Sport. Redeemed!

The Road to Redemption is paved in blood, sweat, and tears!!! Will you join us?

Success is a team sport

Powerlifter and human monster Dave Tate, owner of EliteFTS, had this to say about training partners: "You're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner...I always felt it was my responsibility and my duty to get the guy next to me stronger than I was. And all the guys who trained there felt the same. One person may have had better genetics or more mental strength, but it didn't fucking matter. What matters is that you're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner."

I recently had my best total in a year. 890-with a 170lb press, 315# back squat and a #405 DL at 185#! I give the credit to my consistent training and the constructive, yet at times venomous, motivation from my training partner Justin aka "Thor".

I already had in mind a number I was going for during my warm-up. But during my lifts, it was Thor's prodding that made me jump from 290# to 315#. He said, "Why not jump up. You've been doing the work to get there." So I did. Then instead of the pat on the back I was expecting, he followed up by saying, "It looked kinda easy. You could have done a little more. Too bad it's your last lift." Asshole-but he was right. I had limited myself because I was feeling sore from the day before so I set the bar lower for myself. But a good friend or training partner will get help you get out of your own way and push your limits in a way you may not even think is possible. It doesn't help that Leslie, his wife, is the same way too.

Our job as trainers is to motivate our clients to go beyond mediocrity. The gym is the one place that a person can go for constant motivation and leave with a sense of accomplishment. Especially during these dour economic times, we have an added responsibility to inspire our clients with a sense of success that they may not be receiving from work or at home due to stress. And helping someone get a PR may be generate a type of mental momentum they can carry outside the gym as well.

Speaking from personal experience, I know my athletic success is due in part to large degree of the consistent support, albeit sometimes motivational-ly demeaning at times, from the Crossfit members I train with. And I do my best to give it back as well. Great teams win by putting the goal above themselves. At Crossfit, even when competing against each other, we are pushing each other simultaneously. For us "teamwork is working together-even when apart".

Despite our constant verbal jabs which have become part of our training routine, Thor and I are close friends. It's hard for me to sandbag when he's lifting as hard as he can. See, successful people always surround themselves with other successful people. Whether in the gym or not, make sure the people in your circle are helping you to achieve. If not, they are slowing the team down. And you're going down with them.

Historic Occasion!

So this past week something truly epic and monumental happened… Yeah, yeah sure we swore in our nation’s first black president. That’s pretty important. But even better, I gave my first seminar. At Crossfit Brooklyn, we had a Carnival of Skills day. We took a break from our regularly scheduled programming (read CF Mainsite WOD) to try and do something a little different for the members. The schedule was as follows:

• 11 - 1: "Big Engines Don't Slow Cars Down: Strength Training with Squats and more!" w/ Justin Algera.
• 1 - 3: "Kipping Klass" w/ Torch
• 3 - 5: "Hell's Bells: Kettlebells and you" w/ The Supreme Court
• 5 - 7: "Virtuosity Gymnastics Preview: Come and get a taste of CrossFit Virtuosity's programming with Coach Keith. Try tumbling, cartwheels, handstands and more." w/ Coach Keith Wittenstein
• 7 - 8:30: "The Tao of Hauling Ass: Running properly." w/ Kurt Tullar
• 8:30 - until: "The CrossFit Kitchen Sink - Great skills that don't come up in WODs much" w/ Erica and Jeff

So my section was talking about lifting. Now this can mean many different things, but I tried to focus mainly on squats, the bench press (since this is something we rarely do in crossfit) and pulling technique. I also went through the Burgener warm-up and some other snatch technique work and progressions. All in all, I think it did go pretty well. There was a good turnout and people appeared very receptive to what was being discussed. Of course any endeavor such as this is going to produce a couple of issues here and there, but nothing that really took away from the presentation. The participants were great, very engaging, and had some really great questions. I wish I could have touched more on the Olympic lifts, but unfortunately there just didn't end up being enough time, but I will definitely focus more on that next time. What I found is that 2 hours wasn’t nearly enough to get everything in I wanted to, so next time I will limit the information I plan to go over. This is something I should have been aware of as a staff development trainer, but I’m still fairly new to this arena, but now I know better. And we always know what GI Joe used to tell us, right?

Be a caterpillar: Train Quietly...Perform Loudly

Most people notice butterflies. Lovely little creature with gossamer wings, a tapestry of brilliant colors arranged so uniquely that it reminds us how beautifully created the universe is. Kids chase butterflies, and there are even museum exhibits dedicated to observing various species of butterflies in all the opulence.

Oddly enough butterflies have a short ass life span.

The caterpillar however is the real genius behind this insect. The butterfly spends 90% of its life as a caterpillar. It in this stage that the butterfly builds its body up for life as the ephemeral insect. The caterpillar plods along eating dirt and plants. It is the unsung hero that keeps on drudging along until it is time for it be cocoon itself into its next phase of evolution.

Training is much like that. Everyone wants to show off the hot abs, tight butts, bulging biceps, in essence-be a butterfly. But few are willing to cocoon themselves in hard work, sweat, strict diet, and consistent training in order to emerge as one. Most people would rather take short cuts into the butterfly stage but they, like the real butterfly, will have a short life span before the fat packs on again until they get back on the next new crash product that slimmed them down so fast in the first place. However, those of us who plodded along with heavy weights, lung-searing metcons, opting for healthier snacks, and taking the night off to rest instead of the wild night of drinking, can emerge from our cocoons brilliantly in all seasons. You will be a force to be reckoned with.

Same goes with any other goal. If you lock yourself down and put in the work now, when your season comes, all the world can't help but notice how excellent you are, and people who didn't notice you before, will chase you like the kids in the field.

So be a caterpillar-train quietly so you can perform loudly. And the world will notice.

It has begun!!!!

2009 is here, Zombie Fitness goes Weapon X!!!

Happy New Year to everyone.

That Time of Year!

It’s that time of year again (or should is say end of year). It is one of the beauties of life, the human idea that no matter what we have done, how badly we have screwed up, or veered off our path, there is always a chance to start over and try again. There is always a new hour, day, week, or year just ahead for us to pull our heads out of our asses, and try something different. Or achieve our goals. Or live the life we want to live. Is it easy? No of course not, but like I’ve said before, nothing really worth having is easy now is it? Besides if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and we don’t want to be like everyone else, do we?

So take this time to think about what it is you want. How do you want your life to be? Do you want to muddle through in mediocrity, doing just enough to get by or do you want to be a strong ass, pipe-hittin’, fire-breathing, BAMF (bad-ass-mother fucker)? The only person you have to answer to is the one staring you in the mirror at night, but are you going to like what he or she will say? If not, a new dawn is on the horizon just waiting for you to come and greet it head on. Care to join us?

IT'S COMING!!!!

Prepare yourself!!!