Fitness Tips & News
From the makers of Double Under Wonder!
This blog attempts to answer my friend's question...
"Balance, hahaha, what's that?"
Seriously though...What is that?
Lots of people talk about balance, but it's always in the context of searching for it...
People will comment that they "need to hit the gym more," or "spend more time with my family," or "eat a healthier diet," or "concentrate on work," etc.
They'll then end their comment with a guilt ridden sigh, and say something like, "Gosh...I just wish I could find a balance."
Well, here's my take...You ARE balancing.
When I think of balance, I think of someone on a tight rope.
If you've ever balanced on a tight-rope, or a slackline, you know that it is not a passive activity. It's not like you just step onto a tight rope, find your balance, and then trot along effortlessly like you're on a sidewalk.
When you balance, you're constantly recognizing the moments you are off course, and making slight corrections to get yourself re-centered over the line. The thrill of a tight rope comes from the constant string of moments we notice that we are slightly OUT of balance.
Oxford defines balance in this way: "to keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall."
By that definition, if you have not fallen, you ARE balancing.
Sure, you may feel a bit off to one side or the other occasionally, but THAT'S WHAT BALANCING IS!
I think we should be okay with that. More than that, I think it should be thrilling (like a tight rope is thrilling).
There are times when we spend a little extra time at work (and get something awesome done). There are times when we do a little more exercise than laundry (and set a PR...High Fives!!!). There are times when we spend so much time with our families that we've let our good and purpose-driven occupations slip (but made incredible memories in the process).
It will always be uncomfortable when we bump up against the edges of our balanced position, but part of the thrill of life is finding the edges of our balance. As long as your spiritual, relational, or economic life has not fallen apart...YOU ARE BALANCING.
My encouragement is to celebrate your active state of balancing (instead of sighing and feeling guilty).
In the words of Dr. Seuss:
"...be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life's a great balancing act."
Staying upright takes good decisions and a knowledge of where you should be centered, but it's still a balancing act. We'll always be finding the edges, and pulling ourselves back in.
Keep balancing my friends :)
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P.S. If you haven't read the book "Oh, the Places You'll Go" as an adult, you can do so with this link. Just don't get all teary eyed like I always do. Frickin' Dr. Seuss gets me every time...
http://www.poetrygrrrl.com/oh-the-places-youll-go-by-dr-seuss/
Also, a fancy new jump rope can be a great addition to your balancing act. Click below to make that happen!
Well, I believe we'll have trouble in this life whether we try to avoid it, or not. If that's the case, we might as well make a stand and fight a battle that is worth fighting, right?
In fact, the saying "fought the good fight" comes from someone who was no stranger to hard circumstances...
2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
The writer of this Bible verse (Apostle Paul) had been blinded, shipwrecked, bitten by a snake, imprisoned, beaten, whipped, stoned, left for dead, and likely beheaded at the end of his life. Through it all, he held on to his faith, and continued his purpose. Thousands of years later, we're still talking about it.
We're no different than the Apostle Paul. Something in us craves a good fight.
Wouldn't it be better to find a fight worth fighting, and lean into it with the same raw energy we tap into during an AMRAP?
We write stories about people who face conflict, suffer greatly, and accomplish amazing things.
Let's live lives that are worth writing stories about, shall we?
Ahhh yes. Abs. Many of us are infatuated with them. Many of us have suffered through hours upon hours of gut-wrenching pain in our pursuit of them. Many of us have failed to find them. For all of you out there twisting and turning under the overhead lighting in your bathroom, here is the best way to get them...
Stop giving a crap about them.
Here's what I mean. If your GOAL is to have 6-pack abs, you will likely lose interest and give up on your pursuit months -- or even years -- before you reveal your chiseled mid-section to the rest of the world through a perfectly posed mirror selfie (bonus points for #nofilter).
Here's what happens when you hit the gym for the sole purpose of developing a 6-pack...
Day 1: Abs? No.
Day 2: Abs? No.
Day 3: Abs? No.
Day 4: Abs? No.
Day 5: Abs? No.
Day 6: Abs? No.
Day 7: Abs? No.
Day 8: ....No....Just...No!...Stop it.
It doesn't take a genius to see a pretty discouraging pattern here.
You may or may not achieve your goal of having 6-pack abs, but one thing is certain: Your singular focus on aesthetics is likely going to be a super frustrating and miserable process, rife with self-loathing and poor body image.
What if there was a better solution? What if you started hitting a CrossFit box, and eating a clean diet for the sole purpose of being more fit (instead of obsessing over your abs)?
Day 1: Healthier? Yes.
Day 2: Part of a community? Yes.
Day 3: Learned a new skill? Yes.
Day 4: Earned a much needed rest day? Yes.
Day 5: More confident? Yes.
Day 6: Laughed with friends? Yes.
Day 7: Found a movement you're pretty good at? Yes.
Day 8: Resting/Impatiently waiting for the next WOD to be announced? Yes.
Day 9: Did something you had no idea you were capable of? Yes.
Day 10: Talking constantly about CrossFit? Yes.
Day 11: Still talking constantly about CrossFit? Yes.
Day 12: Noticeably stronger? Yes.
Day 13: ...yada yada yada...So. Much. Yes.
This will go on and on until someday, 1 of 2 things will happen...
1. You'll be getting out of the shower on some random Wednesday, and very casually notice..."Hmm...(shrug)...I have abs."
Or...
2. You'll get out of the shower on some random Wednesday. You WON'T notice that you DON'T have 6-pack abs, and you'll run happily off to the rest of your day without giving your lack of abs a single thought.
Why? Because you'll be stronger, healthier, and more fit. You'll love your body for what it can do. You'll have significantly lowered your risk of disease. You'll experience more, and miss out on less. You'll have a better view of what you're capable of. And abs? Well, whether you have them or not, they'll pale in comparison to the functional fitness lifestyle you've fallen in love with.
So, what's the moral of the story? Stop trying to develop 6-pack abs. Be fit. And let the abs show themselves at their leisure. :)
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"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.
Here are 3 of my (least) favorite quotes...
Are we still saying this? Just when I think this one has run its course, it pops up on my feed again. It may be the dumbest one out there.
Imagine if you could be second place all the time. I'm guessing you'd be pretty stoked about...
- Second richest person in the world.
- Second most photogenic person.
- Second most innovative person in human history.
- Doctor who has saved the second most lives...etc.
Would we call any of these people a loser in their specific contexts? Of course not.
If we've done our best, we need to stop acting like spoiled little brats who didn't get our way, and start being grateful for the amazing gifts we've been given. (no matter what place we come in)
#2. "Pain is temporary, pride is forever."
Let's not forget that pain is a great way to recognize when you should stop doing something.
You absolutely should not give up if you are a healthy person who is just having a pity party for yourself in the middle of an AMRAP.
On the other hand, If your conscience/pain is telling you something isn't safe, you should remember that SOME pain IS forever.
How proud will you be if you jack yourself up trying to win a poorly attended Wednesday WOD by ignoring your pain and finishing at all costs? Let's do some risk/reward evaluations shall we?
3. "Surround yourself with ONLY people who will lift you higher."
This quote is great advice if you never want to help anyone else, teach anyone anything, or inspire someone to see their untapped potential.
Don't get me wrong. I think there are times to cut ties with unhealthy relationships, but sometimes WE need to be the ones helping people out of a low spot instead of always reaching up and asking for a boost from the rock stars we've surrounded ourselves with.
I'm sure I'll get push-back on this one, but keeping people who need help, or have nothing to offer you out of your life is a pretty selfish thing to do, don't you think?
Anyway, I'll get off my soap box now. There are MANY more stupid quotes out there, but hey, we all have lives to live, and things to do, so I'll let you sift through the rest of them :)
It should also be noted that I LOVE QUOTES, but I feel like it's important to look at them with a critical eye, instead of blindly letting them "inspire" us into an unhealthy state of mind.
Have a WONDERFUL day!
My friends at the box laugh at me as I meticulously set up my barbell, kettlebell, jump rope, and/or plyo-box in the most efficient way possible to eek out the most rounds and reps in any given AMRAP.
On the other hand, I'm starting to understand that winning isn't necessarily the point.
I think the point is to play a game together. To collectively reach our potential. To use the environment of group workouts to draw us into giving our best effort. All while encouraging, and celebrating each other's achievements.
My 6 year old son reminded me of that.
After his first soccer game, we piled into the car, and headed to meet a member of the "opposing team" for breakfast (A.K.A. his best friend Ellie).
On the way there I asked my son, Emmett: "What was your favorite part?"
His answer?
"Giving people five at the end."
Wow. What a perfect answer. I hope he holds on to that attitude forever.
Emmett definitely wanted to win. He definitely did his best, but in the end, congratulating people, and celebrating the game was the most enjoyable.
We show up. We strive. We compete. We do warfare with our muscles, mind, and will. We ache to edge out competitors. We come as close as we dare to puking, passing out, or collapsing.
At the end of it all, we give each other high fives. Win, or lose, I hope that's always my favorite part.
Let's recognize the battles fought alongside us.
Let's see that we are all wonderfully made.
Let's build each other up instead of tearing each other down. Let's use competition to draw us into an encouraging mindset, and be careful never to let it be an obstacle to meaningful community.
Have a wonderful day!
Above: Our newest model Carissa performing "Victory Pose With A Barbell" in her AMGAP tank :)
Another hilarious guest post by Amanda Kolman...Enjoy!
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Dear CrossFit,
You seem to be doing fine on your own, but I thought I'd write anyway with a little re-branding advice. There are a number of exercises and WODs in your repertoire of nightmare-inducing workouts that might be a little more appealing if you changed their names. I present just a few here for your consideration:
Burpees
This is a no brainer. First of all, they begin with the word burp. Not pleasant at all. Plus, in this morning's workout I noticed that the motion of a burpee actually feels like defeat. The throwing of oneself down on the floor makes it feel like the workout is over and it's nap time. This means that you will need an extra bit of mental energy to talk yourself into getting back up. I'm wondering if that could be accomplished by renaming these A PHEONIX RISING FROM THE ASHES. Sure, it's a little more cumbersome, but I think it's obviously a better choice than Burpee. Gross.
Annie, Grace, Elizabeth, Fran...and the like.
I am disappointed that you chose to name all of these horrible workouts after people I know. Now when I see those people all I can think is, "You suck!"
Instead of trying to give them lady names, let's just call them what they are. Something like, HORRIBLE WOD #1, HORRIBLE WOD #2, and so on. Honesty is the best policy here.
Clean
This is just nonsensical. There is nothing in this movement that even remotely resembles cleaning. Besides, almost everyone hates to clean. If you prefer to be nonsensical, how about picking something more fun like, ROLLERCOASTER or PUPPY BREATH. At least then, we feel good for a second before we collapse on the floor, breathing so hard that we taste blood.
Snatch
This needs no explanation. It's just wrong. How about VICTORY POSE WITH A BARBELL (pictured above). It's more self-explanatory this way...and less dirty.
Chipper
I get it. It's a workout where you chip away at massive amounts of exercises until you get it done. But, it seems a little cruel to call something chipper that is so hard. It doesn't make me feel chipper at all. Plus, chipper is a happy-go-lucky attitude and I really need to channel a more hard core approach when I walk through the door of my box. In fact, how about something reflecting that attitude like: TAKE A LOT OF FEROCIOUS BITES OUT OF THIS WOD.
The truth is, even if you called an exercise PUKERS we would probably all still be lined up outside the door of our box ready to get to it. We are obviously a bunch who care more about the muscle and the community we are building than we do about what crazy things people might think if they overhear us talking about Thrusters.
Whatever you decide, it seems that people will keep coming back for more. But, I think you can do better. I believe in you CrossFit.
Sincerely,
Always Sore in Cincinatti
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P.S. One exercise that is perfectly named...THE DOUBLE UNDER. It's fun AND it is accurate...just like the Double Under Wonder jump rope I purchased. Colorfully designed and perfectly sized for accuracy. Now there's a company who knows how to name things :)
"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.
3 rounds for time
Load coffee into french press
Rest for 3 minutes while water boils
Load water into press
Rest for 3 minutes while coffee steeps
Press, pour, and drink
Tell your kids to stop arguing every minute on the minute.
WOD #3: Clean and Jerk-1 RM
Spend lots of time cleaning the floors.
Yell at any jerks who walk in with muddy shoes.
16 hour AMRAP
Shuttle kids to activities & run errands from morning 'til night.
Threaten to send your kids to military school if they don't obey!
You should definitely plan to go Beast Mode on this one.
"CrossFit" is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. This website is independently created and maintained by its owners, without any affiliation, connection, or association with CrossFit, Inc., nor the sponsorship, endorsement or approval of CrossFit, Inc. or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates.
My son turned 6 yesterday, but he wasn't just the birthday boy at school, he was also the "Super Kid."
In his kindergarten class they have a new Super Kid every day, and when you're the Super Kid, you have a certain amount of responsibilities, and privileges.
You get to be creative by bringing something to show the class that starts with the letter of the day (my son brought an Orangutan). You get to influence the people around you by choosing which games to play, and which activities to do (my son chose Heads Up 7 Up). You get to be generous by sharing a snack with the rest of the class (my son brought cupcakes...normally not on the menu, but hey, it was his birthday).
When he got home yesterday he took his Super Kid sticker off and stuck it to the back of my journal. My first thought was..."Hey, don't stick a sticker on my journal! I have to walk around with that, and it might damage the cover if I peel it off..."
After thinking about it a bit, I decided just to leave the sticker where it was.
My journal is where I keep all my to-do lists, and goals, which is probably the best possible place to have a Super Kid sticker.
As an adult we get the freedom to make our own decisions, so every day we wake up is a chance to be the Super Kid.
We get to be creative, and influence the people around us. We get to share things with people, and be generous. We get to walk alongside the people in our lives, and exercise the responsibilities and privileges that have been given to us.
In essence, we have to be the Super Kid no matter what, and since we've been given this role, it sure would be nice if we all hit the workplace, gym, or home-front with the same beaming smile my son carries with him on his Super Kid day.
Whether you have a journal with an awesome sticker on it or not, I hope you'll join me in leaning into your Super Kid role. The world sure could use more of your creativity, influence, and generosity.
Have a WONDERFUL day!
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P.S. Every Super Kid should have a super-sweet jump rope right? Click below to design yours!
Indulge me with an analogy for a moment as I compare life to an island....
I find that when I start obsessing about something, I start cramming lots of new stuff on to my already crowded island. If I decide to hit the gym twice per day...time with my kids falls off the island. If I decide to skip lunch, and work late...my nutrition falls off the island. If I decide to take a week-long vacation...business opportunities fall off the island.
Sometimes additions to the island are good. Sometimes additions to the island are a total disaster, but whether something belongs, or doesn't belong isn't really the point.
Here is the point...
As I'm busily running around trying to add stuff to my island, and bumping things off, and pulling them back up out of the water, sometimes I forget that...I LIVE ON A FREAKING CARIBBEAN ISLAND!!!
(figuratively speaking of course)
If I look around my island, I have some really awesome things on it. I have a family who cares about me, a business I love, a healthy body, a great church, a community to be involved in...etc.
Sure, just like everyone's island, there are some hard things wandering around on it, but all in all...
This island is awesome!
Unfortunately, I don't always see it that way. I think, "Dang, it sure would have been nice to have that P.R. on the island."...or..."Man, we sure could spruce up the island with some more income..."
If you can relate, I hope you'll join me in taking frequent breaks from anxiously pacing the shore, and scanning the horizon. I think most of us could use to let a few boatloads of new additions pass by the island.
PR's are great. Success is great, but you know what else is great?
You guessed it; your island :)
Have a wonderfully restful day!