Tales from the front - How did we get here Part 3 - the year in Review

"A coward dies 1000 deaths, a soldier, but one"

Shakespeare

2016. A year that provided me great insight into the above quote. And what I've learned, well, reminded me of how little I know. But the beauty of this year was the realization of the importance of constantly getting up, no matter how many times you fall. What does that rather cliche statement mean? Well.....

The year didn't start out particularly gangbusters for me. Losing a job at a place that I thought I had respect and loyalty, only to be tossed aside and used as a scapegoat, seen as too brazen in my coaching style, suffering some debilitating sinus issues requiring more than just a MRI, and realizing I bought a bike from someone I thought I could trust only to discover it was at least a size too small, wasn't exactly the promise to a great year.

But I didn't mope, I didn't complain, I took stock of where I was, who I was, and more importantly, where I came from, thinking of my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles who sacrificed over and over, and got off my ass to change my situation. I got a job in an environment that I love most, and suits my coaching style, but more importantly approach on life, CrossFit Iron Flag, sold my bike, got to an ENT specialist who solved my sinus issues, had a son, and discovered that failing was the most beautiful and wonderful thing we have. It provides insight into who we really are, and more importantly, experience. Of course that comes with some personal accountability - if you aren't paying attention, well, to put it bluntly, you won't learn shit. 

Thanks to the help of some really special, really important people, my coach, Cody Burkhardt, Brian MacKenzie, Louie Simmons, CT Fletcher, the wisdom of my grandmother, the smile of my son, I realized that things like talent, gifts, potential, "would've", "should've", are all bullshit. The biggest difference between success and failure is simple - its work. Its not just work for the sake of work, but working your craft to realize your goals, your dreams. Its not just being willing to do what others won't, its about constantly doing what others won't, every day. It means you eat, sleep, breath your passion. Its the shit that keeps you up at night, and gets you jumping out of bed in the morning. Its uncomplicated. Its pure. It hurts like hell, and it screams at you like a fly over from the Blue Angels. Call it a voice, a higher power, whatever you want, but its the same mantra that goes off daily - 

"get the fuck up and get to work. Get up, and keep getting up. Stop looking around to see who's watching, to see who's there to help you out. Guess what, maybe no one is. Does that mean you quit? Really? Are you going to give up that easy? Hell no. Because giving up means you stop living. So pull yourself off the floor, the couch, the bed, and get to work. Work hard on the days you feel great. Work harder on the days you feel like shit. Success doesn't come easy, and it doesn't happen right away. You are prepared to fail and keep failing until you get it right. You are prepared to sacrifice, to grind, to work until you can't see straight, have a cup of coffee, and then hit it again. You are willing to be called 'weird' 'standoffish' 'a loner' 'obsessed'. You know the word obsessed is just how others make themselves feel better about your dedication, desire and drive. You are prepared to go after your dreams alone because they are yours, not anyone else's, so there's no reason to expect help or a hand out. Fuck the majority. Don't expect family or friends to understand, or support. Its not their passion. You're prepared to hear negative shit, from everyone, including loved ones, and you will shrug it off. You know there's something bigger at play. You know that you have much to give the world, so you block out the noise, and get to work. Because work is the bridge between dreams and reality. It doesn't end when you have success, it just lets you know that you are on the right road."

 If you work at a 9-5 every day, then you are essentially "working" for someone else. You are fulfilling someone else's dreams. You are allowing your potential to be taken by another's passion. You do so willingly, and most frequently, without thought. Even on the days you bemoan your job, you still get on the same train, or bus, or highway, and drive to your slow death. And you have the balls to complain about your current state, as if you are being forced into the situation. You quickly start the excuses train, vomiting reason after reason as to why you can't get ahead, follow your dreams, live the life you want. The thought of taking accountability for your situation never even crosses your mind, except in quiet moments, in empty rooms, some of the most honest places in the world. And in those moments you realize, you're dead. You may be 30, in good health, clear of mind, but you are dead inside. The flame, the light of your passion is gone. All you are doing is going through the motions until they put you in the pine box. 

Same goes for those of you who aren't happy with your weight, your nutrition, your energy levels, your fitness. You bitch and moan, you over complicate the hell out of stuff, saying that being fit/healthy is "complicated" or " restrictive". Umm no. The study of aerospace is complicated; a straight jacket is restrictive. Stop making these bullshit excuses when the truth is, you just don't want it bad enough. You are afraid, yes, afraid, of what other people will think if you actually take the steps to get healthy. You don't want to hear the comments from family, friends, co-workers "you're eating Paleo? That sounds terrible". "You're working out again? Haven't you done enough? Who are you trying to impress?" These quotes sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so. I know this because I have heard them, and continue to hear them. From people I love. So you quit, because you've allowed someone else's fear, lethargy, jealousy, negativity pull you down to their level. Because you fear being different; you fear being left out. According to recent statistics, over 33% of Americans are suffering from Type 2 diabetes. Is that the group you are so determined to be a part of? Because those same naysayers are most likely headed down that road. Not taking action, is actually an action. Its a conscious choice to not take care of yourself. Its a conscious choice to give away your health. I'm not talking about the ability to run a sub 5 minute mile or snatch 300 lbs. I'm talking about being able to walk up and down your fucking staircase without pain, and without losing your breath. Is achieving wellness easy? Fuck no. But its not nearly as hard as you think and its not nearly as complicated. It takes dedication, i.e. work, every day to get there. It means that you will backslide, you will fail at times, but that's ok, as long as you keep moving forward. 

For athletes, all of the above applies to you and something additional - stop complaining that you don't have - the right equipment, the right body, the talent, the natural gifts, the time, the energy, the support, the right gym, the right coach, etc, etc, etc. Shut the fuck up. Honestly. Its beyond comprehension when I hear athletes complain about why they aren't progressing only to discover they spend significantly more time bitching about what they lack, instead of focusing on what they have and how to use that to get what they want. You want a better bike? Win races. Or earn more money and buy one. You aren't hitting your numbers in your lifts? Well, are you following a plan to help you do so? No? Then guess what, you aren't going to progress. You aren't going to hit your numbers. See if you really want to win, and I don't care what level or sport, you better learn 2 things - spend more time working the body and mind than the mouth, and talent doesn't mean shit to people who work hard. I have zero talent. I'm not being self depricating, I'm being honest. I don't have any physical gifts to help me in my sport. Short torso, long legs, ridiculously long arms, I'm short overall, broad shoulders that will not shrink, flat footed. Not one of those "negatives" has prevented me from attacking each and every day. Stop running your mouth and put that energy into your training. Stop making bullshit excuses as to why you aren't where you want to be. I listened to an athlete constantly whine that she felt like she needed to get in shape before going back to the gym. What? How does that even make sense? That's what the gym is for, isn't it? That's where the equipment is, coaches, all the tools to get fit, to get competition ready. See all those excuses are fear. Fear of what others will think. Fear of failing. And if that's keeping you small, then here's the truth - you just don't want it bad enough. I've seen the ones who really want it, who really want to succeed. They would be called "obsessed" by society, but I call them athletes. Because if you legitimately want to be successful, you will get up before 4 am, you will train when the gym is closed to the public, at 9, 10, 11 pm. You will train alone. You will listen to your coach. You will fight, claw, scratch, bleed for your sport. For success. If you aren't willing to do the aforementioned, then stop saying you really want to succeed. Because an excuse is simply proof you just kind of want it. Only when things are good, or going your way. Guess what? Most days won't go your way. Most days will suck. That's the deal. You don't quit because its hard. Life is hard. Rise above. Or don't. But make your peace with your decision and shut up.

I'm not speaking from simple observation, I'm speaking from a place of experience. I'm 43 years old and do not have a family that supports what I do for a living. Be it my sport, or my coaching. Here's an example - I recently did a photo shoot for sponsors, but more importantly to showcase the Southside of Chicago. One picture was of my calves, the only part of my body that I am truly proud of. My dad saw that photo and said, verbatim "those veins on your calves make you look deformed, like a freak. It doesn't look healthy." That comment shouldn't have hurt, but it did for one reason, because I know that my calves look the way they do for the purposes of performance. Its not aesthetic. The assumption was, I was trying to look like that. Now, in truth, I am not giving up my calves, and the aesthetic benefit is great, but its not the driving force. Performance has always been, and always be, what I'm chasing. That's just one of several examples I have. After that comment, I chose not to show them any more photos. And it bothered me because I wanted them to see the old neighborhood through a different lens. We all came from there, they have as much connection to the Southside as I do. But I had to close the file and move on. Within minutes, I was back doing what I needed to do. I reminded myself, this is my passion, this is my dream, not theirs. They won't get it because they don't want to, so suck it up, and get back to work. Your competition is working, so don't you fucking dare have a pity party. 

Work. That's it. To get what you want will require work. You've heard it a million times. But its so true. If you aren't willing to work, fine. Nobody cares. Yeah, you've cheated yourself and the world of giving us something of yourself that could have been amazing, but you allowed fear to drive the bus. That's on you. Do i believe in helping others? Absolutely. That's one of my passions - helping others realize their dreams. But will I coddle and enable, will I sit around and listen to to someone whine about a situation they put themselves in, or could get themselves out of? Fuck no. If you aren't willing to help yourself, why should anyone help you? If you aren't willing to have faith in yourself, how can you expect others to have faith in you? Your positive will attract positive, it will draw in the right people, people who want to see you succeed. People who will help you succeed. You stay negative, you draw negative. That self talk, good or bad, draws the exact same to you. You tell yourself you're not getting that promotion, you probably won't. You tell yourself you won't do well at a race, you probably won't. 

Chin up, especially in the face of naysayers (they hate that shit) and keep moving forward. There is a light that is brighter and warmer than anything you've ever imagined on the other side of all that work. 

On to 2017. I wish you all the gift of hard work.

Stay strong.

Guy 

Tales from the front - how did we get here part 2

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken".

Tyler Durden, Fight Club

Let me start with this - I posted on Facebook 2 weeks ago that I was not going to talk politics via social media. And I am keeping my word. If you want to talk politics, great, but not on my posts; do so on your own time and on your own social media outlets.

Now, the main topic. The most over used and abused term currently circulating social media - Badass. I don't like handing out that moniker, and I will not use it to refer to myself. Actually, I don't think anyone should; its like the rule of not giving yourself your own nickname. Its just poor form. A good friend, knowing my distaste for the term, told me to look at a FB page of a gym/endurance team, who apparently believes everything they do is badass. There is no distinction between the person who simply shows up for class to the athlete who won a race. Everyone is the same. Really? Everything, from drinking coffee to riding a bike is badass. Its beyond comprehension. Social media is no longer the greatest self congratulatory festival; its now the place where people seek self worth. We've been reduced to waiting impatiently by our phones for someone to "like" or "heart" or posts. But what we really want is to be called badass.

But this group isn't alone. Every where I look, the term is thrown around without care, and in the process, diluting the term to the point that the mundane is now worthy of a parade. Just check your friends' FB page or Instagram posts, guarantee you will find something they deem "badass!!" even though its really not. How did this happen? Where did it start? Well, let's think about the "every kid gets a medal" and "there are no MVP's" in kids sports. We allowed that to spill into the world of adults, where anyone with a smart phone can take a selfie walking into the gym at 5 am and say "5 am workout, time to unleash my badass self!", or a selfie eating a salad with the caption, "3rd day of eating clean, badass fuel!", or, the inevitable workout results posted, be it a ride, run, lift selfie, which is taken simply to get someone to react with one of the 2 responses, "badass!" or the other most overused word "Beast!". Here's the deal though, none of those things make you badass. Let me explain.

If you have made the conscious decision to get up at 5 am and workout, that's not badass, that's your choice. You are bettering yourself, for yourself and perhaps your family. If you decide to take control of your health by starting to eat healthy and exercise, that's not badass, you owe that to your body. You're only given one of them, so you should treat it right. Its not laudable to do what is necessary to live a long life without pain or illness. I'm personally not going to get out the confetti because someone who has recently been diagnosed as pre-diabetic decided to eat clean. I will be supportive, help educate them as much as possible, direct them towards healthy options, be there for whatever they need. Call them badass? Nope.

This applies even more so to athletes, or weekend warriors because those are the groups who are notorious for looking to be called a badass. Here's why you aren't - if you decide to run a marathon, and followed a plan from start to finish, showed up at the race, executed your plan, and finished, that's not badass, that's you living up to your end of the deal. Athletes may do some pretty amazing things, have crazy talent, high pain thresholds, undeterred focus, maintain a healthy overall lifestyle, but that's what they signed up for. I'm an athlete, I train everyday, I follow my training plan, I eat clean, I get rest, I do what is asked of me. I look to exceed my and my coach's expectations. Is that badass? Hell no. Do I have a very high pain threshold? Yes. Do I have a big engine, with several gears? Check. Do I constantly look to improve? You betcha. And yet none of those things are badass. Its my end of the deal. No matter the level of athlete, you doing your part is what is expected. Its not extraordinary. Its part of the deal. If you ran a marathon, without preparation, in order to save yourself, family or community, that's badass. But prepping for something then doing it doesn't make you worthy of the term.

Let me take it one step further. When I posted all this on FB, someone responded that the use of the term is relative. Umm, no it isn't. You are or you aren't. If you are rehabbing from an injury, going to PT, getting off your ass to take back your health, that's not badass, that's you taking care of you. .Would you really say that someone who has battled, or is battling cancer, fighting every single day to beat that animal, going through chemo, radiation, pills, etc, is on the same level as the man/woman who is lifting in their garage? If you think you are, feel free to visit the cancer ward at any major hospital. Sit with the patients and listen to their stories. Then, when they have finished talking, tell them that you hitting your Deadlift PR is basically the same kind of struggle, so that makes you even. See how they respond. I've had several relatives fight that beast; my uncles, one who lived for years with half a lung, working his ass off every day to support his family. I have a cousin, who at the age of 4, was diagnosed with Luekemia. He and his family were staring down a 3 year protocol of treatment, with no promises that it would clear up. 4 years old. And that kid, he handled that treatment like a warrior. His parents remained upbeat and positive, sleepless nights, long days, all with the hope that it would clear up. That's badass my friends. What they have endured, like so many others with the disease, came upon them without warning. They didn't sign up for it. No one plans on getting cancer.

In my recent photo shoot, I was able to revisit my old neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago, as well as places I used to hang out, play, visit family. The area that is now unfortunately known as "Chi-raq". I hate that term. The fact that in a first world country, in one of the greatest cities in the world, an area is compared to one of the most violent areas in the world is sickening. Yet I was reminded of the strong, proud people who still live there, going to work everyday, always wondering if bullets will start flying. Kids who have to fear stray bullets while walking to school, playing in their yard, hell, playing in their house, behind a closed door, while trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy, that is badass. To see children in this area smile in the face of all that violence, what right do I have to compare my racing to their daily life? We aren't even on the same stratosphere. I never worry about stray bullets when I'm running or riding outside. Nor do I fear gunfire while driving to the gym. Those thoughts never even cross my mind. That goes for 99% of the posts on social media. So no, its not relative. Even the thought is a slap in the face to those who have real battles to fight. Battles they never signed up for, but take on daily, without complaint.

Understand, I salute and support athletes, in particular, my athletes. I will give all of myself to help them. When it comes to people who are looking to regain health, like those in our New You program, I am supportive, encouraging, always available for questions. Always ready to help. I want them to get back the health they've given away. But to call them badass, I just can't. We aren't all the same. We aren't all equal. There are MVP's in life, just like in sport. And that's ok. Understanding we aren't all the same can be a great step at learning more about one another. Gaining an appreciation for another's life, struggles, joys, that is how we connect. So maybe don't write #badass every time you post your pic of you running. Or lifting, or riding, or finishing a particularly hard met-con. You get the idea.

Look, if you really need the social media world to get your sense of self-worth, go nuts. However, it might be a good idea to do some reflecting on why you need that. Why it even matters. Why you need others to tell you that you doing your part is somehow worthy of balloons and streamers. It might wake you up to what is really important in this world, and your first world accomplishments/problems in a champagne world aren't worthy of much more than a pat on the back and support from those closest to you. Or not. Just know that riding the roller coaster of social media can turn on you on a dime. And with it, your sense of worth experiences unnecessary peaks and valleys. The choice is, and always has been, yours and yours alone.

Stay strong,

Guy

Tales from the front - how did we get here?

Too long. Its been too long since I last posted. With good reason, I, like many of you, have been busy. But even that excuse falls a bit flat these days, considering what I witness others with less time than myself accomplish every day. So let's dive in.

Let's get the business out of the way - I have won some races, the Zoom Race Series, secured a spot for Powerman Nationals, and have created some new programs at CrossFit Iron Flag. The one I'm most proud of, a Competitor's Course, designed for athletes looking to find out how far they can go in the world of Functional Fitness competitions. Its provided me more reason to learn more, to study, to strive to give the best possible coaching to these individuals. They are pushing the boundaries of fitness, and its an honor to guide them on that path. At the same time, we are witnessing more and more endurance athletes cross the threshold and enter the gym. With each day, the leave with more purpose, drive, direction and confidence. Knowing that all the coaches and members are providing that sense of community, support, and drive is powerful. Its more than a feeling, its palpable. Its home.

I had the opportunity to be on a new podcast - www.athleteologist.com, Episode 8, where I was able to share my story with others, hopefully to make people realize that if I, a not very talented or gifted individual can overcome adversity, than so can anyone. I mean that. I'm not much different from anyone who reads this. I just decided I wasn't going to stop living because I turned 30. I didn't feel like sleepwalking through the next 50-60 years of my life, only to be on my deathbed wondering why I didn't contribute more. Why I didn't help more people. Why I didn't share what I had learned so that others could avoid similar mistakes and pitfalls. No, that was not going to be me. But the coolest part of the interview, I got to talk about my 6 month old son, Lorenzo Gaetano Petruzzelli. Yes, I am a father. And I never, ever knew I could love someone so much. My world changed for the better the day he was born. He is my smile. He is my saving grace.

His birth helped heal my family, reeling from the loss of 2 uncles and 1 cousin in less than 15 months. Too much sadness, all to be experienced by the same people. Watching my mom mourn the passing of her 2 brothers in less than a year was beyond heartbreaking. Watching my son breathe new life into her is a true joy. Watching my father hold him, smile with him, laugh with him, kiss him, I'm brought to tears just thinking about it. Best of all, watching my 104 year old grandmother hold him, play with him, watching him stare at her, as if he remembers her from somewhere, its magic. Those moments are treasures. They are the true gifts in my life. Everyone who has met him remarks that he is the happiest child they have ever seen. Not only did I not think I would have kids, I never thought my child would be so happy. Because I know myself. But he is truly happy. His smile is infectious. He is the happiness in my life. My hope is that I am the same to him.

So even with taking on more work, studying, growing, I've also been, with the help of my coaches, pushing my own boundaries of fitness. And what I am discovering (because my coaches already knew) is that once I allowed myself to believe that anything was possible, then any work thrown at me becomes doable. Is it a home run every day? No, absolutely not. There have been some epic fails along the way, mental, physical and emotional. But not one of those failures has been in vain. They have given me a better perspective on health and fitness, and more importantly, have shown me that we all are capable of a great deal more. As long as we get out of our own way. Then comes the important part - what do you do with that knowledge?

Some, like my coach Cody Burkhardt, write a very heady blog about his research, his revelations. You can find it at www.powerspeedendurance.com - N=1. I can't recommend this enough. Not only for athletes, for everyone. Others, like Brian MacKenzie continue to evolve their business, their knowledge, their testing and create companies like XPT life; a collaboration of some heavy hitters - Laird Hamilton, (yes, that Laird), Gabby Reece, and Brian. They are, as I like to say, "on tour" teaching camps across the country. No doubt this show will be international soon. And people need it. Its enlightening in ways that your basic company retreat will never be. It goes beyond "trust falls".

So what does this all mean? As I've watched and learned from these individuals, including some other special folks- Louie Simmons, the crew at Barbell Shrugged - McG, Alex, CPT, Doug, Mike, and the writings of Chris Moore - thanks to all of you, I've sharpened my skills and mindset. And I was able to define it recently when one of my athletes asked me my philosophy on life. It was for a school project. Initially, I was my typical course self, spitting out a one sentence answer in the midst of a busy day at work. When I sat with it though, I realized I shorted her an answer to a very important question. I want to share my answer here because it will make what I say after it, that much clearer.

"So I've been pondering this question you asked yesterday, and I think I gave an incomplete answer. So allow me to give you a much more thorough definition -

It starts with this principle - 'The world is a good place and worth saving'. Earnest Hemmingway

I was an English major, so indulge me the above quote. To experience life, to truly live, you must be prepared to do things that will make you uncomfortable, unpopular, unwanted, unkind, and completely joyful, ecstatic, confident, proud, unbreakable, all at the same time. If you really look around, more than 90% of the population, including your classmates, are already dead. They won't be physically buried for another 60-70 years, but they have already given up on life.

Life requires you to be prepared to go it alone, to pick yourself up, and to stand for something, even if you stand alone. A majority of one. It means to contribute more to this world than just showing up. The greatest gift you can give society, is the truest expression of yourself. Recognize that what you do affects your immediate world. And those actions are powerful. They can motivate someone else to break new ground because they have seen you do it. They have seen you be unrelenting, constantly grinding, constantly striving to be the best version of you possible. It doesn't mean lose hours of sleep, but it might mean some sleepless nights. But it also means experiencing some of the best sleep of your life because when your head hits the pillow, you know you have given the day all of you.

Personally, I don't like being comfortable. It means I'm not growing. It means I'm not contributing. I'm not doing my part. I have a responsibility to give each day, and every person I encounter the best of me, whether I'm coaching, with my son, or doing my own training. That means you must give the best of yourself to you everyday. It doesn't mean every day will be super awesome. In fact, many will suck. But the light, the true light, is always inside you. You will encounter people who are looking to snuff it out. Those people can be family, friends and strangers. Some do it subconsciously, others do it out of jealousy. The important thing is to know when to cut ties with that dead weight and move on. Its not going to be easy, but its going to be worth it.

Life is about investing in yourself so you can give the world a chance. The world isn't in a great place right now. Your immediate world may not be that great right now. But it can be better when you believe it can be. Humanity will disappoint you, and I'm sorry to say that. But you have to keep fighting to help those who can't help themselves. And do the one thing I personally don't do enough of - smile. Your smile can light up a room."

Unless you have had your head in the sand the last few years, things aren't great out there. In Chicago, we reached a rather distasteful milestone, 500 murders by mid-august, the most for any year in quite some time. As a south sider, that hurt to hear, read, see. And I promised to not make this blog political, however, the issues in Chicago are very personal to me. Its why I believe that we need to encourage each other, especially the younger generations, to give back, and stop the overwhelming sense of self-involvement. Technology stopped the conversation of "how do we make the world a better place?" It stopped the "how do I make my world a better place" conversation. Lost in texts, videos, social media, we've become so isolated in a crowded world that we don't even see the issues on our own streets.

I've made the conscious choice to live. In doing so, I know I am not for everyone. I will rub some people the wrong way. That's true of all of us. I'm good with that. But it doesn't mean I stop contributing. Simply by sitting on the sidelines of life, you are making a choice. You aren't Switzerland. You are just as much a part of the problem. If you aren't contributing, then you are most certainly taking, and that compounds problems, not helps them. Understand, this isn't about saving someone. Remember the analogy, "give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for the rest of his life"? Same thing. You aren't going to do someone's homework for them - they learn nothing. You teach them how to go about saving themselves, so every time they fall, the first hand they reach for is their own. We don't need more band-aids, we need the stitches. This is the world we live in now. And it can be better. It has to get better.

A little deep for you? I know. Wanting more science, nerdy, technical talk about training, racing, nutrition, sleeping, etc? It will come. But I'm not letting go of the request to ask each of you to live. Not just for you, for everyone around you; which will include people you don't know, and may never meet. That's giving the world all of you.

Stay strong,

Guy

The CrossFit Games and your gym's daily programming - making sense of the divide

This post is a bit of a change from my normal ramblings. Although I haven't posted in a while, due to work, training and racing, I wanted to get back to writing regarding a topic that I've seen on the rise recently. And with coaching in a CrossFit gym, its even more important to make some sense of today's post. 

"So, I've been doing CrossFit for about a year. Why can't I snatch 2.5 times my bodyweight?" 

I've heard similar comments like this for the last couple years from Crossfitters all over the US, particularly following CrossFit's main event - the Games. The 2016 edition wrapped a few weeks ago, and again, raised the bar as to what is possible in the world of human performance. Many of us marveled at the strength, capacity, and mental fortitude shown by all the athletes, not just those on the podium.And after the appreciation and wonderment of those events, many of us ask the question "why can't I do parelette HSPU's? Or Deadlift 4 times my bodyweight?" These questions are raised by people who may have been doing CrossFit for years and become a bit dejected at their personal progress.What's important to understand is that over the last 5 years, there has been a rather large shift from what it takes to be a Games athlete, even a Regional level competitor, to what takes place at CrossFit gyms everywhere.

In 2010, if you were to ask coaches and athletes the requirements to make it to Carson, most would have discussed training 1-2 hours a day,6-7 days a week, following a Zone/Paleo style diet, and get quality rest. It was possible to have a full time job and qualify for the Games. It wasn't easy, but it was possible. Training plans followed the "Constantly varied, functional movement, preformed at intensity" philosophy. The events at the Games reflected that type of programming. But in 2011, there was a jump. Reebok came on board, and you started to have a few athletes who pursued CrossFit or looked at CrossFit like any professional sport - upping the volume of work, added more structure to the training, sought out different methods of recovery - Compex, or similar stim machines, heat/cold contrast, and the staple, Mobility WOD. The Games, recognizing its growing popularity, began to challenge the athletes in new ways, and the athletes, if they wanted to be in Carson in July, needed to change their approach to training, nutrition and recovery. Its easy to point to people like Froning for this shift, but he wasn't alone. Annie Thorisdottir was doing something similar on the women's side, along with a smattering of other athletes.

Even with a decent TV contract with ESPN, the 2012 Open looked markedly different that the 2016 version. For example, the first Open workout in 2012 was 7 minutes as many burpees as possible. Difficult, yes.  But no one looked at it and thought "how can I scale this?".  The weights, the movements, they were all in most people's wheelhouse. However, the more athletes who were showing the ability to move more weight, handle heavier loads of work or longer pieces of work, CrossFit's response was - time to take it up a notch. The first Open workout in 2016 was a 20 minute AMRAP of a lot of volume. To hear Dave Castro, or any of the CF brass talk about the Games, they will tell you, they don't expect everyone to be able to do everything thrown at them. Best example was the 2015 finale when the pegboard was revealed, and only a handful of men and women were actually able to complete that portion of the event. Its almost like a constant game of one upsmanship. To talk to a Games athlete in 2016, they are dedicating everything to competing. Its anywhere from 25-35 hours of training a week, most athletes work at a CrossFit gym, and view CrossFit as a full time job. Their programming is complex, its varied, it has some periodization to it, and it has some elements to it that, on their face, don't look like strict CrossFit. (As a side note, to compete at that level, some of your training will look "bro-ish", or like that of an endurance athlete.And that type of training is as critical to upping your 1 rep clean and jerk. That topic to be covered in a later post) They are no different than any other pro athlete, they are pushing every day, all year. They have to take the time to perfect muscle ups. They have to run well, they have to be able to combine heavy weight with high level gymnastics movements to be performed over a 5 day period, with little rest.

On the other side, are the millions of athletes who come to classes 4-6 times a week, bust their asses and put in quality work. And its in those classes that the entire philosophy of CrossFit lives - to provide a general fitness preparedness workout or workouts that are to improve your quality of life. We want you to feel better when you are going about your day; less pain sitting, ease of moving odd objects around, the energy to play with your kids, less likely to get injured in daily tasks or while doing things you enjoy, like going for a run or bike ride. Its also important to remember that what you are doing when you walk through that door, is more than 99% of the population. Even your friends who do stuff like SHRED, or HIIT training, you are getting fitter everyday. And to keep that fitness on an upright trajectory, you need to be focused on what you are doing, not the person next to you, not what happened in the earlier classes. The competitive aspect of CrossFit makes it fun, but it can stunt progress. If you are rushing to hit that RX button, you could be setting yourself up to be injured or burnt out. More on that in another post. That is the most key ingredient to you improving - worry about your fitness. Celebrate the community that lives in the gym by giving the best of yourself and being patient with yourself. Ask questions of the coaches. We are here to help. We are genuinely interested in seeing you improve.

Aside from focusing on what you are doing in the gym, if you are serious about wanting to constantly improve, take the time to do mobility work. We have added a ROMWOD class that can help jump start your path to better recovery and better mobility. Check your nutrition, and be honest with yourself about it. I'm not here to promote one type of nutritional program over another, but you all know, the cleaner you eat, the better you feel, the better you preform. And last, but certainly not least, check your sleep. Of all the studies on sleep, the one constant is - at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night help ensure better overall health. 

To close, as important as it is to keep in mind the differences between the training regimen of Games athletes and the rest of us for our own growth, help educate your friends who don't CrossFit about the difference. To the casual observer, watching the Games now can be more than daunting, it can be downright frightening. I've had so many people ask me if we do stuff like "the plow" or ring handstand push ups in our classes. Make the distinction clear to them too. The difference now is like watching the NFL and watching your neighbor's annual Turkey bowl game. Yeah, they are both playing football, but the level of play is markedly different. Making it clear that CrossFit is different, but user friendly, encourages them to get out of their comfort zone and try it out. Your sphere of influence is greater than you think. 

As always, we are all here to help. So reach out. Do it for yourself.You'll be glad you did. 

Stay strong.

Guy 

The data sharing explosion and why its not as awesome as it seems

"Be humble and relinquish all desires. Instead, give all you have with love and life will surely deliver all its possibilities in abundance."

Chris Moore - 1980-2016

I know its been too long since I've last posted, but I've been writing this particular post for a while in my head, and finally got some semblance of order to put on paper. Before I get into the meat of this, the world lost some pretty important people over the last 10 days - Muhammad Ali, and Chris Moore of Barbell Shrugged.

I was too young to see Ali's fights live, instead, watching videos of his fights, just mesmerized by him. I am a boxing fan, and have been since I was young, trying to sneak into the basement when my dad had all the guys over for PPV fights on the weekends. The first full fight I can remember is Hagler v. Leonard, and I was devastated that Hagler lost. I was such a huge fan. But there was this towering image of Ali, complete with stories from family members who saw his fights, including my parents meeting his business manager on a flight to Las Vegas when I was 1, as well as my dad meeting the man himself in The Plaza hotel lobby in 1975. My dad was in New York on business, and as he was heading out for the day, he happened to see the champ sitting alone in a chair, reading the paper.It was 6 am. But this was still the Plaza, and it was Ali. To see him alone, at that time in his career, it was like happening upon a unicorn. My dad approached him, shook his hand, and Ali took 10 minutes of his very busy schedule to talk to my dad, a fan of what he did in and out of the ring.He told Ali he had a son, me, at home, that would one day become a fan of Ali. Ali focused the conversation on my dad and our family, not his accomplishments. According to my dad, it was just 2 men talking about family and life, not the heavyweight champ of the world, one of the most prolific men in and out of sport, talking to a fan. At the end of the conversation, he asked my dad what my name was. Once my dad told him it was Guy, he took a copy of his itinerary for the day folded it, and wrote -

"To Guy. From Muhammad Ali. Peace"
March 1, 1975.

I was almost 2 years old. That autograph still sits on my desk today. And over the last 41 years, I have become the fan my father promised. Ali's passing was a giant blow to so many. But his spirit, his legacy, his heart will live on.

On Monday, one of the founders of the podcast, Barbell Shrugged, Chris Moore, passed away at the age of 36 from heart failure. For those in the world of strength and fitness, Chris was a huge influence. He was funny, super smart, quirky and insightful. He played kind of the "big meat head guy who lifts" routine, but when he would discuss topics, he couldn't hide his knowledge. His passing was a shock, particularly because of his age. He had done so much for the world of functional fitness athletes, providing them a platform via podcast, to get insight to their world, and its growth. He was preparing to do more with his art, which was stunted by his untimely death. For those interested in helping see his vision continued, please visit,www.barbellshrugged.com. He was truly the "barbell buddha" as demonstrated in the quote above. He will be missed, but his memory and legacy will continue through his art and the men and women who continue the Barbell Shrugged podcast.

On to this post's topic. Over the last 4 years, there has been an explosion of data sharing, primarily in the form of posting one's daily workouts. At first, it was simply people posting on Facebook, or twitter, or Instagram about their run, or ride, or swim, or lift, etc, complete with a selfie to match.But sites like Strava or Garmin Connect and now Training Peaks, allow people to essentially show everything they do for training with the world. The notion was - create more community virtually. However, when you give a group of Type A's enough leash......

What we now have is this 800 lb social media gorilla  "who's got the biggest dick" festival. What was supposed to be a place to track data and use metrics to quantify improvement, has morphed into a larger version of the weekend group ride. People trying to one up each other on "the Main Street Hill" or "I ran more mileage this month than you" without any semblance of direction or purpose. The best efforts of athletes are left on the training grounds, and race day efforts are not what they could be.

Here's an example. People either have a training plan or don't - which is actually a plan, its just super random and not designed to work. Then, a top pro athlete will share their race data, or training data. (Most recently. Lionel Sanders posted his race data from 70.3 champs). Suddenly, athletes start to shift uneasily, wondering how they too can produce that massive wattage on the bike, and run as fast as he did. Somehow, hundreds of athletes develop amnesia simultaneously, and don't realize that what works for Lionel or any other athlete is not a road map for their own success. But people begin grinding themselves into the ground trying to match what he did, or what he does. Instead of focusing on their own weaknesses, cleaning up their own issues, the assumption is that if they simply follow whatever the winner of XYZ race did will promise them success. If you think about it for a minute, that logic is completely idiotic.

The training volume aside, you have no idea how your body will respond to the stresses. You don't know what the nutrition, hydration, or rest requirements are to keep up volume and intensity. Recovery protocols i.e. - mobility, isn't known or programmed, accessory work to ensure injury is avoided is unknown And any type of therapy protocol - massage, heat/ice contrast, recovery boots, stim machines is also unknown. And even if it is, there's no guarantee that you will respond the same as the person standing next to you. But this has become the norm, not the exception.

The coach in me gets frustrated for a few other reasons -

1. Your coach knows, or should know you- how you handle workloads, when to deload, what type of recovery, nutrition, sleep, etc you need. That's why your programming looks the way it does. Its not, or should not be cookie cutter, unless you are following some free web based plan. When you start asking your coach to program stuff based on what you see others doing, you are essentially saying you really haven't been following the plan from Jump Street. That could be a big reason you aren't seeing the improvements the way your coach had expected, and the way you expected. 5 hour rides or 3 hour strength and conditioning sessions don't work for everyone.

2. As an athlete, my training is my business. The only person I need to share results with are my coach, and the people he works with, in order to make the next week, or day's training fit correctly. I used to ride with a guy who would constantly ask me what my wattage was on the ride, or the average of the ride. I never understood that. I'm doing what my coach wants me to do, and I pay for that service. Why would I break his trust and share that information with another athlete? Not to mention, how is my data going to translate to his training? What if he's more efficient of a rider than me, or vice versa? He didn't know my workload prior to, or post the ride. What if I had to run later in the day, or swim, or lift? Understand that I'm not trying to be an asshole, but I pay for a service. That information is, at least in my opinion, private. My coach expects me to keep it between us, and I expect him to create workouts for me that are specifically for me, not something he saw work for another athlete.

3. If my athlete is sharing workouts that I program, they are essentially getting training for free. This is how I pay my bills. Coaching athletes and classes. I coach one CrossFit athlete who understands this particularly well; he trains at a couple gyms, and when he's not at mine, he simply smiles when asked what he's been doing. They see him training, they see his results, but he doesn't share how it all breaks down. He understands privacy and values what I do for a living. But take it a step further - what if an athlete shares a workout I programmed with someone, and that person gets injured? Think about it, workouts are written based on where the athlete's current fitness level stands, weaknesses and strengths, as well as where they are in their season or program. That workout makes sense for that athlete and that athlete only. It could be damaging to another athlete, regardless of fitness level if they don't understand the intensity, pace, weight, etc. Suddenly, any harm done shifts to me, or any coach who unknowingly had an athlete share workouts without even a thought. It shouldn't, people should know how to take responsibility for their actions, but unfortunately, I've seen otherwise.

This isn't to say that I don't agree with group rides, or runs, or swims, or strength and conditioning sessions. But its important that we keep our eyes on our own paper to ensure success. Ditching your plan is a plan to fail. So think before you continue to follow your favorite athlete trying to mimic their workouts. There's a long list of broken people who trail behind them. Have faith in yourself and your coach. Imagine how successful you could be if you did.

Stay strong,

Guy

You and your Dreams - what are they really worth to you?

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right"

Henry Ford

Hey all,

As I was preparing to talk about the importance of taking an off day, especially after fighting a terrible sinus infection for the better part of 8 weeks, I began to realize that there was something bothering me that I wanted to address that was more important. I know I've talked about work ethic in the past, I've talked about the importance of following your dreams, not letting others talk you out of them. But I've been missing an important piece that ties everything together - I call it the "stop running the mouth, stop looking for approval from others and get to f'ing work" ethic. Let me explain.

I have run into more and more people, whether in the sport, in the gym or simply just out in the world, who have dreams, goals but are so deathly afraid of taking a leap, so concerned with what others will think, so afraid to fail, that they are stunted. They are left wringing their hands as time flies by, leaving them with nothing but emptiness. Sad right? You're damn right it is. And its happening all around us. Its easy to pick on athletes with this; especially in multi-sport, so damn afraid to do things that are unconventional, or unknown. So twisted on what the latest pro athlete is doing they forgot why the hell they got in the sport, so lost on the interwebs as to what is the right way to train or not. Instinct is gone, faith in themselves has disappeared, and their ego prevents them from going where they want to go. Because failure seems like the worst thing in the world. Not recognizing the beauty that failure provides.

Its not about reciting quotes like "fall 7 times, get up 8", its more than that. Its about shutting the fuck up and actually doing something about it. You actually have to fall in order to understand what it means to get up. And get up on your own. Don't look for a hand out or a hand to pull you up. You have to work hard, really damn hard to get where you want to be in life. That might include doing some rather mundane, grunt work type stuff. But we have become so conditioned to think that everything is simply going to "happen for us because we wished for it". Are you kidding me? How soft have we gotten as a society? We aren't teaching people to take action, we're teaching them to cope. Cope with being unhappy. Cope with being mediocre. Cope with living someone else's dream. Because truth is, if you aren't living yours, you are most definitely living another's. And as you sit by allowing this to happen, years will fly by, literally years. 

If you are serious about wanting to follow your dreams, to change your life, to be a better athlete, brother, sister, mom, dad, person, then you have to work. You have to be prepared to fail, to deal with the unknown, to be laughed at, to embarrass yourself, to be kicked around, to be told by others that you "can't" or "won't", to be rejected, to be ridiculed, and have the fortitude to shut that shit out and keep pressing ahead. You have to keep in mind that the most successful people in the world, in all of history, weren't the smartest, or the richest, or the best looking when they started out. Odds are, you are smarter than some of the most successful people of all time. But they had something that so few, so precious few have - steel balls, unscared to be told no, or can't, or to have someone else, including people they love, shit all over their dreams. Those awful, painful moments weren't even a speed bump, they were part of the deal that each person who has achieved success made with themselves from day 1 - "No matter what, I'm pressing through the dark until I get to my light. I'm prepared for whatever comes because the other side of all this work, effort, and difficulty is my dream. My passion has paid off". 

Don't believe me? Let me throw this out to you - remember Limp Bizkit? Fred Durst? Yeah, that dude made a fortune and most likely has no issue with being a punch line in the music industry. Why? Because he worked his ass off, did things his way, controversial or not, (Napster anyone) did free shows and boom, platinum album. Did he strike anyone as a musical genius? Yeah, didn't think so. But he's just one of the millions of examples of people who had to deal with some terrible shit, lots of rejection, plenty of people telling him he sucked, but he made it. He can add "platinum recording artist" to his resume. Think of how many amazing artists that are out there who can't say that, even after decades of producing great music? Some call it injustice, but at the end of the day, it was hard work. It wasn't luck, it was just an ability to block out the negative and follow his own path.

We've made it very easy for people to point the finger outward as to why things aren't working out for them. We are so quick to pat each other on the back for doing things that used to simply come with the job. Now, everyone needs a cookie to make sure they feel appreciated. We're killing the importance of hard work; the notion that you must take responsibility for your own life. Yes, bad things will happen to you unexpectedly. You will experience a crisis at some point. You will be faced with loss. But the harder you work, the more prepared you are for those things to happen. To steel your resolve so you can handle the unexpected. 

I am fortunate to come from a long line of people who had to work hard to provide for their family. I wasn't given the option of not working hard as a kid, my parents made sure of that. But it instilled a drive in me that has never softened, rather has been honed to a fine point, narrowing my focus on what is important and disposing of the bullshit. But by no means do I think I have some unmatchable work ethic. I don't think I'm smarter than anyone, more talented, none of that shit. And I don't let those thoughts enter my mind, because what I care about is the work. I love hard work. Whether I have a good day or bad day, being able to work, be it coaching, or my own training, the constant striving to reach my goals keeps me in constant motion. And the hardest moments are actually the best because that's when I learn the most. 

What is all this rambling leading to? A deep desire to help people stop whining and start doing. And if you aren't going to do anything, then at least own that and shut up. By not taking action, you're saying "yes, I have given up on myself and my dreams, and I'm willingly putting myself in this awful situation". At least that way, you will catch yourself before you start bitching. 

There's a dreamer in all of us. How much longer are you going to wait to live yours?

Stay strong,

Guy

Product review - Medidyne - Core Stretch, a do it all product for mobility

Hey all,

Over the last couple months, I've had a chance to use a great project from Medi-dyne, the Core Stretch. Its a simple product that provide a number of options for mobility, particularly for low back, as well as hamstring and glutes. As someone who relies on his glutes and hamstrings to be flexible daily, the Core Stretch has met my needs and beyond.

The primary purpose of the Core Stretch is to help relieve low back pain, by teaching you how to properly and safely stretch out the body part, while encouraging you to strengthen your core. Medi-dyne recognizes that to truly prevent low back pain, is to create a stronger core, including the low back. But the Core Stretch allows the user to ease into the stretch, by providing a number of options to progress. If you are super tight, or very new to mobility, the guide provides a number of options to progress, from a chair, to the floor, and so on. The guide also provides a simple to use, step by step instruction manual to get the most out of the Core Stretch.

Once you have discovered the benefits to your low back, the Core Stretch provides you several options to stretch your glutes and hamstrings. Again, the product provides several progressions, allowing you to ease into the stretches, and get the most out of them. Using the guide, you will be able to continue to gain flexibility, as well as discover how important it is to maintain mobility every day.

The best thing about the Core Stretch, is that its portable, easy to take wherever you go. Its a useful tool that will get you more flexible, and encourage you to not neglect your mobility work. Check out www.medi-dyne.com for the Core Stretch, as well as other products that will help you increase mobility and flexibility on a daily basis.

Stay strong,

Guy

Its time to set the record straight

"Success is having a flair for the thing that you are doing, knowing that is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a sense of purpose"

Margaret Thatcher

Hello all,

This post has been over 6 weeks in the making. For some, the information contained herein won't be much of a surprise, to others, it might be extremely enlightening and to a few, a giant wake up call. Are any of those things my goal in writing this post? No. Let me be clear, I'm hear to straighten out some things that have been misleading, and to simply present them to you, so you can be the judge. That's it. Why? Because at some point, all the dancing around the truth, all the passive-aggressive bullshit needs to come to an end. And now is that time.

From June 1, 2014 to January 31, 2016, I was a coach at INTENT Strength and Multisport. I was the head strength and conditioning coach, programmed the workouts for all the classes I taught, and saved those workouts in the INTENT library, where they remain today. I was also the coach of the Elite Triathlon team, creating weekly workout plans to meet the individual needs of the athletes and help them reach their respective goals. Those workouts also remain in the library of INTENT. I did not want to leave INTENT, quite the opposite. Let me explain.

This isn't the place to go over all the details of what happened. Its to clarify what I am doing now. The prevailing thought is that myself and the owners of INTENT had come to an agreement to part ways, and that we have maintained a friendship through today. That's 100% incorrect. There is no friendship, we don't meet for lunch or coffee or communicate with each other in any way. They have a coaching system and company, I have a coaching system, and I remain a very, very active Endurance coach, as well as a very active strength and conditioning coach. I was, in the opinion of one of its principals, a "non-traditional coach". Interestingly enough, my "non-traditional methods" brought INTENT athletes and members quite a bit of success. Don't take my word for it, the results speak for themselves.

My skill set is now being put to its proper use at the place I call home - CrossFit Iron Flag, in Westmont, IL. I'm extremely fortunate to be a part of their coaching team, and even more grateful for the warm response and welcoming I've received from all its members. I've been there for 5 weeks, and can't say enough good things about it. Regardless of your opinion with respect to CrossFit, the community aspect is something that I have not seen replicated at any other gym, or in any other sport, or area of fitness. Not to mention, the level of comprehensiveness of the training methodology - a holistic approach to exercise, nutrition, hydration and sleep, which provides much more than just a "workout" for clients, is something that I truly appreciate. All of the work I have done studying, researching and experimenting is not only appreciated, but respected and sought after. Communication, sharing of ideas and training principles is at the core of what we do at Iron Flag. And its what keeps the members coming back.

Somehow, the fact that I work at a CrossFit gym has had people believing that I have stopped, or suddenly forgot how to coach endurance athletes. Nothing could be further from the truth. I maintain a stable of endurance athletes, functional fitness athletes, and personal training clients. I utilize principles from Crossfit Endurance, as well as my own experimentation with training to provide a truly comprehensive training program, looking at all areas - nutrition, rest, hydration, stress levels, and health markers. Making someone do an FTP test every 6 weeks on a kickr doesn't tell the whole story of how much stronger you are getting on the bike. Same with a 5k run test. Tests that occur in a vacuum don't give the real data. Its like playing basketball with 1 hand tied behind your back. You can only get so far before you get the ball stripped or knocked on your ass by a defender.

If it isn't clear, the only relationship that I have with INTENT, is as a competitor. This is no different than any other coaching system out there. I wish no ill will to them, this is a business. But the reality of the situation needs to be known because its very confusing to people when it comes to what I am doing, who I coach, what type of athletes I want to coach, that I am seeking to coach. Its also frustrating when I am put in the uncomfortable situation of having to answer questions regarding INTENT and my relationship with them. There isn't one. Its that simple. Aside from the company, I discovered that many of the "friendships" were primarily based on what I could give people while I was there. Disappointing, but not surprising. Its like the old saying goes - you know who your true friends are when times are tough. But that kind of cleansing removed unnecessary drama and has allowed me to train, race and coach with significant better clarity.

I want it to be known that I do not disrespect what INTENT or any other coaching system does, or how they conduct business. People do what they need to do, they create systems they feel work best. It can't be overstated that there are a million different ways to get to the top of the mountain. People want options when it comes to coaching. I'm a big believer in the system I use, in the people who have always been by my side, that being, the team of coaches at Crossfit Endurance and Athletes Cell. I've never had to doubt their loyalty or faith in me. That feeling is like a warm blanket when you come in from the cold. Never questioned it once, and don't have to. I'm very lucky and blessed to have that.

My point is, if you want to know what happened, whether its the situation I discussed, or anything in life, have the balls to speak to the person. I know, if its on the interwebs, it must be true, right? Be better than that. Actually have a conversation with someone. Ask the uncomfortable questions. Its the only way to clear the air, and to move forward. Because that's the only way I know. And I haven't stopped moving forward. You shouldn't either.

Stay strong,

Guy

Product review time - Skora Running Shoes - the rebirth of a quality minimalist shoe

Hey all,

Lately I've been getting asked where I got the rather unusual looking running shoes that I've been sporting for all distances and surfaces. Particularly from my friends and clients who are minimalist running shoe fans, and have been, like me, searching tirelessly for a reliable, quality, no bs shoe to fit our needs. I'm actually a little upset at myself for not posting about this earlier, but its time I shared with all of you what I've discovered.

A few months ago, while in my search for the elusive aforementioned shoe, I came upon a small company that looked promising. I wouldn't realize how promising until I laced up my first pair. And since then, I couldn't imagine running in anything else. So what is this "unicorn" shoe? Skora running shoes. Let me explain why.

Skora's site is exactly like its shoes - simple, stripped down, devoid of any fluff. Its a true minimalist shoe that delivers exactly what it promises. Every shoe is a zero drop, with varying levels of cushioning, a more glove like feel to all their shoes, with just enough room in the toe box. The first shoe I tried in their line was the FIT, a zero drop shoe with an 11 mm platform. Its provides a wide toe box, but not so big that you are sloshing around without control. Unlike other wide toe box shoes, these have more of a glove feel, without you looking like a marionette when running. Boasting 6.6 oz, for a size 9 men's, my shoes weighed in at just about 7 oz, for size 10.5. But I swore the shoes felt closer to 4 oz flats while running. You remain in control, amazing proprioception, with a plush ride. My first spin was a 10 miler with high speed intervals mixed in. My feet felt light, as if I wasn't wearing shoes, could feel myself ripping up asphalt while not experiencing any issues.

After a few more runs in them, I found myself heading into a strength and conditioning workout, wanting to experiment with the shoes a bit more. As a crossfit endurance athlete, I was curious to see how the shoe would hold up in body weight workouts, and light weight workouts. I was not disappointed, as the shoe held up extremely well while preforming moderately heavy deadlifts and back squats, giving me more options with this valuable shoe. Not to mention, the sticky surface made sled pulls and pushes and rope climbs easy to do. Not many running shoes can promise the ability to crush a marathon and then turn around and deadlift 250.

From the FIT, I tried the Tempos, a more cushioned running shoe, with a 22 mm footbed, still, zero drop. Unlike other zero drop shoes with MASSIVE cushioning, the Tempos were light, the cushioning was more than enough to handle harsh roads, and extremely breathable. Unquestionably the most breathable shoe I've used in a long time. A perfect distance running shoe for someone looking to switch to something more minimal, but not having the foot and ankle strength make the switch to something like the FIT. Best part, the shoe is 7.2 oz, men's size 9, and can easily handle long and short distances. I'd recommend this for someone who is looking for a light weight training shoe, or racing shoe, without a ton of bells and whistles to weigh you down. The breathability of the shoe promises less chance of overheating, meaning, less blisters, less sloshing in wet shoes.

Most recently, I've been using the PHASE shoes, a slightly heavier shoe with an 11 mm footbed. These shoes are my work horse shoes. They are supple, light weight at 7.2 oz for size 9, but still providing the same feel as the FIT. Again, a plush ride, breathable, capable of handling road and trail easily. The beauty of the shoe - the sticky compound bottom that provides a grip like feel to the road, glove like feel on your feet, and enough room in the toe box so you don't feel constricted as the miles go up.

So who are these shoes built for? Well, if you are someone who is used to a minimalist shoe, this is far and away, a home run. I see the Tempo's as the future of minimalist racing shoes not only for runners, but triathletes as well. The cushioning matched with the breathable material is a distance athlete's dream. If you are an efficient runner, you can easily handle long distances in either the FIT or PHASE models as well. The FIT can be a go-to racing shoe, that has more cushioning than your average running flat, with a zero drop so you are feeling the tarmac as you tear it up. All shoes run true to size, so if you order on-line, don't fear, you will be good to go.

I haven't been this impressed with a running shoe in a long time. Go to www.skorarunning.com. You'll be glad you did.

Did I mention they come in some rather bad ass colors? Yeah, that's the icing. Enjoy

Stay strong,

Guy

The Mid-winter check - the drop off, the "heroes" and the inability to keep your eyes on your own paper

"Obstacles are those frightful things that you see when you take your eyes off your goals"

Henry Ford

Its that time of the year when you start to see things unravel. The new year's resolutions of getting into shape, or getting fit or healthy start to fall apart; the notion of "dieting" becomes more of a chore than an experiment, you're tired of the same classes at your gym, etc. At the same time, this is when I see endurance athletes start to compete for the "I train the most hours" award among friends or teammates. You know who you are - you're first race isn't until June, but you are doing 25 hours a week of training because, "gotta lay that base down bro!". So how do we address both sides? Well, it all starts with remembering what it was that got you going in the first place.

If you live in the Midwest like me, I get it. The weather sucks, its been gray for what seems like an eternity, and you know at some point, we will get more snow. Yes, the days are getting longer, but the sun isn't the star attraction. So getting in a funk is easy. Forgetting why you wanted to get healthy gets lost among the bills from the holidays; the idea of making it to the same 5:45 am spin class seems less exciting, especially when you know exactly what's going to happen at each minute, and the Superbowl and Valentine's day provide plenty of excuses to eat poorly, and consume too much booze. The question is, why does this happen? What changed in 6 weeks? Its usually 1 of 2 things - a. You took your eye off the ball and forgot what the motivating factor was to create lasting change in your life, b. You never had a plan for you, and spent time following someone else's plan, or got caught up trying to "compete" with others. Both are recipes for disaster.

Truth is, any change you want to make, is a result of creating a habit. Good or bad, the consistency of your actions creates a pattern; physically we create muscle memory, chemically, we crave things like sugary carbohydrates if we are constantly consuming them. But these things only happen because of what you do, not what the class instructor, nor your teammate, nor your coach are doing or not doing. Because last I checked, we don't share the same DNA. So what works for your friend, most likely won't work for you. And that's why people come undone. How many people do you know sign up for gym memberships as a couple at the start of the New year, only to see one of them stop coming entirely after 6 weeks? Its not because they don't want to get healthy, they just don't see the light because they are looking at someone else's paper. They didn't dial in their goals. There wasn't enough specificity tied to them, so it provided them an opportunity to quit.Without a plan, without knowing exactly what you want, you are setting yourself up to fail. You stopped believing in you. You can't convince or expect others to believe in you if you don't believe in yourself. And you can't expect people to want the same goals as you, because they are yours and yours alone. It doesn't mean people won't be supportive, but you can't wait around for the support to pursue your goals. You've got to be your biggest supporter. Others will jump on in time. But you've got to be prepared to go it alone for a bit to prove to yourself that you are worth it.

This ties directly into athletes who are so consumed with capacity or volume that they have lost sight of fixing the issues that stemmed from years past. You can't out-run, out-swim, out-bike bad form. It will rear its ugly head and put you on the shelf. But all I see from social media are selfies of kickrs burning, long trail runs ending in pain, and ridiculous swim sets that are leaving people broken. Why? Social media is a good scapegoat; pro athletes or age groupers posting about their "epic" days of training get age groupers or other pros freaked out and get them thinking "I'm not doing enough!!! Shit! I need to log more time! I am going to ditch the skill work, the strength work- the IMPORTANT stuff, the stuff that prevents INJURY and I'm going straight to my bike to crush watts!" You know them. By May, they are dealing with a nagging injury that will prevent them from realizing their potential. They have a built in excuse to fail. They couldn't keep their eyes on their own paper, and just like that, the wheels come off.

I'll give you an example of how paying too much attention to your competition, or your friends, teammates, etc, can prevent you from discovering how amazing they can be. 2 years ago, Jason Khalipa started a campaign called "What is Froning doing?" He had finished 2nd in 2013 at the Crossfit Games to Rich Froning, and was determined to win in 2014. However, the minute he started to care so much about what his competition was doing, he lost sight of what he needed to be doing, his own holes in his fitness, and the elements he needed to assure his own success. Result - he finished 3rd in 2014, behind who? Rich Froning. Why did Rich win? Well, he focused on what he needed to do. He honed his talents, worked his weaknesses, and took the top spot for the 4th year in a row.

Bottom line - you have to focus on you. Getting distracted in our twitter/Instagram/Facebook/SnapChat era, staying focused is easy. Too easy. Staying true to your goals, to your passion, that's hard. But its worth it. If you are on that edge, and wondering why you are where you are - remember why you started in the first place. This doesn't mean you won't fail. It doesn't mean that the road won't be difficult at times. But looking for others to lead the way isn't going to do it for you. Stop worrying about the "other guy/girl". Anyone can look like a badass on social media. I'm happy being the guy working in the dark while others are checking to see who "friended" them on Facebook. I don't need people to see me do work to know I'm getting it done; doing what I need to do. So, who do you want to be? The answer is going to help you determine how you will handle the doldrums of winter.

Stay strong,

Guy

Tales from the Front - Capacity and competency - are you "earning the right" to do more work?

Competence (As defined by Websters) - the quality of being competent, adequacy, possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification or capacity.

Capacity (As defined by Websters) - the ability to receive or contain; the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained; cubic contents; volume - i.e. The inn is filled to capacity. The capacity of this gas tank is 20 gallons.

A new year, and with it, new ways to view the work we do, how we do it, when to do it, and why. What sparked my recent interest in the discussion of capacity and competency? Much of it came from my own training and racing; realizing why my coach would up my volume at certain times and decrease it at others. As we discussed the "why" and "when" of my own training, I began to look at my own coaching, teaching, breaking down the word - competency. Webster's can define it, but what does that mean in terms of training? Moreover, what or how do we apply it:? When? The same could be said for capacity. So let's look at this a little deeper.

In the terms of training, endurance athletes, and functional fitness athletes, have a pretty good understanding of capacity. To put it another way, the amount of work we can do. If you ask a triathlete, they will quickly quote you the amount of hours, or miles they put in during a week of training. They can break it down into each specific area, and thanks to the power of GPS watches, give you the exact distance to the millimeter. They are quick to puff out their chests to let you know that they cranked out 25 hours, 60 miles of running, etc, and in the month of January, with no race planned till May. They put on Normatec boots, pop up their legs, and figure all is good in the world. Yet, they are perplexed as to why they have a nagging injury that started to creep up in March, then becomes a full scale problem in April.

Functional fitness athletes are not an exception to this rule. They pile on hours in the gym and outside it, then quickly place the pads of a stim system or hope that a lacrosse ball, or a foam roller is going to solve all their problems. But all the mobility in the world, all the cool, new gadgets can't fix perhaps the most overlooked part of training - competency.

How does competency work or fit in the world of training? Its simple - its the "how" you do the work you have prescribed. If you are running, and know that your gait is messed up, that you have a heavy heel strike, and experience chronic pain after every run, then your competence in running is not what it should be. Hoping to out-run or "roll out" your issues isn't fixing the real issue - you need to improve run form. Once your form, or run competence has improved, then adding in intensity and distance is safe and will yield the results you want. Same goes for all disciplines - swim, and bike, and, yes, transitions.

The carry over to functional fitness athletes is no different. Look, I love Crossfit. My coach is Crossfit Endurance coach, and a damn good one. But he wasn't allowing me to through a ton of weight around or run a bunch of insane mileage while my run form and squat form were garbage. We needed to go backwards a bit to make real forward progress. For all of you FF athletes out there, I know Rich Froning set the standard for work ethic - 10 hour days of training in prep for his 4 CF titles. But that wouldn't have been possible without having the competence in everything he did. And, even with that amount of training, he still had weaknesses exposed during his runs to the titles. He didn't win every event. He didn't always place in the top 5 of every event.

 Competency isn't something that you work on for a week or a month and then forget. Its constant. Its a huge part of the training process. The more you work on your competency in ever area of your sport, hell, your life, the more work you can handle. Simply put - you can't out-work bad form or bad competency.

But what is it that makes us skip this critical step, essentially putting ourselves in the same position year after year? January is typically when endurance athletes kick it up a notch, and we see spikes in the volume of training. But in all that volume, there is rarely any skill work? Why? I know so many athletes who in the month of October, bemoaned the fact they didn't do enough drill work in the pool. They swear, that come the next season, they will make skill work a part of every swim. And then amnesia sets in as January 1st rolls around and they are still thrashing in the water, gasping for air. We have created a sense of urgency on "amount" of work vs the quality of it. Should someone who suffers during every kick set of a swim continue to add more yardage to the workout? No. Fix your kick. If you are going to add pool time, make it skill work first. We are so deathly afraid that our friends or our competition, or are training partners are doing "so much more work than me!" that we lose sight of what our needs are, what our goals are. This sense of panic can be toxic to an athlete, and can lead to illness and injury.

I'm not saying that the moment you come to terms with the fact that your run, swim, deadlift, clean, needs work, is easy. Its not easy admitting that you need to take a step back and work on your competence in the areas that give you the most trouble. But its the most critical step at improving. If you can't be honest with yourself about the lack of competence you have in your sport, then you lose the right to complain about not getting faster, stronger, better. Either consciously or unconsciously, we all know there are areas of our sport that need work. I've been there, several times. Coming to terms with it is tough as hell. Its a knock to your ego. But guess what? Fuck your ego. Your ego is preventing you from doing the stuff that is most critical to your improvement. You might have a massive engine, but if the wheels don't turn correctly when you steer, it doesn't matter. Face your flaws and fix them now. Or don't. Just know that you control the outcome. If you don't fix flaws they are bound to haunt you at the worst possible times. Its just how they work.

Here's your equation - better competence allows for more capacity. That capacity will produce better results as a byproduct. Keep it simple, be an adult. Deal with your shit. You'll be glad you did.

Stay strong,

Guy