post is because Crossfit in the safest and most efficient way to workout. For many outsiders it looks "Crazy", "Dangerous", "Stupid", and "Overboard." These peoples opinions are based only on the fact that they are outsiders and have not a clue what it is that we are actually doing. That's all well and good as far as I'm concerned, but I cannot let an outsiders opinion affect the opinion of anyone who is actually reading this blog right now.
In our workouts there is nothing more important than moving our bodies in a mechanically correct way. In our workouts, there is nothing more important than the speed in which we push ourselves to get the work we are doing finished. In our workouts there is nothing more important than a solid foundation of nutrition to enable us to perform. In CrossFit we do everything the right way every time to be the best we can be.
Strength, Speed, Power, Endurance, Flexibility, Stamina, Agility, Balance, Flexibility, and Accuracy are all earned not given.
The most absolute reason I do Crossfit is because I want to be 100 prepared for whatever life can throw my way. I also know that by living this way all the time, I will never have to live my life Sick, Decrepit and unable.

Enjoy the Video if you haven't seen it.

Crossfit Certification

Crossfit Certifications never let me down. The first time I attended as a level 1, I had no Idea what to expect. I didn't realize the depths of knowledge I was walking myself into. Coach Glassman explained things in a way that made sense. Levels of knowledge pouring out of his mouth, about things I have done my whole life, that I had never even considered. There was no debating him about anything that he taught, because what he talk had worked over and over and over again without any source being able to challenge him in a way that made him wrong. CrossFit is the best fitness program ever developed and people that do it end up becoming more fit than they've ever been before. That was made very clear to me after my first cert.

Soon after my level one, I went to my level 2. By this point I was much more involved with the community. This is when I realized that more than a fitness program, Crossfit is much more than that. CrossFit is a team of people working together to break down barriers in front of them to reach a point that they have never been. This program thrives on the community. For most these workouts are not something we can reach our potential with if we did them on our own. In almost every Personnel Record at the top of Crossfit nation has been achieved on a stage with a crowd of people cheering them on. I completed a workout that I may have not finished that weekend if it wasn't for the people in the community encouraging me to keep going. I grew stronger in many relationships based off of that weekend of positive energy.

Now, I've been able to see the other side. 50 new level 1 trainees came to Ft Worth, TX (GSX Athletics) for a certification held by CrossFit. Jeremy Thiel and myself both were invited to be guest coaches. I was again blown away by what took place. I continued to learn from the great leaders from Crossfit HQ(Tony Budding and Dave Castro). Also had an opportunity to meet a couple other individuals from San Francisco and Chico Valley whom I have much respect. (Kelly Starett and Robb Wolf). I was honored for the opportunity and am encourage to continue to be involved with this community so that I can continue to develop myself as a better athlete and coach!

Being Motivated

Everybody has there own way and reasons for doing everything they do. We are not all equally motivated or inspired to do all the exact same things. Some things we won't do because we just aren't interested. Other things we don't do because we don't think we would be good at it. Sometimes however there are points in time that we can find it challenging to do the things in Life that we love the most. How can this happen? If we have within our hearts certain things that make us feel without question when we are doing it there is nothing else that we rather be doing, why then do we sometimes not want to go do it we the opportunity comes?

External Motivation is a very powerful thing. I can't count how many times I've not wanted to do something, then had somebody else say a few words to snap me right into action. We all need somebody sometimes to help get our minds and bodies vamped up to do things we know we should. Unfortunately though that isn't always going to happen so honestly it is each one of our own responsibilities to take our own initiative and do the damn thing ourself. Everybody deep down inside themselves knows this to be fact. Not everybody applies this. It is not an option to sit around and not get things done, just because you don't have the right influences to help you do it. Its your job to get up, strap up, and get to work. Do it today, do it tommorow and the next day. This is a never ending cycle of our lives. If you want good things for your life, go get them.

Staying true to my roots

Every time somebody ask Jeremy or myself how long we've been doing Crossfit, our answer is this: "All my life".

Although Crossfit has been on the web only since 2002 and we have been following the workouts of the day since 2005, the methods of training that we incorporate into our workouts and pushing intensity is truly something that we learned at a very young age.

By its own definition described by Coach Glassman, Crossfit is constantly varied functional movement that is performed at high intensity. This means that we don't do things in the same order ever and we push ourselves to our maximum ability all the time. Your body can never adjust this way and your performance and function will only improve. I am grateful to Crossfit.com for showing me safer ways to do these types of workouts as well as help give me a better understanding of why this is the way we should train.

I do however have to give credit the people who showed me early on when I first entered the world of athletics who gave me reason to work so hard and developed the ability to push myself more than I ever though possible. Starting when I was in grade school sports of running sprints over and over to become conditioned and going into Jr High sports where I learned a little about lifting weights to become strong, I thank all you coaches for motivating me.

High School I learned much more about Strength and Conditioning methods in which I still apply today. These years and the people I spent them with have truly shaped me much into the person I now am. The picture above shows a man (James Morton - Head Football Coach Lubbock Monterey High) who taught me more about hard work, commitment to excel, and teamwork than I ever would have learn without. Also a crew of guys that I fought, bled and shed tears for many of time who I would still do the same for today. I will never forgot the first time I did a workout that made me think I was going to die for the next 5 hours. These guys were all there. I sure am glad I didn't quit!

Crossfit is for everybody, but usually only the Strong can last. --- RESPECT PAIN (Click)