Articles

5 Ways to Optimize CrossFit
It could happen, and you could be the first one to do it.  Scoff if you want, but you're going to feel pretty silly when flying gets programmed in an AMRAP at your Box.  Read more...
To "RX," or not to "RX" ...That is the question...
Is anyone else out there addicted to writing that little "RX" on the white board?  I know I am.  Today I had to talk myself down from a weight I had no business lifting, and after my poor little ego was done whining about it, I wrote some thoughts down about it as a reminder to me, and (hopefully) you. Many times we ask ourselves..."Is it possible for me to do the RX'd weight today?" When we should really be asking..."Which weight should I use for this CrossFit like workout... Read more...
The Story CrossFit Tells...
As much as I love how measurable CrossFit is, I think there's more to it than "increasing work capacity across broad time, and modal domains." There will come a time when we hit our last PR, when we realize that the top of the white board isn't attainable for us anymore, and a time when we just try to hold on to our slowly decreasing level of fitness. When that happens, will we still do CrossFit? I think we will.  And I think I discovered part of the reason why.... Read more...
Using Fitness Outside the Box...
It amazes me that I can obsess about things like my Fran time, or nailing my handstand push-ups while also doing things like calling my kids into the room to turn on the light switch so I can remain in my recliner with my lap-top. "Can you turn that light on?" I'll say. "I can't see my keyboard, and I'm trying to write a blog post about achieving your genetic potential through nutrition, and exercise.  If I get up, I'll have to set my computer down, and I could spill... Read more...
Awards for Non-Games Athletes...
By now, many athletes have given up hope on ever standing on top of the podium at the games. Because of this, we've propose the following awards to celebrate some of the often overlooked accomplishments present in boxes all around the country... Excellence in PerspirationWhen this athlete walks into a room, everyone takes notice...Mostly because simply walking into a room is enough physical activity to put their sweat glands into overdrive.   If you know someone who deserves this award, you'll easily track them down as they'll leave a trail of... Read more...
The Pros and Cons of CrossFit
  With all the back and forth, it's important to analyze the pros and cons of CrossFit. Read below to make an informed decision about the exercise regimen that everyone is talking about.   Pro: You’ll be able to do things like run a half-marathon on a whim, lift a car off a helpless victim, or play sports competitively with people half your age. Con: Many times you'll be too sore to get off the couch, and will at some point consider a good Life Alert system...or at the very... Read more...
5 Ways To Do CrossFit Wrong
There's so much that is right about CrossFit... It would be a shame to get it wrong. Read more...
Why "RX+" Is For Everyone!!!
If you've been around your Box for a while, you may have heard the term "RX+" being used. Going "RX+" describes the use of a weight, height, distance, or movement that is beyond what the workout prescribes...doing things like chest-to-bar pull-ups instead of standard pull-ups...30" box jumps instead of 24"...etc. Traditionally, this has been reserved for the occasional super-human at your box who has hopes of qualifying for regionals someday. However, the times are changing...and now TONS of people are going RX+ as soon as possible. This is really awesome,... Read more...
Fran Pie Chart...
Fran was one of the first workouts I ever completed as prescribed, and in the beginning, I was always excited to see it come up. Sure it was miserable, but every time I suffered through it, I would see massive PRs. Now Fran just conjures up anxiety. I know where I'll have to push myself physically to do it faster each time, and it's about all I can do to drive myself to the gym when I know it's on the whiteboard. Someone once said that if you don't get... Read more...
How to get better at rowing in under 7 minutes...
For the longest time my Box didn't have any rowers, so when we finally got a few, I was SUPER excited to try them out. I'm tall, I'm good at pulling exercises, and I LOVE met-cons, so I just KNEW rowing was going to be a strength for me. Unfortunately, the first few times I tried rowing, I was below average at best.  I should know by now that pretty much everything in CrossFit will slap your ego, and make you feel like a sissy at first, but for some... Read more...
10 Ways WODs are Like Cigarettes...
I'm in the middle of completing "The Whole 30."  It's a clean eating program that I highly recommend. However, as I was standing outside next to a dumpster eating a can of tuna in a snow storm (to avoid stinking up our office), I realized that I was behaving very much like the smokers in our building. As I was "getting my fix," I drew a few more parallels between the functional fitness lifestyle, and the lifestyle of a smoker. Here are just a few similarities between cigarettes, and WODs...... Read more...
5 Reasons Paleo Didn't (or won't) Work For You.
We're huge fans of proper nutrition and clean eating.  Here are a few Paleo diet tips.  read below to see why you can still see lackluster results despite having a fairly healthy diet. 1.  You still eat TONS of sugar."Giving up sugar" is great and all, but you may still be sucking down enough carbs throughout the day to fuel an entire team of marathon runners.  If you're tossing back an apple, chasing it with a banana, and topping it off with a mango, you're not going to see a... Read more...