Go to your happy place
Welcome back, Luttrel!
This is my favorite time of year. The pumpkin pie and ridiculous cheat meals are great, but what really makes this time of year enjoyable is that it’s time for reflection. Last year at this time, I was just figuring out what Tabata was and thinking that 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest sounded so easy. CrossFit was just some gimmick and I was going to stick to chest and tris on Monday and back and bis on Tuesday. Air squats sounded simple in theory because I could hack squat 500 pounds. I was miserable and hated everyone at 24 Hour Tool Academy. Somehow they gym kept adding more people and all the equipment kept getting more shitty.
Luckily all that changed when I met CrossFit South Bay. Sounds pretty cheesy how a gym could change your life right? Instead of thinking of it as a gym, let’s think about it as a place you go for an hour a day and actually give max effort and people tell you good job no matter what. You actually get so nervous before a workout that you kinda have to pee a little, but in a good way. When you step in the doors, you are allowed to be yourself and the only thing you have to worry about is how you are going to finish the WOD. Where you aren’t afraid to drop weight or scream obscenities on those last three reps. For that one hour you try so hard and do things your mind and body didn’t think they could do, then lay on the floor in a pool of your own sweat. You only have enough energy to mutter out the words “That sucked” or “That was brutal” with a smile on your face. It’s a place where you can hate me for those 15-20 minutes of workout, but say thank you when you leave. For one hour a day, people are actually doing what they are supposed to be doing.
Over the past three weeks, we have experienced some rapid change and growth as a result. I am so thankful to have such a great CrossFit family who are so patient and supportive. Thank you everyone for being so great in this transition. Mariessa and I are translating the CrossFit mentality to the business. We have set goals and are working as hard as we possibly can to make CFSB the best possible environment for all of us. Our intention is to make whomever walks in our doors the best and most efficient athlete possible. We are looking forward to expanding in to our next space this weekend which will double our square footage. The new pull-up cage is already installed and the floors are going in this weekend. The new yoga/CrossFit combo class will start in a few weeks and it will be called “Heaven and Hell” or “Hell and Hell” we haven’t really ironed out the details yet. All we know is that the yoga will be customized to CrossFitters and have different movements depending on the WOD. Performance Log books are being printed so that everyone can track their workouts. We plan on hosting certifications come the beginning of the year because we will finally meet the minimum requirements. On top of that we are adding new members daily, so remember to introduce yourself and help make them feel at home.
Please continue to keep giving me suggestions as I love to hear them. We have lots of stuff planned, but it takes input from all of you to make it successful. Now quit complaining about the WODs and clean up after yourselves!
WOD 12.3.2009
Max Deadhang Pullups
CFSB Baseline WOD – Celebrate our first On-Ramp graduation tonight
3 Rounds of:
300M Run
15-12-9
Squats
Ring Rows
Push Ups
300M Run
After each round you will have a 3 minute mandatory rest.
One of our new members, Courtney, will also be in a Christmas rowing regatta this Sunday. If you get a chance, go and watch 105 lbs of muscle kick ass.
That was the most amazing post I have ever read Forrest! You are so amazing and everything you do is amazing. Just like Nicole has the most amazing ass and writes the most amazing comments ever. I love how amazing the gym is and I love being amazing too!
(Nicole you know you think this comment is AMAZING!)
Seriously though, I totally agree with everything you’ve said in the post. It truly is incredible how one place and one hour a day can truly transform your life. I know that most of us when we walked into Crossfit and the gym for the first time never really thought that it would so drastically change our life in every single way. Basically eat, drink, sleep, and fully live Crossfit, trying to incorporate it into every part of your life. Looking forward to the moment when you can be back in the gym. I know that it has truly become a big part of who I am and how I identify myself, and for a fitness routine to be able to do that, it truly is AMAZING! I for one definitely appreciate all the hard work you and Mariessa have put into the new box and it is going to be absolutely spectacular and worth every ounce of sweat once it is complete.
Can’t make it in today, but I’m inspired by Courtney kicking ass in crew. Thus, my workout:
3 rounds
500 m row
30 burpees
Great post Forrest. And Nicole, stop with the obsence finger gestures.
Yoga meets CROSSFIT?!??! um… definitely a dream come true!!!!
I am greatfull to both Forrest and Mariessa for making CFSB such a unique environment. Had it not been for the community, accountability, encouragement, and pure ass kicking I would still be miserably trying to manage my crazy life and fitness at “24 Hour Tool Academy”.
Thanks for all that you do!
OK John I am laughing out loud as we speak! That post was AMAZING! And well my ass is always a work in progress:) I am glad to see you posting some CF inspiration for all of us to read.
I know everyone probably gets a little aggitated with my good energy, GOGV’s (Givin Off Good Vibes), inspirational comments…but I am sorry its not going to stop. Following Forrest and John’s lead, CFSB has made me not only a better athlete, but also a better person. It has taught me that you can push boundaries with a little fight and encouragement, develop relationships that truly will last a lifetime, and create a sense of self-awareness as to what is REALLY important in life.
I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes!
What you are doing is not nearly as important as how you feel about what you are doing.
-Clifton Burke
I love this place and I’m so happy here. I thought I’d never feel the same way about another CrossFit as I did about CFHW, but I was wrong. CFSB is awe-inspiring and Forrest hit the nail on the head about its unique role in our lives, unlike any other place you go. I wish I could somehow give every potential CFSB member this feeling, but I guess it just comes with understanding and time. I am so appreciative of the hard work that I know went into building up CFSB and am glad to be a part of it and help carry it along however I can. I certainly thought I was not to the type to ‘eat, drink, sleep, and fully live’ anything — I always felt something was missing or was only partly fulfilling with other sports or activities I’d do, until CF. This one T-shirt I saw at the games in Aromas always comes to mind when I get all mushy about CF. It said “But is it a good cult?”
My reflections…
This time last year I was very unhappy with and tired of my back-bi/chest-tri/leg routine, too. This time last year I also decided to take a hiatus from cycling and racing after too many injuries. After a couple nights in Barnes & Noble searching the web and the stacks for something else — a new kind of working out the most appealing thing I could find were the routines in “Making the cut” by Jillian Michaels that incorporated much of the stuff (without the oly lifting) that CF does. I read it in one sitting and began practicing the stuff I didn’t know how to do (I had actually never seen Biggest Loser at that point otherwise I might not have). Just after that, my CF trainer friend Dominik came to town for the CF Oly cert and began a renewed campaign to push me toward CrossFit. I told him about the ‘intense circuits’ I was doing and he showed me videos of WODs in gyms solely for these kinds of circuits but with more tricks and toys than I could imagine. No more coming into Gold’s at opening to avoid crowds to be able to finish a circuit uninterrupted. A hernia surgery in March made me commit to try something different, but a few weeks after the surgery I went in finally to watch a WOD at CFWH, and few weeks later tried one, and never looked back. I went to see the games in Aromas in July and had what I’d imagine a ‘born again’ experience would feel like. I knew after that that CF would become a fixture in my life. Maybe some of you went through this: having to rationalize to yourself whether you should be so interested in a fitness program, whether all the time spent working out, reading, researching, watching is a ‘good use of time’. Until you finally accept that it’s not just a fitness program, it’s a whole way of life.
A back injury setback was perhaps a blessing in forcing me to reanalyze my lifts and might have spared me worse injuries. I still teach spinning at Gold’s and am slowly easing back into road biking and hopefully eventually mtb again, maybe even racing. But I’m happily preoccupied with mastering the basics of CF and looking eagerly forward to my Level 1 Cert 03/21/2010!!
Finally, I’m so thrilled to bring my nutrition knowledge and passion to bare. I know it’s the hardest change for most people, but if the changes are permanent, it will make the biggest difference not just in performance, but in your health even if you were to never touch another barbell again. If you’ve been reading, I think I have your attention with the whole nutrition thing
, so I’m looking forward to hearing about the changes to come!
Greg- Forrest totally got me last night with your 150KB swings 4time. Check yesterdays post LoL. I checked your time this morning and wanted to kill Forrest.
your an animal dude – 2pood.. yikes!
So, is today the Group Hug WOD?
Scarlett, you know you can’t have group massage and group hug WOD so close together. Today’s WOD is definitely going to be an all out screaming of obscenities and hating me for 20 minutes. MEOW!
You know the first thing that came to mind was Bikram (the only yoga that I have been able to enjoy). What if we had the other side be a hot room (we could paint it a darker shade of red) and we called the two sides the 7th and 8th Circles (of Hell). CrossFit at 110F… wow, now that would really be fun.
Thanks for the support Greg! I’ll make sure to do a power 10 in my race for you!!
Can’t wait to meet everyone else…
Forrest my brotha, I dont think its pretty cheesy at all that a gym can change your life. It changed mine!!! And I’am forever greatfull. June 10, 2008 First day at Valley Crossfit, weight 224lbs size pants 38……. 8 months later…Weight 190, size pants 34.
I’am forever greatfull for finding another home from my first home in the valley. I just spoke to my boy Mel and the guys and girls at Valley Crossfit still ask for me and when I’m coming to visit them. I told him that I was being taken care of with my new familiy here at CFSB and have been welcomed since day one.
I appreciate what you and the rest of the trainers here at CFSB have done for me. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!
Remy I second that…Can we get a yoga class where we can turn up the heat like they do in Bikram Yoga…Just food for thought for the trainers… Imagine all those toxins we can sweat out of our body.
went to Bally’s today did 5x 10 forearm curls, then 3x 5 shoulder shrugs, c/o was the ab rocker. I had my meat head buddy (benches 315) do Fran w/ 15lb dumbells , and strict pullups only 11-7-5. He looked like he was going to die, took him 11 min.
As much of a yoga fan I am…I don’t think I want to sweat my ass of even more than the WOD, just thought I would put it out there.
These posts are so emo…Forrest, Scarlett might be right, we all might have to hug it out:)
Chad, question, what kind of CF WOD is that????
Oh and PS Greg…where you being serious? If so, I will make sure the camera isn’t around after a WOD just for you:)
Nicole … Not at all. Just messing with you. You and John are amazing.
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