The Crossfit Rush

Crossfit - 1.Constantly Varied Functional Movements executed at High Intensity 2. Bad Ass Workouts!

So Everybody who has found Crossfit, done it and got hooked on it wants to keep doing it! Tell everyone they know about it. They are energized and excited about the newness of what they have found.

I want to talk about the other side of this. The side even though results are great and the workouts are always a challenge and different, for some reason its not the same new fun thing. Excitement isn't there anymore and it just seems like too much effort.

Burnout Why does it happen? I don't know but I know it is impossible to avoid. It is not impossible to correct though. You must have reason to continue to pursue everything you do.

I got an email from a client last week. "Mike, I am not coming to class. Dealing with a bit of Burnout!" My response, "You aren't burned out, we just need to reaccess your goals."

I was a little bothered by this email. I want every client to come to every class they signed up(payed) for. I want them all to have a strong desire to be there.

This email kept me thinking. What does it take to break away from these feelings or suck it up and go to class anyway? How do you stop yourself from falling back into old ways of doing things once you done a ton of good for yourself.

I saw another client of ours out the Next day. This girl has seen amazing results from Overweight and out of shape to incredibly lean and fit individual.

I asked her what she did when she feels burned out. She talked with me for about 30 minutes about the topic. That evening sent me this email.

"Hey Mike,
I was thinking about the idea of getting burnt out and what my process is when that happens. The main thing that I keep thinking of that might be helpful for you to know is remembering that we are all human. You guys as coaches are truly amazing...and sometimes it's hard to remember that it takes a lot of work to maintain the fitness and wellness level that you maintain. It's easy to get into the mindset that you guys are just made that way, that it comes easy to you, or that you have some gene that makes you more prone to wellness than the average person. So anytime we learn that you guys are also just humans is very helpful. Meaning, we all have cheat days, we all have failures, we all have days where we feel like we would rather sleep than show up..and sometimes we give into those days...give into our weaknesses...but the difference is that we don't let giving into those weaknesses create a pattern...we don't let those bad days act as an excuse to fall off the wagon totally. When you are someone who is struggling to let go of unhealthy habits and transform towards a life of wellness, it's easy to succumb to an "all or nothing" way of thinking. It's easy to see you first bout of being burnt out as the end. It's a tough uphill battle at first and it's easy to see your first failure as an excuse to stop all together. It's easy to allow any misstep to create a domino effect and eventually derail your focus. What is great about all the Crossfit Central coaches is that you demonstrate that you are also human...you are not superhuman like we might think..but you never allow a misstep to derail you. Watching all of you have cheat days, drink too much, or fall short during a work out...but then picking right back up and continuing to work your ass off makes all the difference in the world for your clients. I know that it has personally helped me to realize that you are not super human and that you have the same struggles...but are still a shining example of how to push through...how to keep going and achieve new levels. It makes it so that I can't use a bad day as an excuse to quit.
That is the best thing I have learned so far from all of you.
I hope that helps.
Great to see you tonight!"

Thanks Catherine!

I remember as a kid, Jr High and High School athlete, hating the challenge of pushing my self to my limits. I think I was 17 before I started to appreciate it. I didn't make changes in my eating until I was a freshman in college. I didn't commit to cooking good foods until I was about 23. For me, life has always been about Slight Edge Changes. Small disciplines over time creating a major difference. This is who I am today. Eat pure, work hard, train harder and do things I don't always like to do.

Some people never do that. I say, why the hell not?

I know I am better off because of it. This is why I will never quit!