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It all started from a friend, a colleague, a peer . . .
From being bored with the same routine, from plateauing time and time again . . .
I wanted to get healthy, I wanted people around me who cared . . .

They called it constantly varied, functional movements, executed at high intensity . . .

It's about taking the first step -

It's called CrossFit and I friggin' love it!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

When In Rome

Welcome to a CrossFit gym, after the last couple of weeks I have seen a lot of new folks coming in and it is intriguing to see the folks who have just started, been here awhile, and those that have been here since the beginning react to new folks coming to check out the box. . .


I will tell you right up front that this post is not about the movie. . .

Eeeek, that would make the rest of this blog really, really awkward:

A)  Why is he writing about Kristen Bell?
B)  No, I haven't seen it. . . yet
C)  What does this have to do with CrossFit?
D)  Are one of the stars of the movie doing CrossFit?

 None of the above questions or statements are of any concern to this particular blog, and my apologies for running off on a tangent.

Back to the really interesting stuff that drew you into reading this. . .

My favorite line so far from a current member has hands down been, "Look, I brought you a new victim," and I responded with, "What?  I'm not a murderer. . ."  The really interesting part was that the individual who went through the workout liked it . . . a lot.  Certain workouts have a tendency to really speak to the meaning of CrossFit.  If you told somebody that all you did last night was jump rope and sit-ups, they would look at you like you are crazy.  But really that's what we did, the little burner WOD (Workout of the Day) was "Annie".  And Annie is deceiving like most CrossFit workouts:
50-40-30-20-10 is the rep scheme and the workout is a couplet (meaning two movements), so we performed 50 Double Unders (where the jump rope passes through twice on a single jump), 50 sit-ups, 40 DU's, 40 sit-ups, 30 DU's, 30 sit-ups, etc all the way down to 10 and 10.  Interestingly enough, most people I had spoken with before the workout were concerned with the jump rope, but the consensus after the workout was that the sit-ups got to be really, really difficult. What we can tell off the bat is that we had a misconception regarding the workout, secondly, we find that what we believe may have not been a weakness could potentially be one.

Many people walked into the box last night to discuss CrossFit, and I do want to shout out to all the classes, you folks put on a clinic!  "Annie" is by far one of my favorite workouts to perform, it combines coordination, focus, balance, speed, cardiovascular endurance, and strength to perform that workout (maybe not to the level of "Helen").  From a Coaching perspective, it was interesting to watch the points at which people stopped to breathe, they laid on the ground catching their breath in the middle of sit-ups, and I am happy to conclude that people kept plugging along getting the work done.

But folks walk in and you inspired them, hence why the title of when in rome.  It was funny that most of the folks that were watching didn't get to see the smiles and laughter afterwards, of which there was plenty.  As they come in, say hello and tell'em what a good time can be had by all.


Fun Fact:
"When in Rome..." came from St Ambrose: "si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi" which means "if you are in Rome, live in the Roman way; if you are elsewhere, live as they do there".

It is not about Rome, it is a piece of fine advice telling you to adapt yourself to the local customs of where-ever. Rome was probably chosen as the apex of civilization in its day for St Ambrose.

On a side note - my own opinion; "It is meant to be if you are visiting a strange land, respect the customs of where you are. If you do not want to stand out as an obvious tourist, learn and respect the way people do things."

-Coach Tony

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