No Deposit, No Return.

Bigger than us.

2011-09-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

Woah. I guess I've fallen off the blogging wagon lately! It's been about a month and a half since we finished up the CrossFit games...I thought things would slow down and I'd have more time for this kind of stuff once the games were over. HA! Wrong. Busy is good...I'll take it!

Bigger than us:

I'm going to be honest. I haven't put near as much effort in to Fight Gone Bad 6 this year as I would have liked. I haven't been the PR guy I've wanted to for the event, I haven't raised as much money as I would have liked to, and I haven't sunk as much time into the planning of the event I had anticipated. But, that doesn't mean I'm not excited about it! When I get to sit down and think about what FGB is, why we do it, and how much it can mean to others, I get pretty pumped up!

This years FGB primarily benefits 3 foundations: the ISR program via CrossFit Kids, Camp Patriot, and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Camp Patriot and the SOWF are foundations that help veterans and their families in times of need. The ISR is recognized as the safest provider of survival swimming lessons for infants and toddlers.

All of those are bigger than us. Here we are, able to decide IF we want to complete FGB, IF we feel like donating money, and IF we want to help others. We have that choice guys. Families of deceased soldiers, injured battle veterans, or accidental drowning victims don't get this choice. They are left with the hand they are dealt. Period. So let's help. Grab your piggy bank, clean the floorboards of your car, turn your couch upside down, write a check, or skip that morning Starbucks for a week and throw a few dollars at Fight Gone Bad 6. If you, your friend, and their friend, and their friend.....you get the idea...can pitch just a couple bucks we can help some people and families in a major way!

Bayou City CrossFit will host Fight Gone Bad 6 this weekend at our new digs at 3622 Golf Drive. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. and the first heat will start promptly at 9:00. Come out and support those who need it. We will have donation buckets on site.

See you on Saturday!

cg

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

2011-07-12T20:47:00.001-05:00

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!

Rest, Recovery, Vacation, and PAIN

2011-07-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

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

Games Bound!!!!!

2011-06-20T14:33:00.000-05:00

Wow. Reflecting on this past weekend and the 2011 CrossFit Games South Central Regional is pretty exciting! I'll try to contain my excitement as I roll through a few of them....

1. We Won!!! Team Bayou City CrossFit jumped out to an early lead in day one and never looked back. We took our balanced, work hard, never give up approach into every WOD and made it happen. The hard work with Vic, Katie, Jane, Susie, and Cody the past six weeks definitely paid off as you could see we worked like a well-oiled machine. The plan was always to finish on top, but man, I sure do love it when a plan comes together!

2. We have the best fans/support/community. Period. I wish I could personally thank everyone who came out, braved the heat, and pledged their support for BCCF. It was amazing to come off "the battlefield" and hear/see all the fans and support...it almost seemed a bit surreal at times! I've said it before and I'll say it again - we have the best community of CrossFitters, anywhere.

3. South Central sticks together. The support from other boxes is amazing. So many folks from our area and beyond lended a scream, high five, or encouraging words to Bayou City. It's great to have such high caliber folks on your side. A shout out goes to all those boxes that continue to prove to be a class act on and off the competition floor - just to name a few: CrossFit West Houston, Clear Lake CrossFit, CrossFit Austin, NHB CrossFit, CrossFit Waco, CrossFit Dallas Central, Body Armor CrossFit, River City CrossFit, Atomic CrossFit, CrossFit Point Break. I know I've missed a few in there, but you guys consistently prove to be stand up folks!

4. Individuals. Damn. I'll say it - I didn't envy any of you this weekend! Congrats to Andy Lewis who has been at Bayou City the past few months after his job brought him to Houston. The same congratulations goes to Aja Barto who obviously has worked his tail off for the last year in preparation for this years competition season. Well deserved. And let's not forget Aryan Barto. Great showing all weekend. I think you said it best: "maybe I'm not just Aja's brother anymore." Heck no big man...you certainly made a statement this weekend! Finally, great job to Leah Shullenberger! You came to work this weekend and kicked some tail! On a side note...I'm somewhat happy Leah, Aryan, and Aja decided to go individual...damn...that's a strong team!

See you in California!!!

Absolutely Amazing.

2011-06-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

Sorry guys, been too long...and no pics today.

I'm going to keep it short tonight. Bottom line, people simply amaze me!

This morning Bayou City CrossFit hosted a fund raising garage sale. We (and by we, I mean my wonderful girlfriend Kelly) asked our members and friends to donate any items they decided they no longer need to help us raise money to fund the BCCF team through competition season. Everyone came through HUGE! We had more items then we knew what to do with. The generosity of our community is absolutely amazing. Several of us arrived at BC this morning at or before 5:00 a.m. to set up for this fund raiser and several of them stayed through until the end of the sale. Not only did several people get up at 4:30 a.m. on their weekend, they didn't even complain!

Who does that? Who gives up their Saturday morning to sit at a garage sale? Who graciously donates to the countless fundraisers and benefits we host? Who continuously gives, gives, and gives, but never asks for a return? Our absolutely amazing community of clients and coaches, that's who!

Some people call us a cult. Some think we are stuck up or snobby. Some even don't like us. I love us. We're an awesome community and I'm thankful to be a part of it every day.

Thanks Bayou City CrossFit!

cg

Thanks Kelly for spearheading, organizing, advertising, working, and making the garage sale a success!
Thanks to Lori, John, Tanner, Lori, Monica, Jane, Kylie, and Angie for showing up at the butt crack of dawn to help this morning.
Thanks to everyone else who came to support and work throughout the sale (sorry, no names...I had to jet off to Pin Up and didn't get to stick around to help the rest of the morning).

New and Improved!

2011-05-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

Hey all -

Check out my new blog page! I've done some updating on the design, content, and linkage (is that an actual term?). Anyway...I hope you like it. Check back often for updates to the main page as well as recipes, training thoughts, and lots more.

cg

Taking a break....

2011-05-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhhhh....The Open is over! I know I'm a little behind, but it just feels good to have that 7-week drain in our past. As many of us look back on the Open and analyze the workouts, preparation, and all other aspects of the first ever online qualifier I have come to realize one thing more than any other: The Open wasn't all that physically exhausting. But, it was a mental and emotional drain! Maybe that was part of HQ's plan. Maybe they wanted to test our physical capabilities as well as our mental and emotional capacity. Many of us changed our training habits, re-planned our weeks, ate different, and even adjusted work schedules to accommodate the demands of the 2011 CrossFit Games Open. All that accommodating takes a toll on us.

My solution? Go to Mexico!!!

Ok, so the trip was planned long before we started the Open, but it couldn't have come at a better time. My long time childhood friend and one who I consider to be one of the best friends anyone could have, Caitlin, tied the knot in Cancun the weekend after the conclusion of the Open. So my beautiful girlfriend Kelly and I got a chance to spend 5 days in the Cancun sun, meet Caitlin's new husband, Casey, and hang out with a great group of folks who made the weekend an awesome experience. Cait, your wedding was awesome, you looked amazing, and your new husband and in-laws are stand up folks...good work!

I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing few days. I told Kelly long before heading south that the only thing I wanted to do on this trip was relax...and relax we did! We didn't take any excursions, go into town, or even eat at a restaurant off resort! We spend most of our time laying in the sun visiting with friends...perfect! There might have been a drink or two consumed as well....

Inspiration

2011-04-12T08:19:00.000-05:00

Where do you find yours?

If you haven't came by the box yet to check out one of the 2011 CrossFit Games Open WOD's, you need to. The heart that people pour into these workouts is amazing - truly inspirational. So much so, that I usually opt for a later heat just to watch those before me and draw from their excitement.

This past week we did WOD #3. A 5 minute AMRAP of Squat Clean & Jerks. The weight for the ladies - 110 lbs. The weight for the fellas - 165 lbs. That's substantial weight!

I must have watched 25-30 people pour themselves into the WOD from Wednesday night to Saturday morning. Watching Vic bust out 35 rounds, seeing Katie churn through 29 rounds or judging Jane through 23 1/2 rounds was definitely inspirational.

But this post today isn't about the folks on the upper end of the leader board. This workout was damn near impossible for some. I spoke several of our members who had never even attempted a clean and jerk at the prescribed weight! On Wednesday, the first heat of WOD #3 was set to roll. I was the judge for Ryan Wheeler. Ryan is in my 5:00 class and comes in daily and busts his ass through every single workout. I've never seen Ryan quit, never heard him complain, and certainly never seen him give up. He had never done a squat clean and jerk at 165 lbs.. Ryan didn't bust out 35 rounds. He didn't make 20 rounds in those 5 minutes. Nor did he break the top 10 on the leader board. But, I can promise you this: Ryan was by far the most inspirational performance I've seen in the 2011 CrossFit Games Open. Ryan completed a personal record (PR) that day by completing 1 1/2 rounds of WOD #3. He squat cleaned and jerked the prescribed weight and stayed in the competition. To watch him complete what some deemed near impossible was truly inspirational. Keep up the good work Ryan - You inspire all of us to keep working hard.

cg

Integrity.

2011-04-04T13:43:00.003-05:00

Integrity: We all know what it means, we all know where I'm going with this.

In this years' 2011 CrossFit Games Open, CrossFit HQ has charged every single athlete to hold themselves to the highest standard, and to be an individual of the highest integrity. This means completing the Open workouts honestly, truthfully, and without error. I would speculate that 95% of all individuals competing in the Open are doing this - most without hesitation.

But here's where I become weary. There are multiple (4?) athletes that have posted a 600+ rep score on Open WOD #2. For those of you unaware, the WOD was:

9 Deadlifts (155#, 100#)

12 hand release pushups

15 box jumps (24"/20")

AMRAP in 15 minutes.

So, those who posted a score of 600+ reps completed 16 rounds + at least 9 deads, 12 pushups, and 3 box jumps. Holy smokes. That's fast. Really fast. So fast, I had to check the games site (yes, it was actually working this morning) to see if their names were Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and Catwoman. Nope. Just normal folks.

Break it down guys...that means you have to do a round every 54ish seconds. Doable. But where do you transition? Let's say you're stupid fast and it only takes you 1 second to transition from one exercise to the next. That means you are letting go of the bar and flopping right into your no roll, no worm, no snake pushup, then getting into your box jump burpee style, and flying off the box and immediately into position for your next round of deads. Of course you are not taking any breaks either. So in reality you're looking at spending about 47-50 seconds working and the rest transitioning. We'll go with 48 seconds. If you break it down mathematically based on the ratio of reps to time per round that means you get 12 seconds to do your deads, just over 15 seconds to do your pushups, and barely more than 20 seconds to do your box jumps.

Everyone stop reading, grab your watch, start it and do 12 pushups. How long did it take you? Remember you were fresh. Now do it again but release your hands at the bottom. Don't forget to lock out at the top. Now how long did it take you? It took me 12.47 seconds. Fresh. But my heart is beating faster now. So I can only lose 2.5 seconds on those pushups in each round to acheive my 600+ reps??!!!

If someone can just show us a video of this happening I would be happy as a kid in a candy store. I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm not trying to call anyone out. I'm not complaining because my measly 10 rounds + 35 reps is pretty darn poor. I just really want to see this done. It would surely be an amazing feat to watch.

With that said, are you an individual of the highest integrity? Athletes? Judges? This stuff is for real this time guys. I'd hate to be #61 at the close of the Open because JoJo over at CrossFit BS didn't care if the athlete #60 wormed a few of his pushups.

Progress Revisited

2011-03-04T10:37:00.005-06:00

I've written about progress on this blog before...a couple of time actually. But we need to pause a minute and look at it again.

It seems as though in the past couple of weeks, the people around me have been making gains and progress like it's their job! I've received emails from clients about their new PR's achieved this past week, watched my 7:15 class work the CrossFit total like they owned it, and cheered as my fellow coaches made huge strides and gains in their daily training (awesome job on the muscle upS, Katie!). Not only that, some of my newbies at Pin Up have gone from ZERO range of motion in movements like the OHS to full range of motion in the past month (Like Freddy said: His nightly date with the door way for some stretching has worked wonders).

So my point today is this: Are you making progress? Not just in CrossFit or fitness. Are you making progress towards your goals, whatever they are - personal, professional, etc.? If not, do something about it NOW. Not later, next week, or sometime soon. Make a plan and start progressing! If you don't do it today, tomorrow may be too late.

cg

A New Storm is Brewing

2011-02-22T07:16:00.007-06:00

It finally happened!

For those of you who follow competition season for CrossFit know that we are underway. But, things have changed this year. Unlike last year, the qualifying competitions won't include a sectional competition this year, but has instead been replaced with the "CrossFit Games Open." The Open is a 6-week event, consisting of one WOD per week for 6 weeks. Athletes will either complete their WOD at a registered affiliate or submit a video to CrossFit HQ of their performance. Needless to say, when this was announced, I was extremely disappointed. For me, the fun lies in the competition setting, meeting new CrossFitting friends, feeding off your opponents, and the fanfare that brews throughout the events. This year we won't have that.

But....wait for it, wait for it.....

I've finally reached a state of excitement about the Open! For some reason as I browsed my Facebook last night, I found that tingly, giddy, and pre-competition stomach feeling creeping up. Finally! I was worried the open would come and go without ever perking my interest. The feeling continues today and I'm excited to plan these next few weeks to prepare for March 15th.

My new favorite thing about the "Open?" Everyone can do it. HQ's rationale for creating the Open is spot on, allowing the masses to compete for the fittest man/woman in the world. But, even if that's not your goal, if you're not competing for that title, why not give the Open a shot? I can't count the number for people who have approached me in the past few months about wanting to try a competition. This is it, folks! The Open will be hosted by local affiliates each week and WILL have that competition feeling. What do you have to lose? Come out and compete and see where the chips fall. Nothing would be more exciting than to line up with a plethora of our clients and smoke some of these Open WODS! So, stop "thinking about" competing and start getting ready for the 2011 CrossFit Games Open. You never know how well you can do until you're out there in the mix!

cg

Game Face.

2011-02-02T10:37:00.007-06:00

Did you ever go to a bar before you were 21? How did you act the time you went and got kicked out? How did you act the time(s) you went and got to stay? I'll put money on the fact that the times you stayed, you slapped on your game face and acted like you owned the place...right?

So how is that different than putting on your game face for a WOD? Some of the people I work with closest often hear me say "fake it 'till you make it" or "get your mind right" or "GAME FACE." Yes, the all caps meant I was yelling.
Many months ago, an idividual I look up to, whose name I will not mention, gave me some priceless advise. I was getting my tail kicked in my pullups in a WOD. I mean, I was churning out a max of 2-3 at a time on my way to finishing. After the WOD this individual pulled me aside and told me exactly when my mind checked out of that WOD. He said it was written all over my face the second it happened. I didn't realize it at the time, but I knew he was 100% right. Instead of my face reading "suck it up, get this WOD done, NOW" it said, "Please kill me, I hate my life, I wanna cry."

Since that glorious workout I've tried to apply my "fake it 'till you make it" policy. If I can convince my face that I'm all in, ready to kick the WOD's ass, no matter how bad it hurts, I can convice the rest of my body as well.

So next time you are struggling through a WOD, check your face. Do you have your game face on? Or does it look like you want to call you momma and cry?

Can you believe it?

2011-01-17T11:39:00.007-06:00

Yup...3 weeks, 3 blog posts. I'm proud of me.

I'm not sure January can get much better. Weeks 3-4 you better bring it, because weeks 1 and 2 pretty much whooped ass.

Let's re-cap:

1. Our new sister affiliate to Bayou City CrossFit, Pin Up CrossFit is thriving! We more than doubled the number of lives we get to impact every day this month and look forward to more in coming months. Remember we're offering FREE 9:00 a.m. Saturday WODS each week until further notice. This Wednesday 1/19 has been declared Pin Up CrossFit Facebook day! Show your love for Pin Up CrossFit via your status to get the word out.

2. Main Site WODing. Holy crap. I didn't realize I had it in me to crank out some of these WODS. I love battling through the workouts with Vic, Andrew, Kris, Katie, Shelby, Kirk and others on a daily basis. Every day brings new thresholds, accomplishments, and a feeling of near death.

3. Back to the good stuff. Vic and I had the opportunity to head up to Austin last week and get some Oly training with USAW Senior Level Coach (that means badass is CrossFit terms) Ursula Garza. I've been slacking on my Oly training the past few weeks, but am ready to recommit to some serious weight lifting in the coming weeks.

4. Chipping away at my resolutions. Go to church? Check! Went to church on Sunday for the first time in longer than I want to admit. Loved it. Period.

Take care of myself? Check! Went through an hour of pain and torture with Kristen from Human Body Development. Gulp. She said she went easy. Bigger gulp.

Catch up with old friends? Check! Headed to Kansas this month and to Mexico in April. This has to be the most fun part of my resolutions!

I have to admit though - I'm going to take some responsibility for the great start to the year. When working in education, the phrase "make it a great day or not, the choice is yours" was thrown around a lot. A little cliche? Maybe. But it sure does hold a lot of truth and I'm working to apply it every single day...what about you?

Still With Me?

2011-01-11T10:17:00.009-06:00

It's week #2 of January. 24-hour fitness memberships are thriving. Bally's had to buy a couple extra elliptical machines to meet the high demand. The YMCA just extended their hours so more people could talk on their cell phones while they rode the stationary bike.

Every year thousands of people make the New Years Resolution to "get fit", "work out more", or "hit the gym." In week #2, most of them are still going strong. Heck, they paid for the whole month, right? But by week #3 a few drop off. In week #4 there's a substantial decrease in attendance. By the time February rolls around, the regular gym rats are smiling from ear to ear 'cause they have their gym back!

Have you ever been one of these people? If you are, but you're serious about resolving to not quit your resolution, I have some advice for you:

1. Make a list of goals. REALISTIC goals!
2. Write the goals down (all of them).
3. Put the goals where you'll see them every single day.
4. Make them tangible. Can you check it off when you have reached that goal? Let's compare:

Goal A: Lose weight. Cool, you want to lose weight. That's awesome, but how are you going to decide when you have achieved your goal? I mean, if I skip dinner I'll be down a pound or two. Does that mean I achieved my goal?

Goal B: Lose 10 pounds of unnecessary body weight in 2 months. Now I have goal that can be measured. Yes, I'm still measuring my body weight (which I hate because you can gain weight and lose inches!), but now I have a number and a time line.

Maybe your resolution has nothing to do with fitness, weight loss, or working out. Same rules apply. If I resolve to pay off all credit card debit in 2011, I need to have a plan. So lay out those goals and get after it. It you wait 'till tomorrow it'll never happen.

With that said, I figure I might hold myself more accountable if I were to share a few of my resolutions/goals with both of you that read my blog.

2011 Goals (not all of them...gotta keep some of 'em out of public view!):

1. Make an effort to keep in touch with old friends. Yup, pretty vague. As we get older, the old friends seem to spread out more and more. Going "home" doesn't afford the same opportunities to catch up as it used to. So I've resolved to visit one "old" friend per month in 2011. If all goes as planned, this will take me to Kansas in January. Sure wish I had some friends in the Caribbean.

2. Church. Go to it. I used to go every week. What happened? First step: Find a church to attend - driving to the Woodlands every Sunday just isn't an option any more! Step 2: Go!

3. Grow/develop Pin Up CrossFit and help grow/develop Bayou City CrossFit. Sometimes at night I can't sleep I have so many ideas. Details for this resolution might get long...I'll save you the pain.

4. Develop my own business. Again...tons of ideas. One ready to roll. Watch for it in 2011!

5. Take care of myself. The past year I beat myself up pretty good while committing to CrossFit. While my commitment to CrossFit won't change, my approach in taking care of my body will. This includes listening when it's screaming at me, therapy when it's called for, and staying on track with my diet. First therapy session - Friday @ Human Body Development. I'm scared.

That got long.

But, who's with me??!! Who is going to stick by the resolutions they made this year? Who is going to kick 2011's ass with me? I'm excited.

cg

Party Like It's...uh....2011!!!

2011-01-06T08:30:00.008-06:00

I guess the older we get, the faster the years go by? Because 2010 felt like it just started!

While I feel like I've been beyond blessed this past year in pretty much ALL aspects of my life, I came across the picture below a few days ago and it puts everything back in to perspective.

But I think it's important to add one more item to that poster (may it be a little bit lighter)..."if you spent NYE at the Omni Hotel in Houston you had a better party than 99% of the rest of those celebrating!!" Thanks to Vic Zachary for financing such an awesome gathering and to Nathan Montgomery for planning the shin dig. It was a blast and I can't wait for the 2nd annual Bayou City CrossFit NYE Bash a year from now.

Now that the party is over, what plans do you have for 2011? What are your goals? Where do you want to be when this same scenario plays out next year? What do you want to accomplish in the next 12 months? But most importantly, how are you going to get there!

Here's to a great 2010, and to an even better 2011!

Next time: back to CrossFit!

BCCF Does Dallas

2010-12-20T14:32:00.008-06:00

Two weekends in a row in Dallas....Love that drive.

ACO - Weekend #1 - Success!

CrossFit Dallas Central put on their second annual All Cities Open competition December 11th and played host to 100+ men, women, and "masters" competitors from all over the area, and a few outside of the area. These guys in Dallas run a class act affiliate and both of their competitions I've had the privilege of competing in, went off without a hitch. This year they did an amazing job of testing abilities, exploiting weaknesses, and finally mixing up the workouts a bit. We didn't do the same 'ole movement 1 x 10, movement 2 x 10, movement 3 x 4 - 5 rounds...3, 2, 1, GO! They mixed it up, threw a couple curve balls, and kept us in the dark about the WOD's until just before they started. Our BCCF crew was well represented by competitors Jane Shin, Katie Russell, THE Vic Zachary, Kristian Montoya, Marco Cazares, and myself. We also had an awesome fan base with Kimberly Walling, Shelby Frakes, Curt Vaculik, John and Lori Riley, and Ashley Butturini. I'll go back to ACO every year! And maybe one of those years I'll finally make that podium!

CossFit Coaches Prep Seminar - Weekend #2 - Success....then FAIL!

Katie, Vic, Shelby, and I ventured back up I-45 this past weekend for the CrossFit Coaches Prep seminar. This is a course designed to prepare us for our Level II certification that we all aspire to obtain in the near future. The instruction was top notch. We were blessed by the presence of some CrossFit All-Starts with our instructors being Chris Spealler, Chuck Carswell, Adrian Bozman, and Spencer Nix. These guys KNOW THEIR STUFF. I can't even put into words how beneficial it is to step back and get a refresher on the stuff we do every day...those of you who are in my classes - get ready to get back to basics!!!

Now for the Fail part: I Pricelined our hotel. Boo. Nice Hotel. HORRIBLE service! Long story short - one bed, four people. The floor was not soft.
Seminar complete, let's go back to Houston. Wait, not so fast...we got about an hour south of Dallas when my truck decided to start making sounds like a rocket ship (make that a malfunctioning rocket ship). We pulled off the road at 7:00 and ended up staying in that same gas station parking lot until about 10:30 p.m.. Much thanks to "JZ" of JZ's roadside repair for fixing us up and getting us back on the road. We crawled back into Houston about 2:00 a.m...and yes, I made it to my beloved 6:00 a.m. class at Pin Up!

Lesson learned here: I've managed to surround myself with some pretty amazing friends. Not once did I hear (now, I'm saying I didn't hear it, not that it didn't exist!) any complaining about the hotel or the extended stay at the Shell station near Ennis. Vic, Shelby, and Katie - thanks for being troopers and making the best of a bad situation. You guys definitely made the "not so good" parts of the weekend a whole heck of a lot better. I couldn't ask for better friends.

cg

What can Paleo do for you?

2010-11-01T16:20:00.011-05:00

The Paleo lifestyle is some pretty powerful stuff. Some dabble in it, some live by it, and some swear it's a hoax. The more I learn about it, the more amazed I am at what it can claim to do.

Personally, I'm a dabbler. I've yet to commit to the Paleo lifestyle 100%. I tend to go in swings where I'll be a decent Paleo player for several weeks or months, then fall off the wagon only to realize the enormous effect it has on me. Currently, I would project I'm about 90% Paleo...beer just beckons me on the weekends. Will I ever be 100%? We'll see. The more I read, the more I hear, the more I think maybe.

Here's why:

1. "The Paleo Solution." It's the title of Robb Wolf's book. All about Paleo, all good stuff. Hell, this could even scare you into a Paleo lifestyle. I picked it up about 3 weeks ago and immediately began tightening down on my diet...good stuff.

2. Performance. Ok, so Halloween weekend got a little out of hand. Candy, sugar, and beer. Repeat. Even as I write this with two days of recovery and two workouts to "detox" I still feel like garbage. Who's to say whether it was the candy, beer (there may have even been a couple of shots), lack of sleep, or all of the above. Either way none of it was Paleo!

3. Success Stories. I've yet to hear an athlete tell me that Paleo sucks and they didn't see any results from it! In fact, I have a new athlete in my 7:15 class who can attribute some major lifestyle changes to cleaning up her diet.
Lauren joined my class after finished up basics about a month ago. Her story goes way back to 5+ years ago and involves some major allergies and some "uncomfortable" symptoms. Over 5 years ago Lauren was in a tough place. She had been misdiagnosed with dermatitis and given medication to remedy it. This caused SEVERE blisters covering her entire body. She describes it as looking like a burn victim. She was prescribed topical steroids to put on all of her skin. Doctors suggested she may have food allergies but were unable to pinpoint the source of the outbreaks. Lauren describes sleeping "starfish" style covered in calamine lotion to control the itching. Fast forward a couple months and Lauren has moved home with her parents because the discomfort has disallowed her to even go into work. Doctors continue to tell her it's just a rash and it will go away in a couple weeks (she's had it for 6+ weeks now). Another month passes and Lauren begins to experience severe swelling in her arms. So much so that she cannot bring a spoon to her mouth to eat. Thankfully her family has a great sense of humor and they make fun of her as she attempts to eat! Not only that, she has to be wrapped in hot towels to comfort her skin twice a day for a month. Doctors now think she may have autoimmune disease, but are unable to diagnose the problem.
Let's jump forward to January of 2006: Lauren is finally able to return to work, but must wake up super early for work only to apply massive amounts of foundation to hide her skin from her co-workers. She continues to see doctors...surprise...no results! Lauren continues with her topical steroids but side effects include skin weakness to the point that removing a bandaid would leave a scab. For the next couple years she basically dealt with the hell of the steroids, weak skin, and other side effects. Six doctors and 20-some prescriptions later she makes a New Years Resolution: eat clean.
Lauren cuts out all processed foods except dairy and grains. Her skin is much better, but still has to use the steroids. From May to July she progresses to a Paleo diet. She cuts out soy, legumes, and eventually phases out the grains. The steroid use diminishes until she stops using them completely. Lauren now hasn't experienced an "outbreak" since hitting the Paleo. In her own words, she has the best skin she's had in 5 1/2 years, and is finally able to go without worrying about what she was wearing in fear of an outbreak. This, in a state where it's summer for 9 months of the year!
While Lauren doesn't claim Paleo is 100% responsible for success, it certainly hasn't hindered her progress. She's not shy about her story...ask her about it!

This is just one of the many amazing stories I've read/heard/witnessed verifying the positives of a Paleo lifestyle. In his book Robb Wolf challenges you to try it - for 30 days - and see what it can do for you. I say get on board!

cg

Barbells for Boobs, Badasses, and Big Time

2010-10-17T17:54:00.002-05:00

1. Barbells for Boobs: Awesome event at Bayou City CrossFit put on by our very own Coach Katie. We had a great turnout of people in pink to help support Mammograms in Action by completing the workout "Grace" as fast as they could. Lots of PR's were set, lots of fun was had, and lots of money was raised. Tip your glasses to another great CrossFit get together to benefit something larger than any single one of us!

2. Badasses: I sat at my computer this Sunday watching football (and dozing off from time to time) while constantly checking on the fellas up in Austin competing in the Longhorn Ironman Triathlon. Seriously? 70.3 miles of swimming, biking, and running?! David, Vic, Oli, Chad, and Nathan you guys are fracking awesome. My hat goes off to you BCCF badasses for going out there and busting your ass all damn day!

3. Big Time: I'm pretty excited for this coming week. I'm getting a chance to go workout with the big boys up in Austin to tweak my oly lifts and get some coaching advice from non other than Olympian Chad Vaughn. It's always cool to get a chance to work with guys like Chad who definitely falls into that badass category but is more humble than anyone you can meet. I'll keep you posted on how awesome it is!

'till next time,

How do you measure up?

2010-09-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

Measure your success. How?

So what came to your mind? How do you measure your success? In your job, in your relationships, in your life in general? What means success for one person may be completely different for someone else.

Recently the Bayou City CrossFit newsletter featured one of my 7:15 class clients, Susan Graham. If you missed the article, Susan is a 62 year old grandmother who comes to class 3x a week and kicks ass every time! When setting goals in July, Susan was determined to to be able to place her own carry on bag in the overhead compartment when she traveled. I loved the fact that Susan's goal and success had nothing to do with a back squat PR, a fast Fran time, or a record number of Tabata push-ups. Susan is the definition of why CrossFit exists. She is why we call it "fundamental fitness." Susan achieved her goal, and on a recent trip to Arizona had a picture snapped of her placing her own carry on bag in the overhead compartment. Success!!!!

I've never been more proud! Susan, whether you realize it or not, you serve as a role model, motivator, and mentor to us all here at BCCF! Keep up the awesome work!

cg

Living the Dream

2010-07-28T07:14:00.001-05:00

I used to have a co-worker who, when asked "how are you" or "how's it going", would tell me: "living the dream Mr. G, living the dream!" I think he really meant it. Although his job was not easy, he was often presented with nearly impossible deadlines, and he had to deal with misfit youth throughout every day he still found joy and pleasure in his job. To him it wasn't a J.O.B. For him, his job was a passion - something he enjoyed doing every day. How do I know this? Because I asked him. I was often jealous that we could work in the same profession yet I was miserable and he was as happy as a hippie. He appreciated every opportunity he was presented with, loved the satisfaction of helping kids no matter how small the contribution, and was almost always positive about his role. Bottom line: he took his passion and turned it into his career.

Thanks to Vic at Bayou City CrossFit I can truly relate to my former co-worker. Working full-time at BCCF has allowed me to pursue a passion of mine and truly enjoy my JOB. I'm pretty sure that if someone asks me "how are you" or "how's it going", I'll probably respond with: "I'm dreaming in my dream it's so good!"

Thanks Vic and BCCF.

cg

I Hear Voices In My Head!

2010-06-18T16:07:00.000-05:00

I can't take credit for this one. It's from CrossFit Watertown and it was exactly what I've been trying to accomplish the past few months. Read it (with passion), think about it, and apply it. Awesomeness.

You know what they’re talking about: The voice in your head that has always been with you, right from the early days. It tells you that you can’t do this, that you’re not strong enough, fast enough, smart enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, or sexy enough. It tells you to stop, to wait, to slow down, to quit.

Kill that f*****.

I mean it. Kill it. Today, in your WOD, stomp that voice. Stomp it good and hard so it never wants to come back. Grind its face into the dirt with your kettlebell and beat the everlovin’ sh** out of it. Go hard, go fast, go heavy. Give everything you have. Give everything you ever had. Do it for yourself, for who you were way back when — back when you were a kid and somebody told you to be a “good girl and play nice” or “let the girls win” or “don’t blow your own horn.” Remember all those well-intentioned (and some not-so-well-intentioned) folks who ever gave you the idea that it was okay to be less than you really are. They were wrong. Most of all, do it for who you want to be — and, maybe, for who you want your kids to be.

When you finish your workout today, don’t just put the barbell down. Throw the barbell down. Throw it down with every last shred of energy you have left and yell “Take that mother******!” (Or “Sweet potatoes” or “Jerks” or whatever the heck you like to say. Swearing is always optional.) But yell something. Be aggressive. Terrify that voice. Kill that voice. Kill it dead and don’t let it come back. You’re better than that voice. Start living like you are.

cg

It's my "warm fuzzy"

2010-06-01T20:34:00.000-05:00

Have you ever watched a movie, listened to a song, or read a story that gave you goosebumps and sent chills up and down your neck? How about one that just made you smile both inside and out? Maybe it gave you a “warm fuzzy.” We all have those moments and I would venture a guess that the majority of us wouldn’t mind increasing the frequency of those “warm fuzzy’s.”

This past weekend at the CrossFit South Central Regionals was full of goosebumps and chills. Watching PR’s in the first event, girls giving everything they had to crank out their very first muscle-up, and seeing un-human performances by some of the most amazing athletes I’ve ever laid eyes on will get that heart pumping every time. Towards the end of the weekend, shortly after we watched our very own Vic Zachary absolutely crush the final WOD to secure his 1st place finish, I looked around and had a long moment of chills and goosebumps. Those of you who were there know it wasn’t because it was cold! Supporters whose sunburned skin matched my red t-shirt. Athletes giving so much they had to be carried off the run course. Judges, volunteers, and organizers who had been in the blazing sun for two solid days. At that point my mind took a break from replaying the WODs, scrutinizing the standings, and worrying about what could have been. At that moment I was proud to be a part of such an amazing community and such a bad ass event.

The best part: As I looked again at the final results today something struck me. At some point this past weekend I personally spoke to each of the top four finishers, both men and women. Although conversations may have been brief, EVERY single one of them was humble, outgoing, and complimentary of the performance of the other athletes. I cannot even begin to imagine what other venue would have that to offer.

I’m proud to be a part of CrossFit.

See you at the games.

cg

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit...

2010-05-20T10:29:00.000-05:00

Back in high school, we used to call it "track feeling." It was that feeling when you climb into your starting blocks. It sat right in the pit of your stomach. You were out there all by yourself, no one to lean on, no one to bail you out if you got in trouble. I hated that feeling, but loved it all in the same breath. It was that feeling of pressure, excitement, anxiety, and nervousness all wrapped up into one nice, neat little ill-feeling package. My coach used to tell me that if I wasn't nervous, I wasn't prepared. Seriously coach? I'm about to lose my lunch! I used to get that feeling before every race in high school, before every basketball game, before every football game, and even in fall camp when trying to win that starting spot on the roster.

The CrossFit South Central Regional Qualifier is in 4 days. The top 65 men and top 65 Women from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arizona, and New Mexico will all be gunning for those top 4 2010 CrossFit Games qualifying spots. I've convinced myself that I'm lucky to be a part of those 65 men, that no matter what happens I should be proud of any accomplishments made. But, damn it, I want one of those top 4 spots! My "track feeling" is working overtime this week. As I sit here and type this, that pit in my stomach grows, my hands get a bit shaky, and I have a hard time collecting my thoughts. "Coach, I think I'm ready...I'm so nervous I think I just threw up in my mouth a little..."

Needless to say, I can't wait for this weekend in Fort Worth, TX. I'm going out there with my "track feeling" in tow, ready to win one of those 4 spots....

cg

Happy Days!

2010-05-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

Get Happy. Do whatever it takes. Change jobs, get married, drink beer, get divorced, buy a new car, CrossFit more, go to college, quit college, sing in the shower, get a dog. Do whatever you need to do, but do something to make you happy! Stop sticking with the status quo because you're scared of being happy. Make a change. Make it now. And make it a good one. BE HAPPY.

cg

Fun, Fun, Fun, 'till Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away...

2010-05-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

CrossFit is fun. Right?

In recent weeks I have found myself stressing about my CrossFit workouts, getting uptight when they didn't go as planned, and being downright crabby when I miss a workout. In fact, it was getting to the point that I was stressed pretty much all the time. Now, lets be honest...some of that stress comes from the fact that the Hells Half Acre Regional Qualifier is coming up in 3 weeks! Yet, I still felt like the stress was taking over my preparation for this important contest.

Finally, early this week, in a conversation with a great friend and training compadre, I realized that if I really wanted to succeed at Regionals I had to get back to why I started CrossFit and why success in competition has come my way. I was taking the fun out of my workouts, out of my training, and certainly out of the BCCF community. I spent some time reflecting this week and have made a steadfast decision that CrossFit will become fun again. I will enjoy every workout (even though it might not be until after). I will forget about the pressures of competition. I will recognize why we all do CrossFit in the first place: for FUN!

cg

Who Moved My Cheese?

2010-04-26T21:46:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to admit, when I saw that the 2010 CrossFit games would not longer be held in Aromas, CA I was disappointed. Ok, I was devastated. For the past year my life has more or less revolved around getting prepared to qualify for the games. My diet changed. My workouts intensified. I put in more hours at the box to improve strength and endurance. All with hopes of qualifying to compete at "The Ranch" in Aromas. See, "The Ranch" is a perfect example of why I fell in love with CrossFit. It exemplifies that homegrown, grassroots movement that makes CrossFit so unique. I never had the chance to compete or even spectate at Aromas, and to be honest, I feel a little bit cheated.

The new venue for the 2010 CrossFit games is the Home Depot Center (HDC) in Carson, CA. This is the same venue that has hosted the summer X-Games and the Warp Tour, just to name a couple. Needless to say, the HDC is no second rate facility. There will be locker rooms, concrete workout surfaces, showers, sky boxes for the fans, and no dusty hill of death to climb or places to pitch your tent or park your RV. For me, that's the problem. In fact, the games has actually lost some of it's appeal to many for those very reasons.

So where does all of this change leave us? Well, as CrossFit grows, becomes more corporate, and loses some of it's grassroots, homegrown feeling we too must change. We can complain, pout, and fuss about that change all we want but our negativity will fall on deaf ears. We will continue to love CrossFit and will learn to grow with it, or be left behind as it prospers and progresses even further. My goal: Compete at the fancy HDC, with or without the dusty hill, campers, or any of the other luxuries "The Ranch" had to offer.

P.S. Read the book if you're curious about the title.

Please Don't Stop the Music...

2010-04-23T13:16:00.000-05:00

Music is powerful.

When you walk into BCCF you almost always hear music. It might be AC/DC, Lady Gaga, 2Pac, Rise Against, or any one of the hundreds of artists we hear every day. In fact, if you come in to BCCF and don't hear music it just seems like something is out of place! While some of us prefer the "old school" workout music like AC/DC, Metallica, and maybe a little Bon Jovi, others may like hearing some Black Eyed Peas, T-Pain, or some "kill, death, kill, hate, death" music. Regardless of your taste it seems as though we all want music during a WOD. Subsequently, I've come to the realization that the most common request at the box is not "hey, help me with my squat," or "can you show me that snatch again," or "what's a man-maker?" The most common request is usually "next song (being yelled)" or "MUSIC (yelling again)" when we don't like the song or the coach forgets to turn up the tunes. Why is this so important to us? I've heard a wide range of responses to that question:

1. It gets me pumped up, gets my blood flowing.
2. I move to the beat of the music, it keeps me going.
3. The louder the better, then I can't hear how hard I'm breathing.
4. I have to have music so I can't hear my knees crack and pop.
5. It helps block everything else out.

What I've come to find is that music is extremely powerful. Not only can it help us get ready for a brutal WOD or calm us down as we stretch or practice yoga, it has enormous effects on our lives outside of our fitness.

As most of you know I work as an administrator at a middle school here in Houston. Working with 12-15 year old kids on a daily basis can lead to stressful situations. Lately I've found myself migrating to the choir or piano room when I feel the stress and anxiety piling on. It only takes a few minutes of listening and watching these talented kids make music for me relax and put everything back into perspective. In addition, I recently noticed a trend in my life that became blatantly apparent just the other day. On my way to work each morning I find myself listening to KSBJ as it relaxes and soothes me a little bit. After work the button for 94.5 is pushed and I get my blood flowing a bit for CrossFit. None of it is done intentionally, it just seems to work out that way.

Think about it. Music is used to alter moods and personalities in numerous situations: relaxing music in yoga, massage, and acupuncture, pumped up music to introduce athletes prior to competition, or a little Barry Manilow to set the mood for a romantic evening :0). Okay, that was a stretch...but seriously, have you ever considered how much impact music has on your life?

cg

THE SQUAT

2010-04-15T13:09:00.000-05:00

Down a road, in a gym far away,
a young man was heard to say,
"no matter what I do, my legs won't grow"
he tried leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses , too
trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do.

from the corner of the gym where the big men train,
through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain
where the noise is made with big forty fives,
a deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees.
a very big man with legs like trees.

laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack
chalking his hands and monstrous back,
said, "boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten,
the trouble with you is you ain't been SQUATTIN'. "

I like back squats.

cg

Title Track

2010-04-12T13:04:00.000-05:00

No deposit, no return. What does that even mean? Let me explain why "No deposit, no return" has become one of my favorite sayings...in CrossFit and life in general.

Every time I teach an intro class at BCCF, I make it a point to ask each client what they are trying to accomplish by getting started with CrossFit. Most people give me the generic answer of "I want to get in shape," which is a perfectly great answer. On the other hand, clients have given me reasons such as "I want to be jacked and tan", "I'm enlisting in the Army and don't want to get my ass handed to me", or "because my wife is making me." Again, all fantastic answers (well, the wife reason is a bit sketchy). My follow-up question is usually "what are you willing to do to satisfy that reason?" Simply put, the amount of effort you put into CrossFit will stricktly determine what you get out of it - no deposit, no return. At this point in the conversation some clients are probably thinking they wish they would have stayed home. I begin to talk about frequency of workouts, importance of nutrition, journals, and pushing your physical limits. The deposits are growing. Now we talk about recovery, drinking beer (actually, that we should lay off the beer a bit), and the 23 hours of the day we're not in the gym. The deposits are still mounting up. Next comes the talk about that sweetner you put in your coffee and how you always try to find the parking space closest to the store entrance. Even more deposits. We're 10 minutes into our 12 minute conversation and all we've talked about are deposits...where are the returns!! That's the hard part folks. In fitness we deposit, deposit, deposit for what seems like months and months. The returns just don't seem to be making their way back to us. They will. I promise. The deposit you made by giving your all in every class, by changing your eating habits, by tracking your workouts and meals in your journals, and every other deposit you made will create a return in the end. Those of you just starting out, keep making those deposits, the returns are right around the corner. Those of you who have seen the returns reaped from generous deposits, share your story with the newcomers...we can all use the encouragement.

'till next time....

cg

My first time...

2010-04-04T21:33:00.001-05:00

My first time creating a blog! Get your mind out of the gutter.

This will be my first go at creating a blog. If you had asked me a year or two ago if I was the "blogging type" I would have laughed in your face...and probably assumed you were kidding. BUT, I guess I have evolved. It seems as though in the past year I have found myself consumed with learning ways to create a healthier lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. So, stay tuned to this new adventure of mine to hear stories about CrossFit, read tips on fitness, browse through a rant about something important to me (but probably useless to most), and find helpful tips on nutrition for the active person.

cg