The Dot Com Workout

Crossfit is a fitness program with a very specific intention. If you follow it, you will get into the best shape of your life. I have done this now for a few years, but the only thing was I did it the way I wanted to. Many times I would get to the gym and write up a workout based upon what I felt like I wanted to do. Sometimes I would do the Workout that I designed for the class that day. Some days I would write up something completely different. Other days I would decide to do something that was on Crossfit.com for the day. This system of working out in accordance with the way I feel has worked very well for me, but the thing is that I sometimes intentionally avoid exercises in with I don't necessarily enjoy or am not that good at.

Here is the deal. Over the last year I have very much realized that everybody needs a good coach. How could we ever reach our potential without somebody who has more expertise in the field guiding us?

I have decided a few weeks back that I would be doing workout only posted on Crossfit.com. I know that I am at a point that in order to get better I will have to follow a very disciplined approach to my training regimen. Coach Glassman post everyday a workout that If I follow my physical ability can't help but get better faster than anything I would do on my own. Every 4th day is a rest day on this site so I cannot say that I will take off on Sunday or on Wednesday. I have to do what the workout says I have to do on the day that it is posted.

Now I am back to being a little bit nervous because it is entirely being prepared for the unknown. I will not scale any workout to make it easier for me to handle, but just flat out set up the workout as prescribed and get it done.

Today I got weighted pull-ups. 7 Reps of pull-ups is my workout today? Sounds crazy right? Maybe I will be able to get all 7 with added weight of over 100 lbs. Now think 7 reps of 350lb+ pull-ups... That is going to be intense!

Oh well... All I can do is make it happen!

Where are the Good Trainers at?

 

Ever since I have been out of highschool, I've gone into different gyms numerous times to get in a solid workout. I've seen many of people going through the silliest routines of excercise and I could never understand why. What drives me the most crazy though watching so many trainers who get paid to put clients through some type of nonsence workout all while they themselves are almost oblivious to the fact that they really are supposed be training the individual. All I can say to those trainers is "Thanks for the new clients!"

In the last Couple of months more and more people have been hearing about Crossfit in and around Austin. I keep hearing about the "Crossfit buzz". This new buzz has a lot more trainers outside of Crossfit Central attempting to sell there product as Crossfit. I'm amazed to hear somebody who has never even been to a Crossfit gym or much less attended a certification teaching something that they have no right to teach.
I also want to point out that there is more Crossfit affiliates aiming to open up in our area to make claim that their program is Crossfit. I welcome this competition openly. We have no intention on slowing down with bringing the outreach of Crossfit to more and more people because this is what we all live for. I will say however that if you are going to make claims that Crossfit is what you teach or Elite fitness is what your program brings to the table, then you better be able to back it up.
My mission is to be the best trainer and effect as many people as I am able. Our coaches do and will not stand around and watch our clients do things incorrectly. We also will not incorporate any type of Powder puff program and Label it Crossfit just to try to pick up a couple clients.
If you aim to coach Crossfit especially in Austin, you better really be doing it. If you are not the people will indeed find us and know that we are giving them exactly what they deserve!

3...2...1 Go!

Taking the time to Learn How

Time and time again we go through exercises to train our bodies. I've seen thousands of people squat and do push ups. I am always looking at the differences of peoples mechanics when they run. The one common thread that I notice is the people who have the best movement patterns through proper mechanics always get the best results. I know that if a person trains to do things the right way, the long term effects are always better and never take as long. If I see somebodies arms that are well defined I can tell you whether or not they are doing their push ups correctly.

Obviously when I talk about mechanics, I am also referring to the practice that it takes to dial them in. Most beginners of Crossfit will not be able to perform all the movements perfectly when they come in. This makes the teaching component key. I remember days during high school football that our team would take hours to learn how to run on play. Not only did everybody have to know there assignments to where they needed to be, but we also had to know which foot to lead with, what angle to take and how to rotate our body to find the spot we were going to. If the time wouldn't have been taking to make all those thing second nature, we would have felled 99 out of 100 times we did them. We had to be taught and drilled over and over again to get it right.

Everyday I am talking people through the details to get there body in the right position from heals to shoulders. I know that once they start getting it right, their results will sky rocket. I will see faster times, higher scores, and better looking bodies because of it. If I allow somebody to move incorrectly over and over again, I can guarantee imbalances physically and potential harm (injuries), and quicker fatigue. We strive for the best.

This Saturday Crossfit Central hosted a practice workout at the gym. In that we did just that. We practiced doing the movements the right way and aimed to improve all the athletes abilities to move better so that they could perform better. The turnout and the response was terrific. After the practice a mini Fight Gone Bad was performed as everyone involved created a surge of high energy that really could give Austin something truly powerful to see since the Monster Hurricane Ike that it better not come and mess with our city.

September 27th Athletes for a Cure fundraiser is gonna be a showdown to remember and I'm excited to be apart of 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!

Fitness out of Community

We have a mantra at Crossfit Central that we go to with every group we train. We believe in Building a Fit community. To us, this means a couple of different things. These can go in either order, and that is developing community out of fitness or developing fitness out of community. I want to dive a little bit deeper into the understanding of what this means.
Some of our programs are set up as fitness classes that anybody from any background can come into. Every Boot camp and CrossFit class is open to the public to come into so that they as individuals can join a group of other individuals who want to strive to expand their fitness abilities. In every one of these programs, the same process has occurred. They were all strangers to each other in the beginning. Nobody spoke allot to one another in the beginning. The workouts absolutely forced a common bond for the group so that they began to encourage and support each other to finish the workouts. These workouts are not easy task, each person that attempts them will feed off of external motivation to help them through. As the fitness levels have increased in the group, so to has each person's desire to drive the others to go harder and faster during the workouts to then they would have done otherwise. This sense of giving it your all for the others in the group, helps to elevate the energy and excitement of the workouts and form bonds through celebration of accomplishments. No longer are these people individuals in a group fitness class, but they are now a team of competitors training for one each others advancements towards conquering new barriers.
The other side of what we do is a bit of a different scenario. We train groups of people who have known each other either through work or long time friendships who didn't need our workouts to develop a bond. This is the case with our corporate programs we train. The picture above shows several of the team of Rosenthal and Watson Law firm who were basically brother and sisters when we started working with them. My objective with this group was strictly fitness. Their encouragement could be seen from the start. It was perfect for them to all feel comfortable with each other from the start. This group has held each other accountable and have continued to come primarily because of that factor alone. On their own, doing a fitness program was not in there best interest, but with there close friends who they have known for a while, have used that bond to motivate each other to achieve a healthier lifestyle. They celebrate together the fact that the others in the group are looking better. Fitness out of community is such a powerful phenomenon. For me, being able to have been adopted into this type of family environment has been such a privilege.
This post is a major Thank You to every group that I work with. It has been a fun experience to see you all grow!

Core Strength

Abs, Abs, Abs... Can we do more abs? This is understandably a major concern for most clients who come in for training a session. Everyone wants to have a flat tummy, and maybe even one that has those famous 6 pack of muscles that are so recognized when a person who has them takes their shirt off. Most people in the fitness world today think of core work as crunches or some type of abdominal flexion work done on a physio ball.

In Crossfit, we view core strength in a unique but very simple way. In every Crossfit workout our abs play the most vital role, and that role is midline stabilization. This is true for exercises including running, squats, push-ups, shoulder press, sit-ups, cycling, jumping, etc. All movements functional require us to keep our torso long and engaged.

What does this mean? It is impossible to optimize your core strength through the use of crunches or physioball exercises. The core is composed of muscle groups not only of the abs, but also the hip flexors, hip extensors (glutes and hams), spinal erectors, and quadriceps. Keeping this concept in mind and implementing it with your workout routine will undoubtedly allow you to increase you fitness level in as little as a couple workouts.

Through the increased core strength, we also see the benefits that will come to our extremities(Legs, arms). This is why Nicole from Crossfit HQ Can beat about anyone in a pound for pound over head squat competition. Her core strength is 2nd to none. You can also see every muscle in her stomach despite the fact she does zero crunches. Read more of midline stabilization and core to extremity from the Crossfit Journal. (Click)

Does Crossfit Make you Smaller?

I first started Crossfit workouts in April of 2006. Because the intensity of the workouts, I naturally had to make sure I wasn't lifting anything too heavy so that I wouldn't hurt myself. No other weight workout had ever challenged me so intensely with the cardiovascular aspect of training quite like this. My body immediately responded my getting leaner and more defined than I ever have been before.
As I started to share the program with guys who where used to weight training in a gym for strength alone, an immediate concern for them was that our program was not going to be sufficient for them. All they could see was that they would not be as big and muscular and as traditional body building style program would allow. This is a total misconception. Usually with the movements we do, they will have to do lighter loads because they haven't mastered the movements. Once the movements feel more natural, they loads can get heavier and heavier. After a year and a half of doing this training program, I am now stronger than I've ever been, and I am able to handle my heart rate getting up to 200 without letting it slow me down.
The point here is not only to be able to Bench 300 and squat 500. It is not only to be able to run 5 miles in under 40 minutes. It is not only to have a 25 Tabata score;a sub 3 minute Fran; a 350 Fight gone Bad, or a sub 20 Linda time, but to be able to do any of those things on any given day. You're fitness levels are to be tested by more than just what you like to do. You have to do what you hate to become a top tier Crossfitter. Step up to the challenge if you dare! These Pictures were takin about a year apart. Still think Crossfit Doesn't work?

The Advocare Opportunity

Lately I've been speeking alot about the Advocare Products. This has been an amazing product that I've used for the last nine years to optimize my health and performance. I've wanted everyone I come in Contact with to enjoy these products as much as I have. Now though, I am understanding to another level what I have my hands on. This company is much more powerful than what the products can do for our lives. This Company is one of very few, that really allows an outlet for people to relieve themselves from many things that could be viewed more as a bondage than a blessing. I've seen the bigger vision of this company and the message that they are bringing to this country. I have to say that my involvement now has become much greater and I really believe that it is my resposibity to help deliver the message to as many people who might need it just as much as I did.

Contact me for any further questions or Check it out for yourself.
www.Advocare.com/02037554

BootCamp to CrossFit

Becky and Allison have been 2 very loyal bootcampers for several months now. Each of them have experienced great results from their 2 day a week program. A month ago they each thought they would like to have an extra day of workouts to take themselves to new heights. They began asking me about the indoor class and if I thought they could do it. Of course I thought that they could do it, but because Crossfit is more weight intensified, I let them know that it would be a different type of challenge.
They did great in their first month. I know that they are experiencing different types of soreness now and their bodies are starting to respond to the new style of training. I've actually been so impressed with their stamina, I've decided to start going to the bootcamp that they attend with Jeremy to improve that element of my fitness. The bootcamp and the Crossfit Class are 2 entirely different animals. Both great independent programs, but also a tremendous compliment to one another.

One of those Days

CrossFit workouts are designed so that anyone can complete them. There is a sence of accomplishment that comes along with the completion of everyone of them. Sometimes when you look at the exercises and the number of reps written underneath those 3 Letters W-O-D(Work out of the Day), it can seem very deceiving. Yesterday was like that in the fact that all of the movements were relatively quick in easy. The rep numbers were all 30 and below. Most of the workouts are meant to be completed as quickly as possible. 3... 2... 1... Go! Today's WOD by initially seemed to be one that we would be able to move 100 miles an hour throught the whole thing. 10 minutes into it, and we realized that we were nowhere near being done. 15 minutes, and we wer wondering why we were moving so slow. 20 minutes, uncertainty of wanting to finish crossed our minds. 25 minutes, our hearts racing and doing all we could to keep our breathing under control. How much longer? Can I finish? Will our bodies keep going?

Being a Crossfitter will definitely challenge you in ways that you have probably never experienced before. If it wasn't hard then we wouldn't love it so much. Every now in again though, I believe there are those workouts that it is ok to say, "Lets never do that one again!" Thank you Carey for your kind heartedness putting this one together. I think we should name this one after you.

"Crazy Carey"

30-25-20-15-10-5

Kettlebell Swings

Push-ups

Med Ball Cleans

Pullups

Squat Jumps

Dips

Pics: 6:15 pm class showin what there made of. Good job to you all!

This past Saturday was a great learning experience for me. Fit and Fearless Krav Maga held a seminar at their facility in South Austin. I've always been one to take for granted the fact that anyone would ever try to attack me. I never feared that type of circumstance. After attending this seminar though, I realize that I would have been clueless if a situation like that would have ever occured. Jeff Levine and the rest of the trainers do an outstanding job of instructing the methods of Krav Maga to the avererage Joe or tactical training professionals. Just like Crossfit Central, Fit and Fearless takes pride in what they do so that every individual who attends their programs leaves knowing that they've learned and accomplished something new. This seminar's purpose was to raise funds and awareness towards breast cancer. I'm truly glad I attended and look forward to another opportunity to attend one of the classes.

First Time for Everything

Every one knows this. Very rarely do we accomplish a challenging task in one attempt. If a baby didn't try to walk again after falling flat on its tail, or keep trying after 2 steps and smack on its face, where would we all be? We'd be crawling around looking like a bunch of babies. But we aren't babies so we'd really just be crawling around looking silly. Fortunately though, we didn't quit trying. Neither will the babies quit. So just like we get up and walk every morning, they too will be walking soon right along next to us. I'm no expert in babies, but I’m guessing from the time they start to try walking to the time they are actually able to walk very well is around the 4 to 5 month frame. Jenny Ervin has been working out at Crossfit Central now for about 6 months. When she started, pulling her body up an inch was an accomplishment. Not even close to doing a pull-up. She had a goal in her mind though that she was going to be able to do a pull-up. Last month I told her that she was going to get one by the end of the month. Almost with no help of mine, she finally got her first 2 weeks ago. chin to the bar. I had to count it because the pic looked so good. Now, she can do 5 in row. In 2 weeks, she will do 10 in a row. Not only is she doing them, but she has perfect technique. A lot of woman come to our gym with no prior experience of pull-ups. It's always the same "I don't think I will do those" or just "yeah right". Here is the deal. At Crossfit, women are strong and confident. This is the place where women do pull-ups. So when you come expect that you will be doing them before long. Congrats Jenny. You are now among the few.

Fight Gone Bad II

Photos by Dave Re Www.DaveRePhoto.com


Wow! I'm not sure we could have asked for this weekend's event to turn out any better than it did. I woke up at 4:45 am and was just eager for the entire day to get started. We had been planning things out for close to 2 months for this event. About 6 months ago Jeremy and I were having breakfast at Whole Foods and we decided to go up on the Pavillion to see if putting on a bootcamp there would be a possibility. Thats the day the idea to do the Fight Gone Bad Fundraiser spurred. We were up there thinking how it could be set up. Its amazing that the actual event was set up almost entirely identical to how it was visuallized in our minds. Beyond that, the amount of individuals who were actually there to show support was mind blowing. Everything we needed came together to make this a great turnout.

The Irreplaceable Handstand

For some reason or another, the handstand has be mostly abandoned and almost forgotten in all of training. There is no good reason for why this has happened and every athlete should begin to incorporate the handstand back into their training. Obvious reasons for this would be to increase shoulder and arm strength, but really the most important reasons are core stabilization and becoming accustomed to being inverted for increase blood and oxygen circulation to the brain.

One Hard Worker

Eric Ditmer has been attending Crossfit Central's Bootcamp programs for about a year now. He is one the the stronger runners that I know and is over all in great shape. In the last couple months, he has takin interest in our indoor programs as well. As most of the clients that come indoors, Eric was very unfamiliar with a majority of what we do. None the less he has stepped up and been ready to take in all he could about becoming a better all around athlete. I am honored to work with such hard working and highly committed individuals such as this man. It's easy to see why he has achieved great levels of success in his career. With continued effort against the physically demanding challenges CrossFit brings, he will surely be right up with the best of them in this new sport.

Eric is pictured here performing the Olympic style Split Jerk at 100% effort. In my opinion... pretty damn good!

How do you know when you are Fit?

Large scale Crossfit events are a great opportunity to compare yourself to others who are about as fit or more fit than yourself. These workouts have always made me realize how much I am lacking in my training, or how much more I can push myself to raise my abilities. There is truly something powerful about seeing somebody who should by no means be able to out perform you, do it anyways. This past weekend, we put on the Fight Gone Bad workout at the gym. This is one of the more physically challenging workouts that we do in Crossfit. The competitiveness that this workout drives in individuals is obvious. Participants who do the workout are almost always concerned with their performance and very motivated to improve on the exercises the workout entails in attempt to better their scores. For me, I am forced with the challenge that Jeremy Thiel and the CrossFit A&M crew are all able to out perform me in this workout. I am saying now that these are the people who I am looking to chase down on the 29th when we do our Fight Gone Bad/ Athletes for a Cure/ CrossFit Prostate Cancer Fundraiser. Beyond all that, the events that we do that have up 40+ people show up are always a great time for everyone. Again, I am looking forward to seeing and meeting all who decide to come out for the workout on the 29th. Crossfit Journal - How Fit are you?

Complex

I've noticed several times that when people are introduced to Olympic style weightlifting, they become concerned that they cannot get the hang of it. I can't stress enough that only through practice that accuracy, coordination, balance and agility can be maintained. Uncomfortable movements are directly tied to the fact that your body is simply not used to the movement itself. It isn't that you physically cannot perform the movement, but that you need to first learn it, then practice it over and over again. Eventually what will happen is the feeling will become more natural. I especially love the times when I'm working with somebody who will say, "I used to do this when I was a kid! Why can't I do it now." Your body was created to be able to move specifically the way in which Crossfitters train. Most of the time, we are merely reteaching our bodies how to do things that they have been capable of since we were children. Don't ever say you can't. Just keep trying until you can!

Don't quit! Ever!

Sometimes the weather doesn't always cooperate with us during the workouts. Last week the rain began to come down hard in the last round of rowing during the evening class. This causes the seats and foot hooks to get slippery and hard to stay on. Rather than calling a stop or making adjustments to the workout to keep from getting wet, everyone stayed outside for the finish. Once again Crossfit Central is representing what it means to be a Crossfitter!

Fight Gone Bad 2007

We are fast approaching September 29th which is the date for the second annual Fight Gone Bad Crossfit Fundraiser. Teaming up with Athletes for a Cure, Crossfitters all across the country will be taking part in this Fundraiser in order to raise money towards finding a cure for Prostate Cancer. The Workout is one of those that anybody who takes part in is sure never to forget. My first time doing it was last year in Austin. I thought I was in decent shape, but after I got about halfway into this workout, I realized that I was simply just not Crossfit. Elite fit individuals score in the 320 to 350 range. That is my goal this year. This would be an improvement for me of about 130. I'm really setting the bar high for myself because I do want to become a top notch Crossfitter.

Please show your support and help us fundraise. Each person who participates needs only to raise $150. You can registrar at Athletesforacure.org to join us at Whole Foods at 5th and Lamar for the big event or you can donate any amount to the cause and sponcer those who would like to participate.

Back 2 Back

Saturday Events at the gym don't happen as often as I'd like. These tend to be a lot of fun for all the trainers and everybody who comes out to participate. The last 2 weekends however we were able come up with enough time and energy to get some amazing things accomplished. On the 11th, over 30 people showed up to put themselves through the infamous and brutal "300 Challenge" workout that has opened up a lot of awareness across the country for CrossFit Training. This was an awesome day because it gave people a chance to challenge themselves like never before and experience the motivation that comes with working out with more people trying just as hard to get through it.

Yesterday on the 18th, Jeremy and I hosted an Olympic Weightlifting seminar. All Crossfitters need to be more informed about these movements simply because the more technically sound they are done, the better used they become for improving several of the 10 skills of fitness. I'm grateful for the knowledge I’ve received though Crossfit on these movements but more importantly to Coach Burgener for sharing so much of his immense knowledge with me at the USA Certification back in November.

Thanks all who came out to both these events and I can't wait for Fight Gone Bad!
Hope to see you all there!