Firebreather Fitness

There will be no classes at FF today due to the competition. Instead, we are going to run a WOD at Magic Island in Charleston directly after the last event is over. The last event starts at noon and it’s hard to say exactly when it will end so come on up at noon and cheer your fellow Firebreathers on and be preapaired to knock out a wod when it’s done.

STANDINGS AFTER  DAY ONE:

MEN

1. 9 points        Hootie
2. 11 points       Craig C
3. 31 points      Jason McC
4. 43 points     Cameron
5. 44 points     Ben S
6. 45 points     Matt O
7. 45 points     Noah P
8. 47 points     Wally
9. 47 points     Nick B
10. 48 points     Randy H

WOMEN

1. 14 points      Linsey L
2. 16 points      Ashley W
3. 16 points      Caroline P
4. 18 points      Angie P
5. 27 points     Amber P
6. 27 points     Erika B
7. 30 points     Angela S
8. 34 points     Candice
9. 37 pointa     Ariella
10. 39 points     Leslie S

There will be NO classes today due to the competition. Please come up and support you fellow Firebreathers as they represent our box at the WV Games CrossFit Challenge in Charleston on Magic Island. The 1st event starts at 10:00 am, 2nd event at noon and 3rd event at 4:00 pm.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE COMPETING TODAY AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME TO HELP OUT WITH THIS EVENT!! IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

WAX ON….WAX OFF

Remember the movie “The Karate Kid” from 1984? Not that weird reincarnation with Will Smith’s kid and Jackie Chan (that I still want to see), but the original one with Daniel Laruso, his nemesis Johnny, and good ol’ Mr. Miyagi? Yep, you saw it, and you loved it like everyone else did. Don’t lie. For some strange reason I was thinking about this movie the other day, and thanks to my amazing ability to relate *everything* to CrossFit, I would like to share a hidden CrossFit message in the teachings of Mr. Miyagi.

Here’s the scene: Mr. Miyagi lays down a challenge at the Cobra-Kai dojo that Daniel will kick Johnny’s ass at the upcoming karate tournament. Daniel, not knowing even how to *spell* karate at the time, shows up to meet Mr. Miyagi the next morning to begin his training. Mr. Miyagi sits him down to enter into a sacred pact with Daniel before his training starts. It went something like this:

“I promise teach karate. That my part. You promise learn. I say, you do, no questions. That your part.”

Then he straps that headband on Daniel to make him look like a complete fruitcake, and Daniel gets to washing his cars, painting his fence, sanding his floor, and painting his house. None of it makes sense to him and he doesn’t especially like doing any of it, but Mr. Miyagi is teaching him the basics of karate and simultaneously strengthening the movements necessary to be good at it. Yeah, that was a cool part of the movie, wasn’t it?

While the chances are superb that I won’t be strapping a headband to anyone’s head, I do appreciate the honesty and simplicity of the sacred pact. Hell, I may even make it part of the membership contract! The honest truth is that my promise to each one of you is that I will do anything I can to teach you as much about CrossFit as you can absorb. I will always gladly and freely share any information, technique, coaching tip, motivational point, or kick in the ass you need to help you learn more about how to improve yourself as an athlete. I will not always tell you what I am doing or why I am doing it, but I assure you that the purpose behind whatever crazy thing I may be asking you to do is strictly for your benefit.

My part of the deal is always on my mind, even long after I’ve left the gym (you can ask Danielle about that if you don’t believe me!). I spend a lot of time learning, practicing, reading, watching, observing, pondering, and developing new and better ways to fulfill my promise to guide you to greatness.

Just don’t forget your part.

I found this article on the mainpage that was written by a trainer at CrossFit Montgomery County MD.  Although I didn’t write the words, I can assure you that this holds true at our facility as well. Long after the classes are over and all of you Firebreathers are at home reflecting on the days events and journaling ( with sore hands ) in your nutrition / wod book, we are talking about what went right or what we would have liked to changed about that days classes. We are constantly talking about you and your progress and what we should do keep you motivated and challenged. Our biggest Benchmark is YOUR progress, YOUR accomplishments, when YOU hit a goal and set the bar just a little higher than it was before, if YOU look at a task and say WHY NOT. Everything about what we do is “Constantly Varied”. Please take this new challenge with the same mindset as you do on every wod.     3 … 2 … 1 … GO!!!      ~ Firebreather Fitness Coaching Staff

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• There will be a 5:30 “Nutrition for Newbies” class today with Coach J
• Volunteers are needed for this weekends competition. If you can help, e-mail Coach J and be at Magic Island between 8 and 8:30 Saturday am
• Competitors need to have your entry fees to Coach J by 8pm today
• No classes on Saturday due to the competition. Please come up and support your team
• Sunday’s wod will be held at Magic Island after the last event and before the cookout

There will be NO 9:30 am class today.

We won’t be posting the WOD’s for a while.  I heard someone say they don’t come in on days that they aren’t good at.  Well how  do you ever plan on getting better at them??? This isn’t the YMCA.  We aren’t here to work on the peak of our bicep, or only train what we’re good at.  This is CrossFit.  We are here to get you ready for everyday life.  We train you for the UNKNOWN and UNKNOWABLE.  This isn’t a personal attack at any one person.  This is just something that we are going to try for a while.  We are also doing this to see just how your bodies react.  Is it going to be 2 long days in a row? Will there be 2 heavy lifting days in a row?  How am I REALLY feeling?  Can I go another day? Do I need to take a rest day?  These are all questions you’re going to be facing soon.  Don’t bother texting the Coaches and asking what the WOD is we won’t tell you.  Don’t bother looking at the CF Thunder site  because they’re not posting for a while either.  If we find out people in the morning are telling people in the evening what the WOD is, there WILL  be a penalty.  This isn’t punishment, this is for your benefit.  We will be posting articles from CrossFit, from other CrossFit sites, and just articles in general! Let’s see how mentally and physically ready your previous training has gotten you for what lies ahead! 3…2…1…GO!!!
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From our good friend Lisbeth at CrossFit Watertown!

“This is my Gym”

This is my gym.

These bars are my bars. When I put more bumpers on the ends, I get stronger. But when I take heavy weight off, I can go faster.

These rings are my rings. When I am strong, I can hold my arms out farther and test my strength. But when I am weaker, I draw everything close and just hang on.

This iron is my iron. The weight I try to lift in this life. It hurts me but it makes me grow. I’m stronger now than I was a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, a decade ago. And I’m only getting stronger.

Does that scare you? It should. My power is legendary, my strength is inspiring, my life is a testimony to the heart that beats so strong in me and the soul that goes so deep.

I am a CrossFitter. And this is my gym.

WOD A

12 rounds of  ” Cindy “ for time

1 round of “Cindy” = 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats

~ or ~

” FRAN “

21 – 15 – 9

• Thrusters  95 lb / 65 lb
• Pull Ups

“Mindset”  - Originally Posted 9/28/2008 

      Why are some athletes better than others?  How can that one phenom do all those WoDs so much faster?  Why does athlete “a” get better results from CF than “b”?   How can some girls and guys post the fastest times and highest scores day in and day out?  What is it they are doing differently?  It’s simple.  Just watch one of them.  They all have things in commom.  

     Just before the count of 3, 2, 1…  go!  They change.  Some may give a nod and slight smirk.  Others stare directly ahead with no measurable emotion showing.  But each has a visibly notable change in demeanor just before the WoD begins.  All anticipate the command of “Go” as they hope to shave even a tenth of a second by starting the WoD on the “guh” sound of go. 

     During the workout, they don’t mess about…  they push themselves and spare no effort.  They waste no time on water.  They know it’ll be over before they’re dehydrated.  And you’ll not see them going for more chalk either.  They are confident their grip will last.  They do not waste energy on motion that does not contribute to the end.  

     They push themselves to the point of collapse, and then maintain that pace.  It’s at that pace they’ve learned intensity can be optimized.  If at this pace they push any harder, they will have to slow for a break.  Any slower and they’re wasting time.  This pace is uncomfortable and painful.  

    These athletes induce upon themselves extreme physiological stress.  The perceived lack of oxygen and the heart beating at near maximum rate elicits signals from the brain telling the body to slow or stop.  But the athlete ignores the signals and tells his/herself that it’s only a warning, not a mandate, from the brain and they do not have to adhere.    

     At this intensity, the lungs produce fluid to be coughed up while rolling around on the floor after the WoD.  Add in blurred vision, auditory exclusion, numb fingers, hands, and even arms.  And let’s not forget degradation of fine and often, gross motor skills.  And when he or she is done they’ll deal with the blisters and bleeding. 

     The discomfort and pain of this threshold dissipates quickly and are replaced with the rewards of accomplishment.  And the reward is worth it. 

    The lowest common denominator, the one common characteristic that all the champions and elite of any sport, competition, military unit, MMA, and CrossFit is mindset.  In these athletes, exists the ability to put aside the unimportant and go focus on the goal.  And then do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.  But not just acheive it, exceed it and to make the goal insignificant and only a stairstep to the next.  

    So the next time you finish up a workout, presumably today or tomorrow at the latest, and walk out of your training facility, to get into your car and drive away.  Ask yourself this…   “am I ok to drive”.  If it’s an easy “yes”, then one of two things happened at with your workout.  Either you took ample time to cool down and recover.  Or you didn’t give it your all.  

Think about it.