Guess What? Your Coach Noticed.

I had an athlete approach me recently, expressing concern that a peer in class had repetitions that did not meet movement standards.  This person was not upset because of what the scoreboard said, but they were frustrated because our workouts are so much more than what the whiteboard says.  Our workouts are hard work.  I  have always said “How you do anything, is how you do everything.”  I had a conversation with this person about ensuring we are only worrying about ourselves, and our own workouts.  As the conversation progressed – I realized this was a deeper issue than just a few no reps. And I completely understood.

I get it.  You want to beat that person who you always compete with in class.  Or you don’t want to finish last place.  Or you want to come across as this major BEAST during the WOD.  It seems powerful and amazing right?  Well ok – there is more to it than this.  You need to hold yourself to a higher standard.  If you are starting to move so fast just to get the rep done, that your form is shot or you are not completing the full rep – are you really winning?  Are you really working closer to being a healthier version of yourself?  If you clearly have the ability to do things right, and you choose not to, then you are doing yourself a disservice.

What I mean here – “How you do anything, is how you do everything.”  (Not just at the gym.)  If your integrity to your ownself in the gym is lacking – what does it look like outside of the gym?

Why do we perform these types of workouts anyways?  To be the best we can be – the best version of ourselves – healthy… and the list goes on.  What is the purpose if we are shaving reps, moving poorly, and letting our integrity go out the window?  Are you really reaching those goals?  What is this doing for your mind?  Which also transfers outside of the box.

You also have your peers – the one to your left and to your right – who are counting accurately (well except when you have WOD brain and miss 1 of the 300 reps during Cindy).  But for the most part, intentionally counting accurately.  Or the ones who are listening to the coach with movement standards… not letting speed get in the way of form.  FOR TIME or AMRAP does not mean move like trash.  There is next to no value in going fast and moving poorly.  These peers see you (Yes they do, even if you think they don’t) and they get frustrated.  They are working so hard, yet see you cheating.  Cheating yourself, and cheating the camaraderie you all have in your class session.

I found this article on the crossfit journal that I found super interesting – take a peak.  http://journal.crossfit.com/2016/07/an-open-letter-to-cheaters.tpl

Let’s all strive to be the best versions we can be.  Be Honest.  Work Hard.  DO YOU!  Don’t worry about beating someone other than yourself.  Competition is good and healthy – as long as you can leave your ego at the door and maintain integrity.   Reminder of our Rules of Conduct at Crusher – and honestly, these can also go out to real life as well!

“Be Honest with YOUR FELLOW ATHLETES & YOURSELF.

Abandon your ego. No one cares if you finished first or you finished last,

but everyone will be upset if you cheat.”

Choose an Environment that Supports You

The environment you place yourself in is arguably the most important decision you can make at any given moment. The actions the environment supports will shape your life and the decisions that you make. Sounds like a big statement but let’s think about it for a minute. Compare a few different potential options of environments you could spend your day in.

  • On one hand, you could spend your day throwing around heavy weights and being bold, focused and confident in an activity like weightlifting or CrossFit. Think about how you feel after lifting a barbell, or doing pull-ups. How do you feel? Maybe strong, determined, more powerful?

Now let’s consider another way your day’s activity could go.

  • You go to a yoga class where you focus on your breath. Stillness and peace is a common feeling people get. You’re stretching, creating space. Think about how different that feels from the weightlifting you would do at the gym. The feelings you experience from doing yoga may be uplifting, and open. The gestures your and stretches you take your body through in a slowed down type of activity like yoga impacts the way your brain perceives your life.

Let’s analyze a third option.

  • You go to an old friend’s house. You end up sitting on the couch having a few drinks and snacking. You watch a mindless TV show while your friends complains about work and how unhappy they are at their job.

Which experience do you think will make you grow? Which environment will contribute to the person you want to be?

Ding. Ding. Ding. It’s an easy choice right?!

“Surround yourself with people who remind you more of your future than your past.”
-Dan Sullivan

Put simply, you become what you do. Your body communicates who you are to your brain. If you spend your time doing hard work and lifting heavy weights, you start to think how strong you are and how you can do hard things. This will translate into your life. You become the type of person who is strong and can do hard things. In a place like yoga, or maybe running outside, you may experience those feelings of freedom, space and peace. You become a person who experiences these things.

It’s incredible how much body influences how we think. Activity is so important to everyday life. The next time you’re working out, whatever activity it is that you choose, notice the messages your body sends your mind. Feeling weak in your life, like you can’t do anything right? Get under a barbell and do some hard shit. Feeling like you need more space in your life? Try some yoga or running. With your body as a tool you can create the environment you most need in your life.

Do you need help identifying what is best for you?  We offer 1-1 personal training sessions and can tailor the session to the type of exercise you need.  Email is at Coach@CrusherCrossFit.Com

Have a great week!

4 Ways to Save Your Joints

When you are dedicated to your training and putting in the hours to achieve your goals then there is nothing more frustrating than joint pain and inflammation. It almost feels like your body is punishing you for working hard. No fair, right!

Rather than make excuses about your pain or backing off on your training you may want to consider some new techniques to mitigate the damage from these patterns of overuse.

1. Focus on form
2. Make intensity your new volume
3. Recover Harder
4. Hit the Supplements Aisle

1.Focus on form
If you are training often and hard then even the slights inefficiencies in your movement can turn into nagging injuries over time. Before you put in all that hard work you owe it to yourself to work with an experienced coach to refine your movement. You will make progress faster and stay healthy in the process. Slow down, not every day is a competition.

2. Make intensity your new volume
Sometimes the body simply needs a break from volume. All athletes in any sport go through periods of alternating intensity and volume throughout the year. They have different rhythms and protocols for preseason, in-season, post-season, and off-season training. Try backing off on the volume of your training and focusing on higher intensity pieces instead. For lifters, this could mean performing fewer sets or reps and using a higher load, shorter rest times, or a faster tempo. Runners might try lower mileage with weeks and adding a sprint workout 1-2 times per week instead.

3. Recover Harder
Training hard without the proper recovery techniques is bound to beat you up and becomes unsustainable long term. Make time for massage, foam rolling, stretching, yoga or mobility sessions, sleep, and any other recovery methods that can improve your performance. Sometimes the most beneficial thing you can do is stimulate your parasympathetic nervous with these recovery techniques to let your body’s natural healing mechanisms kick in.

4. Give your body what it needs to repair itself
There are tons of great supplements that can help with joint health. Fish oil and omega 3’s provide a healthy inflammatory response in the body amongst many other health benefits. Glucosamine and Chondroitin provide the building blocks for joint repair. Tart Cherry Juice extract has been shown to reduce muscle soreness after a workout. Give those a try to start!

Don’t let joint pain stop you from moving and doing the things you love!

5 Tips to Help You Change with the Season

As the weather turns colder, many of us tend to let our health and fitness routines take the back burner for a few months. Whether you are feeling rundown or beat up from two CrossFit Open cycles in one year or just trying to escape the holiday season without eating too much pie. It is important to recognize what the change in season can mean for you in your training and health.

The winter months bring about changes in our training routines, daily habits, and nutrition. Rather than take a hit and accepting that this is a time to let yourself slide (because you’ll make it up and get back on track in January) what if this year you made a plan to do things differently.

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” -Jim Rohn

Here are 5 Tips to Help You Change with the Season!

  1. Eat more vegetables and healthy fats.
  2. Go for a walk during the daytime.
  3. Break a sweat every day.
  4. Stay Hydrated.
  5. Structure your day for success.

Eat more vegetables and healthy fats.
During the summer months, there seems to be an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables around. In the winter we tend to shift towards more comfort foods, foods that are preserved or packaged and are easy to prepare. Focusing on incorporating more vegetables in your diet will help you get the essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and micronutrients that you need. Omega-3s found in fish oil can help with skin health, heart health, and has been shown to support

Go for a walk during the daytime.
Getting outside for a walk during daylight hours can be extremely beneficial for your body and mind. Even if we can’t get Vitamin D from the sun during the winter months we can still benefit from its exposure. Walking can help improve metabolism, boost mood, and be a much better pick me up for your energy than coffee. Doing it in sunlight is proven to be one of the best ways to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that gets people run down in the winter months.

Break a sweat every day.
Prioritizing fitness may actually be more important in the winter than the summer. We naturally find ourselves more active during the summer months, enjoying the weather at the beach or on a hike or a bike ride. In the winter we tend to hole up indoors. Those hours of walking are replaced with hours of Netflix bingeing and lo and behold we start to get soft and complacent.

Stay Hydrated.
In the winter months, you may never feel the need to quench your thirst as you do on a hot summer day. Most folks tend to stay on the dehydrated side. Sweat also evaporates in the cold dry air, so many people are less likely to replenish fluids after exercise. Be sure to set daily hydration goals for yourself. Setting alarms on your phone to get up and grab a drink of water is a great way to accomplish this.

Structure your day for success.
One of the best ways to take charge of your health during the winter months is to plan out your day. Set yourself up for success by incorporating healthy habits and avoiding the detractors is key. Plan to have a big healthy salad before showing up to the holiday party where you know there will be tons of desserts. Book a fitness class, yoga session, or plan to meet a friend during a time you would normally just watch TV or surf the internet.

If you want to stay in control of your health this winter and have questions about how to eat, train or plan let us know!  Coach@CrusherCrossFit.Com

3 Exercises to Fix your Lower Back Pain

The body thrives on balance. Our muscles and joints are happiest when they are getting equal and total range of motion. The spine is no different and since it’s range of motion is smaller than most other joints, imbalances can be felt more intensely.

The spine requires the stability of the supporting muscles that surround it to keep up upright and mobile. When a link in this system is weak, the body will compensate in order to expend the least amount of energy. 

A common issue seen causing that dreaded lower back is due to tight hip flexors, tight spinal erectors, accompanied by weak abs and glutes, also referred to as the lower cross syndrome. The tightness of the body in one area causes another area of the body to become weak. 

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” – Buddhist Proverb

 

So how do you fix or prevent this? Here are three things you can do today to make sure your glutes are firing, your core is tight, and your hips and back muscles stay strong but supple.

  1. Single leg glute bridges, to strengthen the core & glutes. Aim for 3 sets of 15 on each side. Plant the bottom of your feet and palms firmly on the floor. Stack knees above ankles. Lift one foot off the ground and perform a single glute bridge with the other, pressing firmly into your palms, shoulders, and foot to take any pressure off the neck. Try to get the hips as high as possible, then lower to the ground.
  2. Couch Stretch, loosen the tight hip flexors Aim for 2 minutes on each side. Using a couch or a bench, get into a low lunge in front of your object of choice, and the goal of this stretch is to use the front leg to support your weight as you put your back foot on a couch or bench and get your knee as close to the couch or bench as possible to stretch the hip of the back leg.  
  3. Supine single-leg twists to loosen the tight muscles in the lower back.

Lay on your back, hands out to a T, and legs together, bring your right knee up to your chest and let it fall to the left side of your body. Try to keep the spine stacked in a straight line. Repeat on the left leg, bringing left knee to chest then letting it fall to your right, knee resting on the ground or a block. Spend at least a minute on each side.

Incorporate these exercises and stretches into your routine to help ease and prevent lower back pain. As always if anything causes pain, don’t do it and always consult your doctor before trying new things.

Succeed in 2020

2020 is your Year!

We all want to hit the new year and decade like the Kool Aid Man right? We all do, but we all have seen ours and others New Year’s resolutions start quick and end even quicker. Why? We often pick goals that are attainable but we pick an unsustainable way to get there. All in right away….I’m not eating that anymore, I’m waking up at 5am Monday through Friday and I’m running 5 miles, I’m going to do this and not that (whatever it is). But we can’t redirect a runaway train instantly. We need to take baby steps. How about setting a long term goal and then setting up baby steps to get there.  

Ok you want to eat better, great that is a fantastic goal. But going all in is probably not going to end well. Let’s start by eating better 5 days a week. Indulge a little on the weekend. Do that for a little and then let’s eat better 6 days a week. 

Here are some helpful ways to stay on track.

 

  • Make an attainable goal (losing inches on your waist, lowering your blood pressure, I want to work out 3-5 days a week and just get stronger and healthier)
  • Create a plan that consists of a sustainable process (baby steps)
  • Track your progress (detail where you are now and measure where you are weekly, not daily)
  • Get friends and family involved (accountability, and it’s more fun)
  • If you are going at it alone then talk about it with others. Let your family and friends know about it and explain you’ll need their support
  • Realize there will be a plateau and do not get discouraged (trust the process – be patient!)
  • Lean on the professionals to get you there (Crusher programs and staff are experts and make it simple) 

 

So here we go!  2020 is YOURS. What goals are you going to CRUSH this year?  Remember… 2020 will be the exact same as 2019 unless you MAKE A CHANGE!  Get after it! Start simple and step forward.

Meet Connor – Teen Athlete!

Teens Athlete Spotlight (November 2019)

 

Athlete – Conner Epping

Age – 15

Member since – March 2017

 

I want to introduce you to one of our amazing Teen athletes, Conner Epping. He puts in the hard work and he is an absolute joy to coach. Conner is part of one of our many families who “Fitness” together here at Crusher CrossFit. His parents Alanna, Joe, and sister Brenna are all part of the Crusher Family. Recently they were seen doing the “CrossFit Open” together as a family in the same heats. Very cool and very inspiring to see as they pushed through very tough workouts along side of each other while the Crusher community cheered them on. 

I recently sat down with Conner for a little Q&A

 

Why did you start CrossFit? My Mom and Dad started and they would talk about it at home. I knew they loved it and they inspired me and I gave it a shot.

Do you enjoy CrossFit? I love it. 

Why do you enjoy CrossFit? It helps me mentally. It has made me more confident. Both in the gym and at school.

Were you nervous to start? Yes, very. But not anymore. I look forward to coming now and challenging myself.

Do you play a sport? No. Crossfit is my sport.

Do you think CrossFit helps you in your academics? Yes, it has taught me to focus more. It also helps with my headaches and anxiety. I feel much better when I come to class.

Have you talked to friends about CrossFit? Yes. My friends Joey and Trevor joined. I like when we all can work out together. It’s fun.

What is your favorite movement? Rowing

What is your least favorite movement? Burpees. I hate those things. (“Conner, I feel your pain here man” – Geo)

Do you like working out with Mom and Dad? Yes, they inspire me to try harder. It’s pretty cool.

Do you plan to continue with CrossFit when you become an adult? Definitely. 

Do you like your coaches? Yes, they are fun and they help me with each workout. They give me scales and tips to get through the workout.

As a coach of Conner I can tell you this kid is awesome and we are the lucky ones that get to coach him. The Epping family continues to inspire all of us and we look forward to seeing them all continue their fitness journey with us. 

 

If you feel encouraged to try something new like Connor did, email me at Geo@CrusherCrossFit.Com – I would love to help.

 

Coach Geo

 

Does Your Child Need More Confidence?

Have you ever seen a child frustrated in a sport? Or gym class? We have all seen it. All the kids on the team are asked to do the same thing. And yes that is what sports are about, right? But sometimes that can lead to a child being dejected that they aren’t as good as someone else. This is even more evident in youth athletics as they get older. Even more so as they transition into high school sports where cuts are made and some kids aren’t even able to get on a team. Most of us won’t continue with a team sport past these years.

In CrossFit we aim to build confidence in every one of our athletes. In our Adults and especially in our little ones. Are all of our athletes the same? No, of course not. All of our athletes vary in both physical and mental capacities. But that’s the beauty in our programming and our expert coaches.  It is tailored to your or your kids specific need. And they will not feel singled out.

  • We adjust our workouts to match the “age appropriate” stimulus for each of our age groups. (We start at age 3!)
  • We then adjust weights, reps, and even the movements for each young athlete. Giving each their own workout that they can accomplish. We have a specific time domain that we want every athlete to finish in. 
  • This builds confidence, rather than them being frustrated and maybe even embarrassed that they can’t do what others are doing.
  • As coaches we give them realistic and challenging goals that they can accomplish. There is nothing better than seeing our kids do that “box jump” they didn’t think they could do. That “handstand” hold they were worried about. 
  • Our program enhances athletic performance. Making your child an all around better athlete makes them more confident out there on the field, court, and ice. Whatever their sport is. We make them better at it.
  • Boosting confidence leads to higher self-esteem.

Come join us. We are building stronger, faster, and most of all more confident little athletes. Our coaches are dedicated to making your child’s fitness journey with us one that they will enjoy. Our focus on safety, sportsmanship, self-discipline, hard work will directly translate to their everyday life outside of the gym.

Best,

Coach Geo

https://crushercrossfit.com/programs/crossfit-kids/

Avoid this BIG Mistake on Thanksgiving…

Thanksgiving is here… and the common theme is being discussed.  “I am going to fast all day to save up my calories for the BIG meal!”  Or, “I am skipping breakfast and lunch so that I can indulge at dinner.”

Guys and gals… Don’t do it!  Big Mistake!  Skipping your meals or “saving up” for the big meal is going to seriously back fire on you.  You will end up being so hungry by the time the food arrives, that you will in turn over eat, and regret your decision.  I do understand that there are some people that do well with intermittent fasting.  If you are trained in this and know what you are doing, than more power to you.  But for the rest of us, treat it like any other day.

Here are a few tips to keep you in check this Thanksgiving, but still enjoying some of your favorites:

    • Eat breakfast that includes a healthy amount of protein – this will help you curb your appetite during the day.  It would be great to eat a well rounded breakfast with some healthy carbohydrates (fruits, veggie, steel cut oats etc) and a healthy fat (avocado).
    • Get a quick workout in and start your day right.  Crusher has classes at 8am and 9:30am!  Come on in!
    • Water is your friend.  Stay hydrated a lot of water.
    • Start your big meal with a salad or vegetables.  Do not start with bread or or the heavier foods.  If you start with the salad or vegetables, this will help you with overall caloric intake.
    • Chew your food and enjoy the conversation of those around you!  This will help you not rush into it and shove your face without realizing you are full.
    • If you are full – put your fork down.
    • Plan for the day after – have healthy meals prepped and a workout class scheduled.  This will help keep you in check and back on track.  These big holiday meals are the exception – they aren’t a rule.  Meaning, we get one, and then back on track.

 

Are You Living Your Best Life?

We hear this a lot… “Be your best self!”  Or “Living your best life.”  And there are so many different meanings behind this.  But in order to actually live our best life.. we need to take care of our body and what goes in it.  Did you know, you can choose how you treat your body?

There are a lot of areas in life where “good enough” can be the goal. Ultimately you have a finite amount of time on this planet and if a task is not important to you then you want to outsource it or put in the minimum effective dose of effort so you can move on with your day. 

There are also many areas where you should put in your very best work. When it comes to movement you want to be strong and pain-free. When you do your taxes you ensure that they are accurate and timely. When you spend time with the ones you love you put the phone away and are fully present in the moment. 


One area that often gets the “good enough” treatment is your diet and nutrition. When life gets busy or making healthy choices becomes inconvenient the spectrum of foods you consume tends to take a dive in quality. Rather than let slide occur in favor of other activities that seem more important, you may find it worth your while to optimize your diet and nutrition. Here’s why:

    • Even if the doctor says you are healthy, you are happy with the way you look, and you can’t stand cooking – nutrition is one area that literally transcends into ALL areas of your life.
    • If you only ever aim for the minimum in your diet then you are capping your maximum potential in how much you can lift, creatively solve problems, and even love your family.
    • We often treat food as an activity that gets scheduled into the day. Food breaks up the workday and provides structure in the evening. It is a social affair with the family or a way to do business.

The foods you consume during the day are the driving force behind all of this. They not only provide the immediate nutrients needed to fuel your physical and mental performance but are also the long term building blocks for every cell in your body. Every bite you chew or sip you take is going to be broken down into the amino acids that build your muscles and organs. The fats and oils become the cell walls that handle communication between cells in your body and control processes like your immune system function and inflammatory response. The vitamins and minerals will help your body create the energy it needs to keep you moving and eliminating toxins from your body.


Scientists have even found links between our gut bacteria and neurological disease. The foods you are eating today and the way your prioritize diet could determine your likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease later in life. (This right here should be enough of a reason WHY you CHOOSE nutrition to be a focus)
The way you choose to eat is affecting the way you live, both today and 40 years from now. If you want to be your best self for your family, your career, and the things you care about accomplishing in life then taking care of your nutrition is not a “nice to have”. It’s a must.

Not sure where to get started? Start by having a conversation with one of our coaches today.  Jen@CrusherCrossFit.Com for More information.  You GOT this!