The X-Box ad says, “You are the controller.” And it’s true — you can control the X-Box games now with hand motions.
Well, you can do that with your life too. You can control your game with hand motions.
Less hand to the mouth when you’re trying to lose weight. Maybe more hand to the mouth if you’re trying to build muscle.
More hand over the mouth when you’re trying to stop yourself from saying stupid things. Less hand to the mouth when you need to stand up and let your voice be heard.
More hand to the bar if you’re trying to get stronger. More hand to the ground if you’re trying to nail your handstand push-ups. More quick hands at the finish of the stroke if you’re trying to be a better rower. More hands outstretched if you’re trying to help people other than yourself.
You are the controller. Nobody else is responsible (or should be blamed) for what goes on in your lift or your life. If you don’t like your lift, adjust your grip. If you don’t like your life, change it. The game is yours. You are the controller.
“The goal you set must be challenging. At the same time, it should be realistic and attainable, not impossible to reach. It should be challenging enough to make you stretch, but not so far that you break.” - Rick Hansen
NEW YEAR’S EVE – No 5PM Class (Prep for the evening’s festivities.)
NEW YEAR’S DAY – Schedule as usual (Sober up and come on in!)
WORKOUT OF THE DAY
8 minutes as many rounds as possible
8 Push Jerks, 75/55lbs
20 Double-unders
2 minute Rest
8 minutes as many rounds as possible
1 Rope Climb
5/5 Pistol Squats
8 Ring Dips
2 minute Rest
8 minutes as many rounds as possible
1 Tire Flip
5 Chest to Bar Pull-ups
8 Lateral Cone Jumps
The 5PM class braved the weather and produced some impressive results. Congratulations to everyone who finished all the rounds of the Deadlift/Push-up/Run WOD!
Did you write down your goals for the new year? In addition to writing your goals down, share them with others. Making your goals public will keep you more accountable. Below Jon shares his Fitness Goals for this year.
Goals:
Compete at the 2011 World Masters Athletics (Track and Field) Championships in the 400m Hurdles.
Make it to the finals.
Run a 57 second race.
Plan of Action:
CrossFit WODs 5 days a week (to improve my general physical preparedness {GPP}, build a bigger base)
Mobility WODs 6-7 days a week (to improve my mobility and help prevent injury)
Gymnastic WODs 5 days a week (to improve body control)
CrossFit Endurance WODs up to 2 days a week depending on the time of the season (GPP specific to running)
Hurdle and Sprint training 1-3 days a week depending on the time of the season (sport specific)
Here’s a video of Jon his sophomore year in college.
In 2010 Jon placed 7th at the Masters World Championships in Italy. This picture is from a regional meet that year. Jon's nemesis is the 7th hurdle!
Thanks to our visitors that spent part of their Christmas Eve morning with us. Bill MacKenzie came in with his daughters Alli Duhigg from Arrowhead CrossFit and Valerie Voboril from CrossFit Dogtown. For those of you who didn’t follow the 2010 CrossFit Games, Val is a true firebreather and finished third among the females. Our other visitor, Howard Jackson trains out of CrossFit Dallas Central. We enjoyed having all of you join us and hope you’ll drop by again next time you’re back town!
Alli on pull-ups up front with her dad, Bill, working on wall-balls.
Sisters, Val and Alli, having fun on the bars.
Val and Howard hanging out and taking a brief breather between L-pull-ups.
Feeling inspired, Val wrote a catchy haiku for us.
Take time this week to set some goals. We want you to make CrossFit goals, but don’t feel obligated to stop there. You might be thinking about personal goals, work goals, relationships goals, etc. Along with writing down your goals, include a realistic timeline for completion and a solid plan of action. When you put all of this down on paper, you’re much more likely to accomplish your goals.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. – Proverbs 21:5
“Are you a goal setter? Do you typically set goals at the first of the year? If not, why not? Goals give you a starting point and a destination. It is the easiest way to give meaningful direction to your life, which releases you to effectively use your talents,” Dan Miller writes in his book 48 Days to the Work You Love.
So what do you want to accomplish and become this year? This year doesn`t have to be like previous years. You can set goals and keep them. Don`t just dream about how you wish things would be. Develop a plan and make it happen! Something amazing happens in our lives when we take the time to write down our specific goals, not just keeping them intangible thoughts in our brains.
Goals that work must be:
Specific
Measurable
Yours
Time-sensitive
Written
“Saying you want to be a better mommy, have a better job, or learn a new language is admirable, but without listing steps of measurable, specific goals, you will not move toward any specific action. Then another year will pass without any real change,” Miller quotes.
Don`t get discouraged if your goals aren`t accomplished in the exact way and down to the second the way you originally planned. Some flexibility is definitely needed, but as long as you are focused on the end goal and are taking proactive steps toward achieving it, you are an achiever and on your way to great things.
As Earl Nightingale put it, “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” You can be successful this year with your specific, measurable, and time-sensitive written goals!
“The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.” - W.C. Jones
WORKOUT OF THE DAY
For time
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of
Wall Balls, 20/14 lbs
L pull-ups
OR
For time
Complete last minute Christmas shopping!
If you aren’t busy, we’ll be having class at 830AM and Noon today.
You’ve got to respect the barbell.
Respect the kettlebell.
Respect the double-under, the L-sit, the unassisted pull-up.
Respect the platform — keep it clear of extra plates. Respect your platform mates — spot them in case they fail.
Respect the place where you CrossFit. Stow your gear. Line things up. Throw out the trash.
Respect your body: don’t put garbage into it. Respect your mind: don’t put garbage into it. Respect your heart: don’t let folks trample all over it.
Sounds easy, huh? Try it today, from beginning to end. Sunrise to sunset, treat every person you meet with respect, treat everything with respect. Treat your gym with respect. Even treat your enemies with respect. See what happens.
WORKOUT OF THE DAY
9 Deadlifts 225/155 lbs
400m Run
21 Handstand Push-ups
15 Deadlifts
800m Run
15 Handstand Push-ups
21 Deadlifts
400m Run
9 Handstand Push-ups
I reached into the left pocket of my down vest yesterday and found a tiny piece of paper. Turns out it was a fortune from a fortune cookie from who knows when or who knows where. I’m going out on a limb and guessing it came from a Chinese restaurant. Anyway, the fortune read, “Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.” Ahh… very wise and profound, and so much better than maybe “Confucius say you will be hungry again in one hour” or “Confucius say you have heart as big as Texas.” These are actual fortunes found in fortune cookies by the way. Although I’ll have to argue that the latter two fortunes are probably not actual teachings of Confucius.
So anyway, it got me a little curious about Confucius. According to Wikipedia, Confucius was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher who emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. Just so I don’t get into a whole lot of detail, and I hope I’m not offending anyone who may be a true student of the teachings of Confucius by doing this, I’m going to sum up a couple elements of his teachings that seem to be well integrated into the CrossFit lifestyle and community.
The elements are moral character and compassion for others. As true CrossFitters we, or at least we should, pride ourselves in upholding standards. We trust that the people next to us aren’t shorting their reps because we sure aren’t. We trust that their squats are below parallel because really is there any other way to do them. We have faith in the honesty, integrity, and good behavior of others just as we have faith in these qualities within ourselves. We cheer and support everyone during the WOD regardless if they’re first or last, or if they’re doing kipping pull-ups or jumping pull-ups. We want each other to do well and improve, even if it means their “Fran” time might be better than ours. We care. We genuinely care how the other person does, and we have joy in showing it. And we have joy when we’re on the receiving end of all that caring. How can you not.
So, with all that said, let’s continue to keep up our moral character and showing the love because that’s a part of what makes CrossFit so awesome! Who knows, if Confucius were around today, I’m thinking he would’ve been a CrossFitter.
Now for a small collection of quotes from Confucius himself:
“[The superior man] acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.”
“The perfecting of one’s self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development.”
“Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.”
“Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good society.”
“Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?”
“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.”
“Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean.”
“To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.”
WORKOUT OF DAY
“Nasty Girls”
3 rounds for time
50 Squats
7 Muscle-ups
10 Hang Power Cleans, 135/95lbs
WHAT: Christmas Meet and Greet and Workout Treat! WHEN: 5PM to 7PM on Monday, December 20th. WHERE: CrossFit Fresno. WHY: So all you good folks can hang and put faces to some of the names you see on the board. WHO: All current and future athletes in classes and personal training. If you have a family member or friend who may be interested, bring them along to check things out!
PLEASE RSVP TO jon@crossfitfresno.com AND LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN BRING SOME GOODIES.
We realize this is really short notice, but we would love for all of you to come by for a visit this Monday evening. With the influx of new athletes and some of you guys never having a chance to meet others outside of your usual workout time, we thought with this being a joyous time of the year for bringing friends and family near that we would do a little gathering of our own at CrossFit Fresno! There’ll be some snacks, you know nothing fancy, a meat and cheese platter, some crudite and such. If you’re able to, we’d be more than appreciate if some of you could bring some goodies to share with everyone. Let us know if you’re able to when you rsvp. And naturally there’ll be a workout or two around 530ish and/or 6ish depending on how many of you guys show. Feel free to wear something merry and festive if you’ve got it. Maybe a nifty holiday sweater, some fun Christmas socks, or a Santa hat; the merrier, the better!
WORKOUT OF THE DAY
7 Rounds for time
10 Sumo Deadlift High-pulls, 95/65lbs
10 Ring Dips
Aaron and Morne getting in some Sumo Deadlift High Pulls.
