Monday, September 26, 2011

MSN Article on CrossFit

Does CrossFit Live Up to the Hype?

It's a meh article, really. They only went to one CrossFit facility as far as I can tell. But the main thing I have a problem with is the suggestion to try the workouts on your own.

No, you probably shouldn't do that.

Even CF gyms with bad instructors at least HAVE instructors that will give you the basic idea of how a movement should be done. For instance, learning a snatch from some article is just not going to get you anywhere but will get you some jacked up shoulders.

Grand Ideas

I don't think I've written anything in about two months. Basically, since I started my job at World Gym. I've had all sorts of grand ideas about how this was going to really go down. I love this job, don't get me wrong, but I think it's going to have to be realized in small steps.

Grand Idea #1: A blog that clients could follow.

I thought that things would get busy much slower than they have. That's what everyone warned me about, having patience for things to get full. Well, it didn't happen that way, and rather than taking my time to write up things I've noticed, learned, or experienced, I'm trying to catch up on workouts, naps, and finding time to eat.


Grand Idea #2: Follow a plethora of interesting fitness and nutrition blogs.

Again, I figured that I'd use my down time to follow up on some "self directed education." Thing is, finding good blogs to follow is harder than I thought. There is a lot of information out there, and much of it is either bunk or "duh" stuff. And that takes longer than actually reading the articles on blogs I do follow. So far my list has about 8 blogs that update enough to be considered following.


Grand Idea #3: Create Awesome Athlete Machines

This still is my goal. But I think I'm going to have to be more realistic about it. I only see these people 2 or 3 times a week, and I have no way to account for what they do between visits. In all reality, my 2-3 hours a week with them can only influence them so much. So in all likelihood, only one in 15 or 20 clients will actually have an epiphany moment where they decide "I'm really going to do this" and clean up their eating, and initiate themselves into a more physical culture.


Grand Idea #4: Watching clients will serve as inspiration to fuel my own workouts.

In addition to what I said above, it's actually tiring to watch and cheer clients on. I'm not really much for being a cheerleader, but I do pay very close attention and am constantly on top of them for technique or urging them to push just a little further. And if my own energy is lacking, and if I'm not on top of my own nutrition, that just wipes me out.


So much for grand ideas...

I still have small goals. For instance, I have my caloric intake under control. Now I need to update my nutrient timing. I AM following some really good blogs. I do get to kind of "show off" my lifting skills at a commercial gym, where a girl deadlifting over 150 lbs is a site, which is pretty good inspiration to get those lifting shoes on.

But mostly, I'm still adjusting and I keep on keeping on.