Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Okay, the gym isn't always the place where everyone knows your name.  BUT, I challenge you to make the effort to get to know the people you are seeing everyday at the gym.

I am still waiting for the moment when I walk into the gym, everyone stops what they are doing and yells, "CHRIS!"  Yes, I am old enough to make a Cheers joke.

But seriously, let's take a look at our good friends, Norm and Cliff.  They are best friends.  They look forward to seeing each other everyday. They make the effort to be there, and if one isn't there, he is missed.  It is the same thing at the gym or a running club!

I not only look forward to getting the workout in, but I look forward to seeing my friends.  When I was running, I had friends I ran with every morning.  The mornings I didn't want to go, I knew that my partner wouldn't have a person to run with.  So I got out of bed.  I now look forward to seeing the friends I have made at CrossFit. (I didn't make it through a whole post without saying it...)

Why is it cool and important to make friends with these people?  Well, they are working towards the same goal as you are. That moment before the workout where you look at each other and know we are both sore from the thrusters from the day before, knowing the suck that is about to happen, but excited to reach new goals.  It is great.

The fitness community is great.  Guess what, no one at the gym wants you to fail.  No runner wants you to not get a good run in.  They are cheering you on.

Another cool thing about getting to know the people around you is that you might realize they have the same names as your cousins.  THIS HAPPENED TO ME.  I have two cousins, Meradith and Natalie. Not the most common names but super cool cousins.  Well in my effort to get to know names at CrossFit, I met a Meredith and Natalie on the same day.  MY COUSINS' NAMES! So I have two workout cousins!

Meredith, me, Natalie

Jenn and I have made some good friends!  The kids have made some good friends in childcare.  We have not found a bad thing about getting healthy.

So here is my challenge.  Say "hi" to someone new and get to know their name.  THEN when you see this person the next time, tell them "hi" again AND "it is good to see you."  You will make a friend.  Friends are cool.... Just as cool as Norm and Cliff.

Oh and I maxed on my power clean today.  I thought I could get a lot more, but I got in my head and started thinking too much about it.  I maxed at 175 lbs. I almost got 185. I will get it next time.  I was shooting for 200.  I will get it!

I Got Owned Today

So today's WOD was evil... like the fruits of the devil... Usually when they are evil, they are good for you.  Who wants that?

We did 5 sets of 2 thrusters.  I got up to 135 lbs.  While doing the workout, my wrists really started hurting. I have a little carpal tunnel, so bending my wrists all the way back to rack the weight on my "meat shelf" caused some pain.  I was able to do the strength part of the WOD and felt okay.

This is a thruster.

The the conditioning part of the workout was thrusters and ring rows  in sets of 30-25-20-15-10-5.  A total of 105 each.  Number one, I should not have counted them.  Number two, I got in my head and started doubting myself.  I knew that I just needed to chip away at it and enjoy the workout.

We started the thrusters.  My wrists were screaming.  I got through the first 30 with some tweaks from Coach Joe.  The ring rows went okay; I had to scale them.  Joe had me take some weight off the bar, but my wrists really started hurting... bad.  So I ended up doing wall balls with the 20 lb ball for the rest of my thruster sets.  I have the strength to do them at the prescribed weight, but my wrists just did not like me. So I was disappointed with myself.  I am glad I got it done, but should not have been so hard on myself. 

The great thing about CrossFit is when the coaches see someone struggling, they give options on how to still get a good workout.  You can scale anything.  Anyone can do CrossFit.  I was talking about CrossFit on Facebook (I know.. imagine that) and I said, "It's not for everyone."  Then a friend of mine Sean, whom I have known since I was 12, saw what I wrote and said this, "Wrong on one thing, Chris Crosby. CF IS in fact for everyone. That's the great thing about it. It's entirely scalable, no judgment, and all you have to do is your best. Fitness is for everyone, too. You may not like it, enjoy it, or WANT to do it, but at the end of the day, it's our responsibility to take care of ourselves for those that count on us to be there for them."

He is right.  Fitness is for everyone.  CrossFit is designed for everyone. If someone just doesn't like it, then okay. You still need to get busy and start doing something! Sean has been doing CrossFit for 6 months, and it obviously has made a big impact in his life and also in his family's life.  I have seen pictures on Facebook where the whole family is involved at the gym and running.  That is great!  What an example to me and my family.  This is what Jenn and I are trying to do as well. 

It will make a huge impact on our kids' lives.  Way more than a coach or a teacher.  The example has started with us, the parents.  Not only with fitness but with eating healthy also.  Fitness is for everyone.  I know I have to do this for me.  I am doing it for me.  I am also doing it for my kids.  They see me run or workout, and guess what they want to do?  After every workout, the kids run out to say hi to us, and then they want to show me how they can do push-ups or lift the weights.  HOW COOL IS THAT!

So no matter how horrible that thruster is, I do it.  No matter how bad I want to eat something unhealthy, I stop. Why? Because I HAVE to.  

Thanks for being an example, Sean! You better keep pushing hard, because I am catching up! 

This is a cool graphic I saw the other day.  What is CrossFit?

Click for larger image

Looking Back and Moving Forward

I just looked at my blog from July 1st 2011. I had been running and working out for 6 months at this point, and I had lost over 71 pounds.  I have started over the whole process this year.  I have been working out for 3 months and really watching my diet for a few weeks. I am excited to see what I did a few years ago, but I am also discouraged that I lost it all.

I am not sure how much I weigh now; my scale really doesn't work.  I know seeing the progress I have made in the last three months should encourage me and help me focus, but right now I am feeling frustrated.  Why is it so easy to back track?

I used to tell a joke in my stand-up about how if Oprah with all her billions of dollars kept going up and down in weight, it is okay that I do it.  It isn't okay.  I gained almost 100 pounds in 7 months... It took me over a year to take 90 off, and then I put it all back on. Not cool.

So I know this process isn't a 5-minute montage, and it takes a lot of hard work.  I know this, because I have done it.  I am doing it again.  If you have worked hard for something, don't give it up.  It isn't worth it.  Keep moving ahead.  Listen to your body.

It is hard to think "what if".

Well, what if I pull my head out of my butt and keep up the good work?  I am feeling good and working hard. The weight will come off, and I will be stronger.