Every time we lift weights, we get warmed up so we are physically prepared to lift weight. No time is this more important than when we are lifting for a max effort single rep. In that we are trying to lift, push or pull the absolute most weight our body can handle for a single rep. Our CNS (Central Nervous System) must be primed and ready, as it is taxed to its extreme. Technique must be there and all needed muscled groups must be activated and firing on all cylinders. Would you walk into the gym cold and try to lift a max effort squat with no warm up? The answer is no. That would most likely not end well and no doubt result in a failed lift. We are all well aware of this coming into the gym. That is why athletes get prepared to lift, either by stretching, rolling out or taking warm up sets. We go to great lengths to get our bodies physically prepared to lift. So if you were going to get physically prepared to lift big weights, then why wouldn’t you get mentally prepared to do the same? Getting yourself mentally “warmed up” if you will for making a big lift. All to often this aspect of lifting is partly or completely absent from the lifters preparation.

Think about it, the term max effort. You’re going physically give 100% when making such an attempt, so lets give the same from the mental standpoint. This is just as important to making the lift, if not more, as the physical ability to lift the weight. I would say that in most missed max effort lifts lack of mental attitude and/or focus is the main culprit.  If the right mental attitude and/or focus is not present…you’re at a huge disadvantage before you ever touch the bar. All to often on CrossFit Total day or any other where we are doing max effort work I see this occur. To put it plainly, you cannot go from talking to your fellow athletes at the gym about what you did last weekend one second to lifting a maximal effort load of weight the next. The mental preparation is just not there. As well if you walk up to a heavy deadlift and the last thing out of your mouth or thought in your head is…”I’m not sure” or ”I don’t know, this looks really heavy”. Guess what…. it is heavy and if you think or talk like that it’s not coming off of the floor. There can be no doubt inside of your head; it is the enemy. Do not let it enter your mind.

At least one minute out, if not more, a switch needs to flip in your brain. Thus the process starts, coming to a head as you touch the bar. From this point on you should only be thinking of is the lift…more so, making the lift. This is all that should be on your mind. There is no room for focus on anything but the lift. This is also something that others around the athlete about to lift must respect. This meaning that you don’t walk up to your buddy who is about to un-rack a max effort squat and ask them to check out you new innov-8s or speed rope. Outside encouragement from other athletes is great for the lifter, as long as it is specific to them making the lift. The process of getting mentally ready to lift can best be described as being two part. First is more the focus aspect. Shutting out all outside stimulus not relevant to the lift and you making the lift. Focus of the technique specific to the lift must be there. If you have trained right, you know what you’re supposed to do. Mentally walk through the entire process. Visualize yourself making the lift, from start to finish.

The second aspect is that of mental attitude or readiness. Getting psyched up. Look… you’re about to lift, push or pull a large amount of weight for a single lift. Your CNS is going to be pushed to the extreme. If you go into this with a humdrum attitude…you are not mentally ready. This is best done by use and manipulation of emotion and perception. Use these two powerful things to your advantage. Convince yourself the weight is light, that the only outcome possible is a successful lift. Yes, the weight you are lifting is heavy. However, if you think it will “feel” heavy it no doubt will, but if you think it will “feel” you have accomplished mentally altering your perception of the weight you are about to lift. Convince yourself there no way you can miss…that it is not even an option. Get yourself fired up. Different people use different techniques, some external and some internal. It can be audio stimulus, positive self-talk or physical stimulus. All of these things aid in getting the mind psyched up and reaching that heightened mental state. I have heard this referred to scientifically as arousal control. I like to refer to it as controlled mental aggression …get mad at the bar. Walk up to the bar and do bad things to it. Let it know you are in control. Let the adrenalin flow within and get outside of you head. Accomplishing this will have both physiological and psychological effects, both to your advantage. Being in this highly stimulated and focused mental state puts you in the right place to lift heavy things.

You must find what is right and works for you, trial and error. Watch what other athletes do and talk to them about what works for them. We are not all the same. When you find how and what works for you, make it a ritual. Have that exact moment a minute or two out from the lift to begin you process and let no one interfere. In some it will have a more outward appearance, while in others it will be more internal. How we get there and what it looks like is not that important…but that we get there is. I don’t care how big and strong you are, if your mind is not in it you’re at a disadvantage. You also are not giving a true “max effort” all around. Now go get your mind right and lift big weights!

Coach Blake

I’m sure we can all agree that joining Crossfit Austin has been life changing in some way.  Whether that change came in the form of tackling your own fitness demons, reaching new goals or building solid friendships within the CFA community, we’ve all experienced Crossfit Austin’s “Circle of Awesomeness.”  But before we knew what CFA had to offer, I can guarantee every single one of us joined because we wanted to pursue or maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Little did we know that for most of us, we would reach our goals and make greater progress faster than we thought.  We also didn’t know that because of these quick results, a new drive to excel beyond what we thought we were capable of would be planted into our brains and strengthened on a daily basis.

But what happens when that stops or isn’t as consistent as it was in the beginning? What happens when you hit that dreaded plateau and you’re not seeing the results you were used to seeing or that you want?  That drive to do better is still in your brain but it doesn’t seem to be getting you anywhere.  Most of us can relate to being stuck at some time or another.

Coach Aaron’s article on training age hits the nail on the head.  I agree with everything he said, especially his explanation as to why progress hits a plateau.  However, I’m going to expand a tad more on this, as it comes down to one more thing, and that’s an internal brain tweak:  Ownership!

Are you taking full ownership for your personal fitness journey at CFA or are you finding excuses as to why you’re not seeing the results you want? Are you doing everything in your power to see change?  You can’t take ownership unless YOU start taking responsibility for your own journey.  We all have different goals and therefore reach different plateaus. Take some time to self-reflect, accept that there needs to be a change, and then ACT on it.  Here are some common things we don’t think about but, if honed in on, will help continue your journey at CFA while achieving the results you’d like to see:

• Is nutrition dialed in?
• Are you getting enough rest for your body to recover properly, not only from the wear and tear from your workouts, but also from your day-to-day activities?
• Are you working on and understanding that proper movement patterns in things like Olympic lifts translate into a faster, more efficient you?
• Are you focusing on mobility and flexibility to allow for more consistent, stronger movements?
• Are you taking advantage of the varied, yet specifically planned out programming or skipping those days that have your weaknesses or may not be considered “fun” to you?
• Are you logging your workouts to keep track of one-rep max weights, good days, bad days, how you felt during a workout, etc?

If you are failing to do just a couple of these things, a plateau may be on the horizon.  These aren’t the glamorous things about Crossfit and definitely aren’t as fun to do as doing a benchmark workout.  However, if you don’t take ownership and address these shortcomings, you may never see any progress on that benchmark workout. Even worse, you may regress.

I challenge everyone to re-read the above bullets and pick one or two things to focus on.  I guarantee, if you take the time to really hone in on some of these things, you will begin to see progress again.  No more excuses or pointing fingers.  It’s not your job’s fault, it’s not your kids’ fault, it’s not what is programmed on a daily basis, it’s not the fact you don’t have enough time, and it’s definitely not because “your dog ate your homework” that’s holding you back from reaching your true fitness potential.  Your potential is something that no one but you can own. If you find yourself wanting to make excuses, remember to do the following:

1.  Self-reflect—Are you making excuses?  Where are they coming from?  Are you really doing everything you can to see the results you want?
2. Accept— Ask yourself questions like the ones above in the bulleted list.  Find one thing you can focus on and accept that that’s what you need to do at this stage in your journey.
3. Act—Start putting your commitment to bettering yourself into action.  Remember, progress/results don’t necessarily happen at CFA.  A lot of action takes place outside of CFA’s walls.

Your ownership of your fitness will get you moving farther and farther away from the plateaus you once knew, and toward the goals you’ve always wanted to achieve.

Coach Leigh

Double Unders can be one of the most frustrating movements in Crossfit. When lifting, pulling or pushing, an athlete can always “force” or “muscle” another rep, even if it is with bad form. Double Unders are one of those exercises that fall into the neurological improvement categories of our 10 physical skills. We can’t muscle through or force an extra rep. We have to maintain patience and stay relaxed, even when we are tired. We have to remember to breathe and find that calm and mental center that will allow us to grind through.

I never thought there would be a day when I was giving advice on how to do Double Unders. At one time, my double under ability, or actually lack of double under ability, was quite notorious within the Crossfit Austin community. Let me take you back a couple years before the likes of Miguel, Gilbert, Shane, and Alex. I thought it would be a good idea to sign up for Sectionals being held at Camp Mabry (I know I may be dating a few of us). I remember the week leading up to the big day. The talk around the gym was about what weight would be used, what the rep scheme would look like, and if it was going to be a couplet or triplet. The only thing running through my mind was “I hope to God DUs won’t show up in the WOD”. It was here that my journey to Double Unders began.

The workouts were announced and, as I dreaded, Double Unders were not only a part of the last WOD, but there were 100 of them to complete. I was terrified. I quickly grabbed one of the ropes at the gym and began my rendition of Double Unders. Saturday came soon enough, and by that time, I was able to complete one double under followed by two singles. This was not consistent by any stretch of the imagination. As I arrived at Camp Mabry, I made it through the first two WODs (the whole time thinking about the 100 DUs to come). “3-2-1, Go!” and we were off! I remember getting through the OVHD squats, KB Snatches, KB Swings, Farmers’ Walk and then, to finish up, 100 DUs. I had heard all morning about how the grass was affecting everyone’s rope speed, etc. I knew a few blades of grass were the least of my worries. I reached my jump rope and I was off… Single, Single, DU… Single, Single, DU… Single, Single, Failed DU… and this is how it went for me. As the incredible family of CFA cheered me on and yelled the most supportive and kind words, I just couldn’t find a rhythm. I was second to last to finish the workout.

In the weeks following Sectionals, I saw DUss come up a few times in the WOD and it immediately put me in a bad mood. I saw those around me (some who started Crossfit before me and others after me) moving through them effortlessly. Needless to say, I was pissed! I began looking to Miguel and Boone. Studying their every move and (when I could set my ego aside) asking them for help. I would leave the gym and Google DU videos of Elite CF athletes and, at one point, Buddy Lee himself. I was looking for any type of guidance, training, and/or direction. For weeks I heard great cues from both coaches and members alike. We all know them by now:

*Look Straight ahead to maintain balance.

*Keep body upright and balanced with the weight on the balls of the feet.

*Jump only high enough to clear the rope.

*Land lightly on the balls of your feet.

*Keep your hands slightly in front of your shoulders.

*It’s all in the WRIST.

*Don’t “Donkey Kick.”

*Relax and Breathe.

It was only then the light bulb went off. I was missing one key component…PRACTICE! I firmly believe practice is the ultimate key to success. Whether you arrive early or stay late – grab a jump rope and put in the work. I often hear “I don’t have DUs”. I would challenge you to think about why. Have you put in the work?

It all comes down to PRACTICE. Take what you like from the coaches, your friends, and other members and find what works for you… then put in the work.

…Now on to Muscle-Ups!

Coach Rob

I AM OVERWEIGHT.  I know this because I went to a nutritionist who hooked me up to a machine that told her so.  Am I unhealthy?  Not exactly…the same machine told her that I am within average ranges and am not at risk of any major diseases.  Does this mean that I shouldn’t lose body fat?  Absolutely not!  My body fat percentage is greater than it should be for a person with my age, height and activity level.  Was I surprised, upset, or hurt when I found this out?  Nope…and you shouldn’t be either.  We all have mirrors and really just need to have an honest conversation with ourselves.  Ask yourself, “Am I healthy?” “Do I ‘feel’ good?”I grew up looking in the mirror and hating the way I “look,” and I don’t think that makes me an exception; I think it makes me the norm.  I wish I could say that with age comes wisdom, but I still look in the mirror and find myself wishing I looked different.  I want to change that mentality though. I would rather get to a place where I ask myself, “Self, how do you ‘feel’ today?  Are you healthy?  Can you perform daily tasks and functions with ease?  Do you rarely get sick, take medicine, or go to the doctor?”  These are the types of questions we should be asking ourselves instead of, “Does this make me look too thin?” or, “Do I really have to buy a size bigger in jeans?”

Now don’t misunderstand me, if you are buying a bigger size in jeans because of all the squats you’ve been busting out, more power to you!  However, if you are buying a bigger size because you couldn’t say no to all the sweets in the break room at work, that’s not something to celebrate. It makes me so angry when I hear skinny people saying they just can’t gain weight, but they refuse to eat more protein or ever lift a barbell… you know, because they don’t want to “get bulky.”  It makes me even more angry to see overweight people telling each other that there is no correlation between weight and health, and that you can be healthy at any weight.  If you celebrate and empower someone else based on the fact that they look like you and it makes you feel better about yourself, you are not doing them any favors.  We need to be honest with ourselves, stop being lazy and put in the work!

There is an ongoing battle in the media between the skinny people and the fat people (yes, I know I am horrible for not trying to be more “PC” with my adjectives). One side is always trying to convince the other side, as well as the rest of us, that they are the better standard. I am going to disagree with both sides and say, “You are both wrong!” The best standard is in the middle…it’s called healthy! We shouldn’t praise a skinny person because they have the ability to fit into a size “0″ and can count their ribs, and we shouldn’t celebrate a fat person because it might hurt their feelings if we say the “F” word. I know it’s not true 100% of the time, but more than likely, neither the skinny person nor the fat person is healthy.

Lately, I’ve read an increasing number of articles about how mad people are over the fashion industry’s standard of what is aesthetically pleasing for the female form. The fashion industry now considers a size “6″ to be plus sized (what??)… Do I think that is crazy? Of course! On the flip side, I also think it is crazy to look at overweight models and think that they are a better standard just because they are the norm (62% of females in America are already categorized as overweight). Just because plus-sized models look more like the women we see around us each day, doesn’t make them the standard we should shoot for. Size “0″ models in Cosmopolitan are not necessarily less healthy than the size “14″ model in Plus Model Magazine. Neither end of the spectrum is okay; you have to look at each woman as an individual and learn what “healthy” really means. The ideal weight and fat-lean ratio varies considerably for men to women and by age, but the minimum percent of body fat considered safe for good health is 5% for males and 12% for females. The average adult body fat is closer to 15% to 18% for men and 22% to 25% for women. For men who have over 25% and women who have over 32% body fat, there is a dramatic correlation with illness and disease. These are the facts. If you fall under or over these percentages, your health is at risk.

Essential fat: Men< 5, Women <8

Minimal fat weight: Men=5, Women=15

Most athletes: Men=5-13, Women=12-22

Optimal health: Men=10-25, Women=18-30

Optimal fitness: Men=12-18, Women=16-25

Obesity: Men> 25, Women > 30

A huge amount of people fall outside healthy ranges. According to a survey done by the CDC in 2011, about 1/3 of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 12-19 are obese. According to USA Today, 3.3% of children and teens, ages 2 to 19, were underweight in 2006 and 1.8% of adults, ages 20 to 74, were underweight in 2006. This number has surely changed in the last five years, but combine the numbers of underweight and overweight people in America, and that is a pretty big chunk of our population that is not healthy!

Everyone is worried that the younger generation is going to think that what they see in Cosmopolitan or Plus Model Magazine is what they should look like―let’s teach them differently. Instead of focusing on what they “look” like, teach them to focus on what they “feel” like. Do they eat the right foods, do they get enough sleep, do they perform an activity that makes them sweat? Above all, inspire them to find role models who measure up to healthy standards.

I am as guilty as the next person of looking at someone and saying, “Dang! I’d kill to have her body.” The truth is, we are all individuals and we can’t let someone else’s standard become our own. We should ask ourselves what we want to “feel” like every day as we move through our lives, and make decisions every day that get us closer to feeling that way.

Coach Tristy

“I’m Sexy and I Know It”

I have had what I consider a “big girl” complex.  Being a big girl is reality for me at 5’9” tall. But my insecurity about my size is not just due to my height – it has been rooted in my past as long as I can remember.  I have never been a small or even an average-framed girl. I was born a whopping 11 pound, 23” long baby (sorry, Mom)! It was never in my cards to be a petite gal.  I was always naturally athletic, with more muscle mass than most girls (and guys, for that matter).  It worked in my favor when it came to sports, but outside of that, it intimidated my peers.  My broad shoulders garnered me names like “football player looking girl” and “turtle.”  At 15, puberty hit, metabolism slowed down, food intake stayed the same, and I gained weight. My athletic frame became a chubby frame.  I went from a size 8/10 to a 16/18 by the time I graduated college.  Now I was tall and overweight – a big girl.

After graduating from college and finally accepting responsibility for my weight, I buckled down.  I hit the gym harder and dialed in on nutrition.  I saw immediate results, and because of that, became a personal trainer. From 2006 to 2010, I was training others to reach their fitness goals while I was on my own journey of getting back to the athletic frame I was born with.  However, as I was losing the weight and becoming physically healthier and more attractive, my outlook was as unhealthy as it had ever been!  I fed my mind so much junk food about my appearance and desirability, that I had convinced myself that my efforts were never good enough. In my mind, I was too big to get the guy of my dreams.  It didn’t matter how much weight I lost or how well I was doing, my mental image was that of a big girl.

My “big girl” complex caused a whirlwind of problems.  My health and fitness went on its own roller coaster.  My unfit outlook brought on new insecurities leading to even greater losses of self-confidence and self-worth.  It even affected my dating life. If a guy was interested in me, I would sabotage the relationship based on the image I had of being too big for him.  It was a nightmare.

I’ve been thinking about how CrossFit Austin fit into this whole mindset thing for me.  I knew CFA helped me accomplish great results physically, but I couldn’t pinpoint that one life-altering thing. When I joined CFA, I had already been crossfitting for about a year.  I had already seen new and life-altering physical results.  And those results were consistent!  It wasn’t until a recent date with a guy when I realized how CFA has changed my life on the inside, too.

For the sake of saving this charming man’s identity, I’m going to name him Date Lesson #5347. We met for frozen yogurt (yum), and the owners made him buy me a rose (awkward). The conversation was good and we left on a positive note.  There weren’t any big sparks, but definitely worth a second date.  The next day, we had a texting conversation that went something like this:

Lesson #5347:  So, what do you think?  Blunt please.

Me:  Thank you for the fro yo!  I had a great time even though the owners might have made it awkward.  And what do you think?

Lesson #5347:  You’re def more built than I was expecting.

Me:  Not sure how to respond to that…I’m not offended and won’t be but…good or bad?

Lesson #5347:  Obviously you’re gorgeous!  It’s just not what I’m initially attracted to.

Me:  (No response)

Lesson #5347:  (after a few hours) So I know my statement might have been a lil off.  Wanna talk about it?

Me:  It wasn’t off.  It was honest and I appreciate/asked for it.  I know my frame isn’t considered the norm and I’m ok with that.  Just not sure if you’re ok with that and that’s ok too.  I’m happy with me…to each his own.

Lesson #5347:  I had fun with you.  Want to hang out again?

Me:  I don’t think there’s a romantic interest.

My responses to Lesson #5347 says it all in terms of where I am now mentally, and because of CFA, I wasn’t offended by anything he said. But because of what he said, I wasn’t interested anymore.  He no longer interested me! My appearance shows my hard work, and if that wasn’t attractive to him, it wasn’t going to work out.  After this interaction and re-reading the texts, the realization finally hit me!  My “big girl” complex was over!

What a great “aha” moment for me! The wasted emotion I spent on beating myself up over something I couldn’t control was finally over.  I finally reached the destination of my 14-year journey to physical and mental fitness! And I owe this breakthrough to CFA.  I’m surrounded daily by people who genuinely support, motivate and encourage me. CFA has become my family, where I’ve learned and conquered so many things about myself through sharing the stories and experiences of those who workout next to me.   I have to give a shout out here to our men, as they have been a huge help for me.  They have given me faith that there are still men out there who will appreciate a strong, muscular woman.  Thank you to our guys who don’t get “meatheadish” or crude around the ladies, and instead are the first to push/support us.  It has really helped in breaking down my “big girl” complex.

In these ways, CFA has made me mentally fit.  Without CFA in my life, I wouldn’t have been able to get as strong, as fast, or as toned as I have this past year.  I owe the entire CFA community for that, and I am excited to be rid of the internal junk that hindered my fitness potential and decreased my self- worth for so many years.  I firmly believe that in order to really reach your fitness goals, you’ve got to be mentally healthy too!  What I considered not to be “normal” about myself for so long is, in reality, still not normal.  After all, with all the air brushed models on magazine covers and fast food restaurants on every corner, true fitness isn’t normal.  Like I told Date Lesson #5347, I’m okay with that.  I’m a healthy “abnormal!”

Thank you CFA for allowing me to see me for me, accept me, embrace me and now OWN me!

Coach Leigh