Brea 8K

Thank you to everyone who helped move the gym. The new building looks great. We will have class as usual starting Mon @ 6:00 am. Unfortuantly due to lack of time Erik has not been able to find a 80's costume to fit him. Darlene and some of the other girls are still dressing up. We will meet at the event. Erik and Darlene will be arriving around 7:15. See you there.

CLOSED FRI, SAT & SUN

The last class ever in the old box

We will no longer be having a 9:30am class tomorrow. This means no classes Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. No this doesn't mean you can't workout...run, tabata, hike, swim, jump rope, or help move and set up the new gym. We've got a lot of hard work ahead of us and appreciate any help.

Friday we'll start moving at 10am and go until ?? We'll be loading at the old gym and unloading at 4080 N. Palm St. Fullerton, Suite 802

On Saturday check the website for moving times.

Sunday is the 8k :)

See you at the box

Perseverance

It is easy to quit with only one minute left in an AMRAP 20. It is easy to say "good enough". It takes heart to push yourself to get one more round. Never settle for less. Tonight the 7:30 class pushed their limits. When there were two minutes left in the WOD, every single one of them started to work even harder. They pushed their limits to the max.

You get what you put into it. If you give half effort, you will get half results. If you give everything you have every day you will see change. Note: We will have only one class on Friday @ 9:30am. We are closed Sat. and Sun. to move. If you want to help us just send an email.

8K is on Sunday! Be ready for an epic run.

Good job on the heavy front squat and high box jumps today. We had a few people PR on front squats and a bunch of people PR on their box jumps. Chris Cooney jumped onto a 4 foot 5 inch box, Rosanne jumped onto a 2 foot 8 inch box, AJ jumped onto a 3 foot 10 inch box, and Jonathan in his first class jumped onto a 3 foot 8 inch box. It's great to see people push and commit themselves to jumping higher then they ever have before.

Many of us are struggling with the technique on the clean. The clean is as simple as a jump and a land, there are no arms involved in pulling the bar other than guiding it to its destination. I see time and time again athletes bending their arms and trying to muscle the bar up to their shoulders. This is wrong, you're working against yourself. "When the arms bend, the power ends." You have to jump the bar up and pull under the bar, tricking gravity before it can push the bar back down, and receive it on your shoulders with your elbows high. Think of it like when you're towing something with a rope, you have to pull the slack out of the rope before you start moving whatever object you're pulling right? Once the slack is pulled, the object starts moving. The same goes for the clean and snatch. Our arms stay straight throughout the pull and into the jump, the "shrug" is actually the start of you accelerating under the bar, then the arms bend as you aggressively pull yourself under the bar. There's a ton of technique involved in these lifts and it takes quite some time to learn. Stay focused, relaxed and have fun with them. I'm still constantly learning new tweeks to my technique, I believe there's always room for improvement, not just with the oly lifts, but with everything we do in here from air squats to push ups and everything in between.

Here is coach B giving a great analogy of jumping the bar up.


There will only be one class Friday at 9:30am. All other classes that day will be canceled along with Saturday and Sunday. We will re-open at our new location on Monday at 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton.

If you are available to help us move during these times, please let us know and we'll fill you in on the times we are moving.

The Brea 8k is this Sunday. The race starts at 8am sharp. Did you get your 80's outfit yet?

25x OHS
10x TGU
25x DL
10x TGU
25xOHS
10x TGU
25x DL
10x TGU
50x Pullup
10x TGU
50x Parallet Push Up

We don't normally post our WOD's but today was worth posting for all the members who couldn't make it in. Today was a brutal test of strength endurance and mental toughness. Some finished today but many didn't. Some quietly chipped away while others screamed out in frustration and disbelief of the workout. Did you configure a game plan? Did you break up each movement into sets or did you go to failure. Having a game plan is a sign of mental toughness. You are going into it knowing it's going to suck but you are forming a plan to make it more efficient and easier on yourself. The last thing you should do is get frustrated and scream out. For one, you're wasting energy and air that could be put towards improving your WOD time. Two, by screaming out, you're actually raising your heart rate, working against yourself. Stay relaxed, breathe slow and breathe deep, and most importantly, keep on moving.

We will only have one class on Friday at 9:30am. The 12:30, 4:30, & 5:30 will be cancelled along with Sat & Sun. We will be moving into our new facility at 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton. If you would like to help us move feel free, we could use all the help we can get.

Barriers

Choose your PR

It was fun to see people push their limits today and score huge improvements on previous personal records. Roseann did 51 push ups straight. I counted.

I know for a fact that some of you are stronger and more capable than you think you are. I saw some great lifts from some trainees and knew for a fact they could do more. Mental hurdles are an important thing to get over. But the only way to find out is to push yourself to the edge. You will never know until you try that big lift, do one more pull up or run just a bit faster. Push your limits and you will see what you are truly capable of. Mental barriers are in everyone. Whether or not you choose to overcome them is your choice.

"The mind always fails before the body"
-Mark Twight

kettlebell's in flight

We definitely had a full house today and whether you were doing an intro, fundamentals, or the regular WoD everyone was dedicated to the task. Many from the 10:30 class added weight as they went...not because we asked them to but because they wanted to give it their all. Train hard, eat right, and get 'er done!

Some of you tried the fish oil today. Remember, it is fish oil, not a milk shake! We want to say thanks to Matthew Aporta for coming out and giving us a basic understanding of why we all need to take fish oil and why the grade of oil is so important. We want to place our order asap so please shoot Darlene an email and let her know what flavors we want. Chocolate, Mint, and Lemon are what we're hearing so let us know how much. They've also got awesome protein products so let us know if you are interested.

Hammer

Whats up guys its Erik, Everytime I go away I constantly check the site for any kind of updates on you guys. I am always thinking about how each individual is doing. Things like, is Dave doing RX or is he trying to make the WOD harder, how is Melissa's shoulder, What kind of socks is Amy wearing, is Marcela keeping her back arched. I run down my mental check list and hope everyone is on point and training hard. My point is I miss all of you already and can't wait to get back with my family and start training again. See you all soon.- Erik

New Box

Thank you all so much for your support! Thanks to you we have the privilege to move into a much larger facility. We are currently prepping the new box so we can open classes on March 1st. If you want to stop by and see the new place or help with painting, Darlene will be working there this Saturday from 12:30-5 and Sunday from 1-6. The new address is 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton. Thanks again! We could not have done it without you.

Fish Oil...Do it!

We train hard here at CrossFit Brea and are always striving for our best. Something as simple as a daily dose of fish oil can benefit our training and our lives in a major way. We’ve got a representative from Maine Natural Health coming this Saturday to give us the skinny on fish oil. They have an amazing all natural product that is one of the few true “wonder drugs”. It is the highest-grade fish oil available in North America without a prescription.

I’m really excited about this product! I started taking it a couple weeks back and I am happy to report my wrist feels the best it has in seven months and I only need to tape it every once in awhile. I also don’t get that crazy sore feeling anymore in my muscles…you know the one where you can’t walk right. Omega-3 is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. The importance of taking the correct dosage of Omega-3 oils cannot be overstated. Matthew Aporta will be there to go over dosage and their products, which include protein formulas. For those at the 9:30 class he will be there at 9am and will also go over the info after the 9:30 and 10:30 classes.

Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

Clinical evidence is strongest for heart disease and problems that contribute to heart disease, but omega-3 fatty acids may also be used for:
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Diabetes
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Osteoporosis
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Skin disorders
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Asthma
Macular Degeneration
Menstrual pain
Coloncancer
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

Maine Natural Health on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Warren-ME/Maine-Natural-Health/141851907960?ref=ts

"Isabel"

Today was your first experience with Isabel. Here is Josh Everett doing Isabel with the fastest ever recorded time.

During one of our recent evening beginners class discussions we had client ask about protein bars....and which one is the best one if you are trying to eat Paleo. Those of you that have been around for a while know the answer to that question. NONE. But what do you grab in the morning when you are trying to hustle the kids out the door, get to work on time, AND have more than coffee in your belly till lunch?

Eating REAL food--that has endured the least amount of processing before it reaches your mouth--is the goal. But it is a goal that takes some planning, practice, and a little bit of dedicated time.

Pre-cooking lean meats like chicken, steak, and fish two or three times a week will ensure that you always have something to eat when you have little time to prepare. From there you can take 5 min every night to put your food together for the next day. Shop for produce and nuts at stores like Henry's, Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's.

I've heard the excuse time and time again that following the Paleo is "too hard." Just remember you can't outwork a shitty diet. You bust your ass in here why waste it? Discipline yourself, hold yourself accountable. That piece of pizza, cookie, or beer will always be there to eat, I haven't heard of a cookie or chocolate cake ban in the news. Everything in moderation, save those things for a special occasion. Only eat food that spoils or dies, anything on the perimeter of the grocery store, avoid the isles.

If you ever have a question, please ask any of us, we will be more than happy to answer it for you.

Upcoming Run

Courage is endurance for one moment more…
-Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam

We have the Brea 8k coming up. The last day to sign up and pay is this Wednesday! So if you still want to do it please come in and fill out a sheet and pay the $25. It will be a great experience and a cool way to show off all that hard work. An 8k run will not be bad. Fran would be worse. Sign up today!

S.O.S.

Suffer On Sunday II

There was a plethora of work to do. A long WOD will do damage if you think too much about the next movement. A key to getting through any workout is breaking up the rounds, reps, and laps into manageable goals. If you have to do 50 burpees, count by 10's or 5's. Small reps schemes make the work easier mentally. Do not let large numbers beat you before you begin. If you have to run 3 laps, run to one point then the next. Small steps go a long way. One step at a time, one rep at a time, one workout at a time.

Breathe Slow, Work Fast

Move the gym.

This was as "functional" as it gets. Heavy loads over distance= real world training. We simply had you train for a real world scenario. Crazy concept, training for a something that might be useful. When we put a little fire under our ass we all realized how hard this WOD actually was.

Evolution

By: Jon Gilson

The contention, like most that endure, made perfect sense. Get too strong, and your endurance will suffer. Too much endurance, and your strength will drop. You can’t have everything.

Fortunately, perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution.

The fact that we missed: previous feats of athleticism will always be surpassed. Sprinters will sprint faster, lifters will lift more. Quarterbacks will throw more accurately, batters will hit more home runs. CrossFitters will get stronger and faster.

Perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution.

Once, we said that developing the capacity of a novice across a variety of physical disciplines would create the fittest men and women on the planet. Unavoidably, we’re being forced to remove the word “novice” from this definition; it no longer applies. Our fittest are not novices, but legitimate contenders in nearly every arena.

For the first time, we’re seeing the strong, the fast, the enduring, occupying the same space. The guy with the 5-minute mile is deadlifting 500 pounds. He’s putting out half a horsepower for ten straight minutes. He’s jumping four feet in the air. He’s running eighty miles. He is world class; his accomplishments are not a compromise.

Simultaneously, we are seeing adaption to imposed demand that does not follow traditional pathways. Now, the strongest are not the largest, the fastest not the most waiflike. Strength is achieved through increased neurological efficiency rather than mass. Speed is achieved by getting stronger, not running more. Athletes are borne from variety rather than specificity, exhibiting unheard of strength-to-bodyweight ratios.

We are throwing training on its ear, and this is just the beginning. This discipline is in its infancy, still far from widespread, still the province of few. There may come a day when our definition of fitness is not a compromise, when we no longer sacrifice mastery in one domain for competency in many, instead choosing mastery in all.

That day has started to dawn.

Programming

Poor Steve, not a badge of courage, just a reminder
that the road to looking good can be a bit ugly.

We are now entering a strength cycle complimented by a good dose of conditioning. What does this mean to you? It means that we should leave this phase with a new PR in DL, BS, or any slow grinding strength movement. We all will improve on our ring dips, strict and kipping pull-up and be able to run a mile faster than we ever have before.
People often hear the word strength and associate it with bodybuilders. Well let me put your mind at ease, we are not going to train for the Arnold Classic.
The staff here at CrossFit Brea understands everyone's concern with becoming "too big" and our programming will not change you into a freaky looking monster. For those that did our 100 BS scheme two weeks ago felt a big difference today. Even though we did the same number of squats our % were different along with our rep scheme. So which was harder? Tell us the which one you prefer.

Pure, White, and Deadly

As most of you know my little sister is a baking machine. Some of you have sampled her cookie deliciousness yourselves and can sympathize with my struggle...warm cookies coming out of the oven every hour. Fact is, the cookie consumption has got to stop. Education is key to understanding why, so I took to the Internet to research the white stuff we all love...SUGAR! Here is what I found:

1. Dr. David Reuben, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Nutrition says, “…white refined sugar-is not a food. It is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources, purer in fact than cocaine, which it resembles in many ways. Its true name is sucrose and its chemical formula is C12H22O11.

It has 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, 11 oxygen atoms, and absolutely nothing else to offer.” ...The chemical formula for cocaine is C17H21NO4. Sugar’s formula again is C12H22O11. For all practical purposes, the difference is that sugar is missing the “N”, or nitrogen atom. ...Refining means to make “pure” by a process of extraction or separation. Sugars are refined by taking a natural food, which contains a high percentage of sugar, and then removing all elements of that food until only the sugar remains. Studies show that “sugar” is just as habit-forming as any narcotic; and its use, misuse, and abuse is our nation’s number one disaster.


2. The average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week. In the last 20 years, we have increased sugar consumption in the U.S. 26 pounds to 135 lbs. of sugar per person per year! Prior to the turn of this century (1887-1890), the average consumption was only 5 lbs. per person per year! Cardiovascular disease and cancer was virtually unknown in the early 1900's.

3. We know that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another upon entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl.

Want more? Here's a long list of why we should stay away from the sugar...

* Sugar can upset the body's mineral balance.
* Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and crankiness.
* Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
* Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity.
* Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDLs).
* Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol (LDLs).
* Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
* Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
* Sugar can cause kidney damage.
* Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
* Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.
* Sugar can cause copper deficiency.
* Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
* Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
* Sugar can promote tooth decay.
* Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
* Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
* Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
* Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
* Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
* Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
* High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
* Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
* Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
* Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
* Sugar leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
* Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
* Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
* Sugar causes food allergies.
* Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
* Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
* Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
* Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
* Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
* Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
* Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
* Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
* Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
* Sugar can cause depression.
* Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
* Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
* Sugar can cause hypertension.
* Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
* Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind's ability to think clearly.
* Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness which increases risk of blood clots and strokes.
* Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
* Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.

Needless to say I haven't eaten a cookie today...


Sugar is BIG BUSINESS

References:
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm
http://macrobiotics.co.uk/sugar.htm

I can't, I cant't, I can't

I have a friend who just had back surgery. The surgery removed a tumor off her spine. She has been battling endocrine cancer for almost 9 years and her body has been through hell. She is having a exceptionally hard time rebounding from this surgery. She now suffers from anxiety, back spasms, and lack of energy. I am convinced that with a major overhaul of the diet and getting her to do some form of exercise she will notice a big difference.
Now here is the problem, her mental state is weaker than her body at this point. She loves to say "I can't." It is very easiy to feel sorry for someone in this condition and most of her friends do. They have decided to show how sorry they are by baking cookies, cakes, and sending chocolates. This is the exact opposite of what my friend needs. These foods will keep her mind and body in the same lethargic state that she is currently in.
No matter what your physcial condition is, the mind is always the hardest muscle to train. I am now training her to mentally accept the changes that she is going to have to make. I have to tap into her mind before I can get her to start exercising her body. It's often difficult due to emotinal breakdowns but it's a barrier that has to be overcome.
I see the lesson here as, if she had proper exercise and food habits there is a chance she may have not even have gotten cancer and or her recovery would be significantly easier. This may sound harsh, but it is reality.
As I dive into the depths of fitness I am reminded daily that it is more than KB swings, and Olympic lifts. It is a willingness to overcome any obstacle now matter if it cancer, a job interview or being able to put down that cookie. We struggle with obstacles daily, some are obviously more serious than others, but the most important part is that WE ARE overcoming them. -Erik

Clarification

I want to clarify that we were not the author of yesterdays post. I have to admit that I wish it would have been me but I can not take credit for that masterpiece. The author is Zach Even. If you did not have the opportunity to read that post do your self a favor and take 5 min to look it over.

Against the Grain: 10 Reasons to Give Up Grains
Part 1 of 5

Why You Should Go Grain-free

1. If you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.

The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins. Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles. Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion. Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods – namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods. For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.

2. Grains aren’t good for your gut.

Intestinal health is critical to your overall health. If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease. Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome. Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response. With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens

Part 2 tomorrow...

A must read!!!

The Pussification of America
February 4th, 2010
• by admin • Filed Under: Announcements • Articles
No photos or art work today, just a straight up rant….. Something has been irking me lately and it’s exactly what I coin “The Pussification of America.”
On the flip side, I’m sure this article will get me in a lot of heat, mainly by those who are contributing to the weakness.
There is a rare breed of people out there who are also ranting about this and will understand where I am coming from, regardless of being male or female. I have a funny feeling it’s on the minds of many and I do not stand alone.Not sure what’s going on in other countries, but in the states we’ve got one too many strained hamstrings, too much “I’m tired”, too much “I just gotta get my mind into it” B.S. floating around.
Weak Bodies have become common place and the age range is REALLY starting to stretch. Did you ever think there would come a day when a 6 year old would say he / she doesn’t want to play? Did you ever think that running 2 minutes would exhaust someone? I NEVER imagined such days would come, but they have come and they are HERE.
Physical Education is getting crushed in the states, especially in the middle and high school level where one too many PE Teachers (I should not even call them Physical Education teachers) are allowing students the option to walk on the track and consider this exercise.If the teacher is allowed to describe such slow movement as “walking”, which is actually slower than a 8 month old baby crawling, then guess who allowed this lackluster effort to be accepted as “Physical Education”? Look at the top. The Administration gave the OK to allow the teachers to give options for those who are motivated to move and for those who are unmotivated to move.Guess what happens to the Teacher or Athletic Coach for creating a challenging Physical Education environment? He / She will be reprimanded by the Administration.Challenge the students enough (i.e. make them work outside their comfort zone) and the student tells Mommy & Daddy he doesn’t like you. Next in line? Mommy and Daddy call the school and complain about the teacher and get little Johnny transferred into a different class.
Lesson learned? Push beyond mediocrity and you get reprimanded or perhaps fired. My High School Wrestling Coach took a position at a different high school this past season and in the first week nearly 10 kids quit.Maybe they said he was too mean, but the translation, which is clear as day, is that it was too hard. These kids will fit perfectly fine into the gyms that have dumbbells no heavier than 50 lbs and 95% of the exercises allow them to sit down, lie down or push and pull on a time wasting machine.Then again, these kids will NOT be entering any gym as they have proven they are against hard work, or any work at all for that matter.
Teachers and Coaches are becoming the enemy to those who are expected to work hard or earn their way on to the starting line up. Many Administrators allow the parents to complain or cry about the required work of their child and then the Coach is reprimanded and asked to lessen the expectations.This sends the WRONG message and a poor lesson is learned. Complain enough and you get your way is what they learn.
What happens when they grow up and become part of a large company / business, or even a small company / business?
Does the conversation now look like this:
Employee: “Hey Boss, I don’t really like to work, can I take it nice and easy today, tomorrow and the rest of the year?”
Boss: “Oh sure, as long as you’re doing just enough to get by we should be good.”
For the parents and administrators who are supporting the requirement of hard work, dedication commitment and consistency I salute you and thank you.
For the parents who are interfering because they have become experts at the sport by watching the sport and never having participated in the actual sport, you are screwing up the future of this country.This shit is spiraling out of control and if you try to become part of the solution your co workers and the Administration will hate you for trying to rock the boat. For those supporting the new path of mediocrity, you are screwing things up across the country now AND for the future.
By the way, “rocking the boat” means you are trying to be progressive and stretch beyond the poor standards that have been set so low and are being accepted. Don’t rock the boat, because then you’ll be forcing other people to do that strange thing called WORK!
Take a look at what society has done to the large number of gyms popping up around the states. Dumbbells are not allowed heavier than 50 lbs and how dare you grunt or use chalk or break a sweat because some ridiculous alarm will go off and you will be removed from the gym. This sounds like insanity to me.The person who created such a philosophy can not truly go to sleep at night knowing he has done wrong for so many and is now creating a society of straight up weaklings.
Punishment for hard work, that’s the lesson here.
Little do “They” know, that being removed from such a lame ass gym, and I dare stretch my vocabulary and call such a place a “gym”, this is the BEST gift one can get from these places. Removal from a place that supports mediocrity and lackluster effort. In a nut shell, they want you to be weak.
Now this individual will have to hide in his basement, garage or backyard with a 300 lb weight set pieced together from E Bay or Craigs List. He has no bench, no leg extension, no squat rack….. just a raw barbell.Boo Hoo.
Thank You, Sir, May I have another!?!?Do we need to have required military service from age 18-21 as they do in Israel and other countries? This could be the trick we need and the younger generation can no longer tell you, “I’m not going to school yet until I figure out what I wanna do.”Response: No problem, Dude, you’re going to the Army so you have the next 3 years to learn discipline, responsibility, accountability AND your future aspirations.
My Grandfather was in the Russian Army, then the Polish Army and then the Israeli Army. No wonder why he was so damn tough. He never owned a car, instead, he rode his bike, walked and chased buses to make his travels.I remember my Grandfather jogging with my brother and I or riding our bikes over 1 mile to the pool to get us swim lessons where my older brother usually attempted to drown me on a daily basis. After swim lessons we would jog or ride our bikes back home.He didn’t tell us to take it easy, have a nap, stay inside, it’s too hot outside to play. And mid summer at 1 or 2 PM the heat climbs near 100 degrees.
We played soccer on a cement playground with other kids and falling on the cement was NOT fun. But we got up every time we fell. I still remember the best goalie was playing in his flip flops! I know of elementary schools that have disallowed running during recess due to some kids falling.
The next step is to tell them to crawl….. where do we go after that? Lay down and wait to die? Perhaps Lunch Aides will have taser guns and start zapping kids who dare to run.This teaches the young kids to NOT get up after they fall down. This lesson carries over in life. Forever. The kids grow up and become adults, who fear trying new things or taking adventures and they live a boring, safe life. They view running as evil and they view action as evil.
What happens to these kids as they near the end of high school? Are they motivated to study harder to get into that school they always dreamed of? Or, do they lack the mental toughness to wake up early or stay up late so they can do the necessary studying and make better grades?5 years later you run into Johnny or Susie and they’re still trying to figure out what to do, and they have a kid, but they’re a single parent because being a parent and married at age 19 isn’t what they wanted to do.
They were never encouraged or taught to handle adversity, accountability, responsibility or decision making skills.Ask most high school kids why they don’t eat breakfast. They’re answer will more often than not be, “I woke up late.”Translation: I’m too lazy….. I lack the mental toughness, discipline and dedication to wake up 20 minutes early and make my own breakfast.
Boo Hoo
Let us raise the bar for life. Expectations have dropped so low and excuses are common place for why we can not achieve excellence. We have young kids with high blood pressure and signs of early heart disease. We have varsity athletes who don’t know how to perform push ups and adults who prefer pills over exercise.
Will Physical Education transition into something that challenges all and moves away from accepting mediocrity? Exercise is what my Dad was doing when he was a young kid in Romania, which was the REAL PE back in the early 60’s.
Here’s a taste of the required “Physical Education” my Dad & each kid had to perform before being allowed to organize a game. And YES, they organized games on their OWN!
- Sprints on the track
- Hurdle Jumps on Track
- Throwing of small shot puts
- Gymnastics Movements: tumbling, jumping on, over and off of
objects such as benches, boxes and gymnastics equipment
- Crawling on hands
- Climbing Rope
- After the required 30 minutes of challenging activity, a large field was available with various sport activities for the kids to organize on their own. This taught them responsibility AND accountability. Problems with the score? Figure it out on your own and learn to settle differences without calling for a mediator.
- Some of the games played were:
- - Hand Ball
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Track & Field Races
- Some kids continued to practice gymnastics, others ran the hurdles and others rotated to and from the various sports games on their own.
- Why has Physical Education become less physical, less challenging and basically less of EVERYTHING compared to 50 years ago? Doesn’t this strike anyone as being strange?
Donald Trump said that all the “feel good” lessons kids have learned through school has produced less business men / women who can succeed in tough times, or succeed at all.
Why do we have Varsity high school athletes unable to perform 10 pull ups, 25 push ups or even
ONE freaking full range of motion bodyweight squat.I left my teaching job behind, and now, with my own business and my own gym, I can create a TRUE Physical Education program through my gym, also known as Physical Culture.Our athletes run, jump, climb, use Kettlebells, perform Gymanstics drills, etc.
There comes a time in life where you must stop allowing society to do a shitty job and cheat the health and future life success of our kids. This means you will have to go against the norm and rage against the accepted mediocrity.
I hope it’s not this embarrassing outside the states.
Lead from the Front

S.O.S.

Suffer on Sunday!

If you were here for today's WOD you suffered greatly. Everyone pushed their limits and overcame the pain. It is great to see everyone smile even when there was an ugly WOD waiting to eat them alive. Those of you who were here you know the WOD and your time. We had a guy come in after the class who did it in under 10 minutes. It was fun. Have a fun and safe super bowl weekend.

Deadlift

The Olympic Snatch

We just wrapped up our 1 rm of Olympic snatch. We had some good hard one on one battles with the iron. Some left disappointed while others finished with a classic Jersey Shore fist pump. You can not be discouraged if you did not hit the number that you expected. This lift in particular takes some time to develop.
Keep this in mind, you all know how to execute an Olympic lift. Walk to your neighbors house and ask them to attempt an Olympic Snatch. Odds are they have no clue what hell that is. Be proud that you all can execute a lift that few will ever attempt in their lifetime. We have some great footage of our attempts, once I edit it I will post it on the site.

Nice Snatch

Today and tomorrow we will be testing the 1RM snatch. Here is Coach B with some tips on the snatch.

Intensity

Wow, what a great way to finish. From our rookies to our vets everyone kicked ass tonight. Its great to see everyone got a taste of the airdyne. That is truly an underrated piece of cardio equipment. I challenge the "I do an hour on the elliptical, no problem," group, to 30 sec work 30 sec rest for 5 minutes on the airdyne. If you can do this without falling off that damn medieval torture device or puking I will give you a high five.
We are coming very close to moving into our new facility, we are wrapping up the final details and should be relocated by March 1. Chanel Dickson (Kiki's Mom) is baking cookies with 75% of all proceeds going to Haiti relief. I hate to say it but we (Derek and Darlene) had about 6 a piece last night and they kick ass. If you are interested in ordering them please contact Chanel @ 714-470-2445 or via email @ Chanelliscookies@hotmail.com. Trust us you will love them.
We would like to welcome the following to the CrossFit Brea Family; Otto, Carrie, Becky, Hannah, Luis, Jeff, Bianca, Tyler, Trever, Nanci, Lori, Chris. We have a lot of new faces in here so make sure you introduce yourself and make them feel welcome.

Mental Game part II

My workout yesterday was heavy back squat. I decided to warm-up a little heavier with more reps than normal. From there I went into heavier load for 6x2. By my third set I was struggling a little, I racked the bar and during my rest period I started to wonder what was going on with me. Here is the deal, I was physically doing the work prescribed by I had not mentally arrived yet.
The mind is such a powerful muscle, and we need to learn to make sure it is firing at all times. My problem was that I had not turned my brain on yet. My mental state was one that allowed me to perform the lift but not actually perform it at my full potential. During my rest period between sets I had to mentally recover just as much as I did physically. As my workout went on I was able to accelerate out of the "hole" and I finished stronger at the end.
I physically made myself stronger by activating my brain. I had to leave all the outside pressure and stress "outside". Sometimes its hard to come in here when the wife/husband is mad or the kids are sick or you had a shitty day at the office. If one can train the mind to overcome mental barriers than the daily grind of life will not be such a grind.
For some of you with physically demanding jobs your life may depend on you being mentally "ripped." Simply put, I would rather walk down a dark ally with someone who is a mental giant rather than a physical giant. The physical giant has never been put to the test and might run when the shit hits the fan. My little buddy with the mental edge has tested themselves time and time again, and will be capable of pulling the trigger if necessary. Train the full body everyday.-Erik