To be the best, you have to.....

To be the best, you have to train with the best!

Last weekend team BCCF had the opportunity to head up to CrossFit Centex for some Oly training with Chad and Jodi Vaughn and Ursula Garza.  If you're not familiar, let me get you up to speed:

Chad Vaughn:   Renowned Olympic

Weightlifter.  2-time Olympian, 6-time

National Champion, and the American Record Holder in the Clean and Jerk.

Jodi Vaughn:  Over 15 years of experience in Olympic Weightlifting. Including participating as a member of the Junior World Team, World Team, Pan American Team, and Olympic alternate.

Ursula Garza:  Olympic weightlifter and weightlifting coach. Her career as a competitive lifter began in 1987. During her 13 year career as a national and international elite level weightlifter career, she competed for Team USA at the 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996 Weightlifting World Championships and was a member of the USA National team from 1991-1996. Among her other athletic accomplishments include being a two-time National Champion, two-time Olympic Festival Champion, two-time NACACI Champion, and a former national record holder in the Clean and Jerk. A many time Collegiate national champion, she also held national collegiate records in two different classes. She is the 2009 Women's Grand Master Champion and 2010 Master's National Champion and a master's record holder. In coaching, she is one of only thirty Senior International Coaches, the highest level possible, in United States Weightlifting; she is the only woman to ever achieve this level.

Go ahead...read it all again.  It's a pretty impressive display of talent in those three short paragraphs. 

The relationship between Bayou City CrossFit and the Vaughns and Ursula (also referred to as OlyAthlete!) dates back a few years with a simple seminar that THE Vic Zachary attended.  Our relationship with them has grown tremendously since then and I know all of us coaches at BC would not only consider them all mentors, but also good friends!

As we drove home from Belton (home of CrossFit Centex) on Saturday night it kind of hit me like a ton of bricks:  We are lucky.  We are lucky to even have the opportunity to train with such talent.  We are lucky to have formed the relationships we have with OlyAthlete.  We are lucky they are such good people and are willing to share their knowledge with us.  We are lucky to train with the absolute best. 

Personally I've had the opportunity to train with all three of them individually and in group settings.  For those of you who attend my CrossFit classes or Olympic Lifting classes, I'm passing their knowledge on to you...the techniques, drills, and tips come from them.   Not only are they amazing coaches with more knowledge than I can ever imagine having, they are possibly the most humble, respectful, and outstanding people I've ever met.  The CrossFit community has time and time again introduced me to quality people, over and over.  The trend continues. 

Thanks you Chad, Jodi, and Ursula.  You guys are simply great people and we appreciate everything you do for Bayou City CrossFit. 

cg

ps - thanks to the OlyAthlete website for some bio information on each of you!

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Rest, Recovery, Vacation, and PAIN

Hey folks.  Let's get right down to brass tacks here...Rest is important.  Recovery is important.  Vacation is awesome.  Pain sucks. 

After the South Central Regional, a good rest was needed.  Not only because of the intense training and tough WOD's leading up to and taking place at the Regional, but also because of the stress we were under to prepare and perform.  We often assume we need the rest for our muscles, joints, and those aspects of the body, but I think it's just as important to rest your mind and release that stress as well.  So why not take a 7 day trip to Belize??!!!

A view from our private pier out into the ocean!

We spent all week basking in the sun, soaking up every minute of vacation possible.  Most of us worked out 3-4 times when we were there, but let's be honest:  It's certainly not the same.  We ran a bit, threw some rings over the balcony and did some ring dips, and hit a few body weight movements...nothing to the intensity we're used to. 

Katie and Jane working the rings.

My inner zen...working like the Karate Kid

So what about recovery?  You might think I was referring to recovery while on vacation.  Nope. I'm talking about recovery from vacation!  We got back to Houston on Sunday night and decided to hit the .com workout on Monday.  Yuk.  Then on Tuesday we ventured out to Genesis Athletic Performance to work some underground strength with David Claiborne and his crew.  This is where the PAIN comes in.  After a week of petty workouts, plenty of beer, and nutrition resembling a dorm room diet of three 18 year olds, my body is hating me this week! 

So just like THE Vic Zachary scribbled in his blog this week...get that rest!  But make sure it's good, quality rest.  Your body needs it.

cg

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