It's Just A Better Way To Live

What is CrossFit?

Why Do You CrossFit?

I sent out a couple tweets asking folks why they CrossFit. I got a few responses that I thought were pretty cool and insightful into the many reasons people walk into a box to kick the crap out of themselves multiple times a week.

Here are a few responses that I received:

@_Erin807_ "to be stronger than yesterday; and to be even stronger tomorrow"

@Johnarmstrong "Feel good, be healthy, maintain good blood sugar/cholesterol, weight loss. So many more..."

@tickenz "to get in shape, get stronger, and to get motivated by a great community of athletes!"

@thehoss2555 "to be better than the person who doesn't!!"

Sometimes I feel that the innate pressure that CrossFit creates to compete with yourself and others, to get that PR, to push your body to its limits in the gym, allows for the purpose behind the journey outside the gym to get lost.

Why is it exactly that we do this week in and week out? Why is tooling around on the elliptical not good enough anymore? Why do we pay money to do what can only be described as torture at times?

The short answer?

Because it works.

But it only works if you know what you are working for. What are your goals? To lose weight? To get into shape? To be a better parent/spouse/sibling/son/daughter/co-worker/person? To get strong?

But what does it all mean?

So you want to lose weight. Join the club. But what is the purpose of wanting to lose that weight?

What do you want to do with your body and mind that you couldn't do before?

That is the ultimate question that only you can answer for yourself. And it needs to be answered.

I had a vision of myself and my body that became disproportional to reality. CrossFit has allowed me to change the reality, but I've found that my vision has changed as well. I have higher expectations for what I can do and more importantly what I want to do.

This weekend I went on a hike that I haven't done for a couple years. I remember being self-conscious and embarrassed about how tired and out of shape I was the last time. I remember it being a beautiful day, with great people, on a medium grade hike, and I had an absolutely horrible time.

My vision of my abilities collided abruptly with reality.

This weekend was different. I felt great. I had fun. I enjoyed being surrounded by nature, with the bustle of the city far removed from a beautiful backdrop. I had great conversation. I smiled. I laughed.

I paused for a minute and silently reflected, "this is why I CrossFit."

The feeling was better than any PR that I could have hit; than shooting for a sub-(you pick a number) Fran time.

I push myself to the limit inside the gym so that I can push my limits outside of the gym. This is the secret that CrossFit doesn't tell you. That you have to find out for yourself. That an hour a day can significantly upgrade the other 23.

The mental euphoria of those endorphins flowing through your body transfer to reality. And when your reality changes, your vision changes.

CrossFit is simply a tool to get you to where you want to go. In my opinion, it happens to be one of the most effective tools to get you there. But you ultimately decide the destination.

And while you're getting to where you're going, don't forget to stop and enjoy the journey every once and awhile.

So where are you going? Where is the byproduct of all your hard work going to guide you? What do you want to do with your body that you couldn't do before?

-FBC

 Beautiful day and view of the falls.

The pup not used to 90 degree weather. 

He slept well that night!

Monday Motivation

Greatness

"Greatness is no more unique than breathing. We're all capable of it. All of us."

Mobility

Especially as a bigger guy, mobility restrictions can hold me back from a lot of optimal movement and full range of motion. I had rotator cuff surgery 8 years ago and Crossfit very quickly exposed my range of motion...or lack there of.

The two movements that seem to bless me with the most issues are the over head and front rack positions. Definitely not great for my Fran time. My always encouraging coach described my shoulders as that of an 80 year old last week. Ouch. Literally and figuratively.

I stumbled upon KStar and his amazing site, Mobility WOD, as a "homework" assignment from my coach during On-Ramp when I first got introduced to Crossfit. I have dabbled a little bit with the site and mobility suggestions, but after an incredibly frustrating session with over head squats last week, I decided I need to be more committed to mobility in my training.

Here's an example of the information and videos that KStar posts on his site. I like his videos because they are short and simple. Like a WOD, right?

Have a specific mobility issue that you're dealing with? Check out the search box on his site. His tags are solid and you can pull up amazing information with one search.

How much time do you dedicate to mobility when you go to the gym? I see a lot of folks head out as soon as the WOD is over. Do you prefer to work on mobility before your workout or after...or both? Should coaches and trainers build this into your WOD or should it be up the individual to work on in their own time?


P.S. I made the little gem KStar likes to call the dual lacrosse ball "peanut" this weekend...brutal. But it hurts so good!


-FBC

Lost in Translation

Crossfitters speak a different language. Sometimes I feel like I need a decoder to understand what is being talked about in normal conversations at the box. This is a hilarious video featuring Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser (relatively new to the Crossfit community) helping us decode the Crossfit lingo.

This also makes me wonder, why do we do this to ourselves? It seems like anytime I try to take up a new hobby, I have to learn a new language. Is it to bring ourselves up or to keep others out? Regardless, language can be such a barrier in attracting new folks. How will you ensure that the new face in your box doesn't get lost in translation?

Why Did I Start Fat Boy Crossfit?

I started this blog for a multitude of reasons. The first of course is that I have seen amazing results from this sport of fitness in a relatively short amount of time. I’ve been Crossfitting since January and in seven short months I am completely addicted to functional movements.

When I first walked into the gym, I weighed in at 275 lbs. By far the most out-of-shape that I had been in my entire life. I grew up always involved in organized sports and was for the most part a stand out athlete amongst my peers. This proceeded through high school and into college until all of a sudden workouts were not required. Then the slow and slippery slope to obesity began.

To date, I’m down 30 lbs. and feeling better than ever. My body composition has changed dramatically and my overall level of fitness has skyrocketed. 

So here I am, seven months into the sport of fitness and I decided to start a blog. Why? Because the more I have been into this community, the more I realize how intimidating it is for large folks to get into it. The folks that need to be here the most.

Perception vs. reality.

Did you watch the CrossFit Games this past weekend? So did I. An amazing display of fitness from some of the most phenomenal athletes in the world. But is that the reality? When I look around my box, I see a handful of athletes that look like the phenoms we saw on TV. I see a lot more athletes that look like everyday people trying to non-everyday tasks while they kick the shit out of themselves. Reality.

Put yourself in the perspective of an out-of-shape, overweight, perhaps obese individual. Can you imagine how intimidating it would be to step foot into a Crossfit box thinking it’s full of folks you see on TV?

So here I am. Just a fat dude that is a little less fat than I used to be and hopefully not as fat as I always will be, trying to spread the word that Crossfit is for us too! Once you do get inside, you’ll realize it for yourself. But I get it. Taking that first step inside is probably the hardest. I know I was terrified. My hope is that this can be a dropbox of motivation and a celebration of victories. When you surround yourself with positive people, it makes your own mindset all the better. After all, Crossfit is more mental exercise than physical.

All the best in your own journey. Enjoy it. Share it.

-FBC