Carson CrossFit

My favorite questions to ask new faces in our gym are, “What is your fitness goal?” and “Why are you here?”.

Some want to lose weight, others want to gain.  Some want to be swole, others want to tone.  Initially, many of the answers I hear are aesthetic.

Then something magical happens.

I ask, “How long have you been with us?” and “How are you feeling?”.  The consistent answer I receive after a few weeks is that you feel strong!  The number on the scale doesn’t matter as much as it used to, because it doesn’t reflect how different your clothes fit and how much better you feel.

Be strong, my friends!  With consistency, everything else will follow.

There are many CrossFitters who don’t believe in wearing gloves.  This post is not for you.  Rock those rough, torn hands proudly!

I don’t cover my hands every workout.  When I do, these are my top three accessories:

1. Lifting Grips, $5 - I frequently use them for pull-ups and toes-to-bar

(http://www.amazon.com/Greenfield-Big-Back-Lifting-Grips/dp/B0082RAOMC/ref=sr_1_9?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1427406982&sr=1-9&keywords=lifting+grips)

2. Leather batting gloves with seamless palm, ~$22 - I might use them during Part B when there are high rep cleans, snatches, or kipping pull-ups/ttb.

(http://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Clean-Batting-Gloves/dp/B00CD7FPTE/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1427407026&sr=1-1&keywords=under+armour+batting+gloves)

3. Gymnastics Grips, ~$12 - I only like them for practicing muscle-ups with a false grip.

(http://www.amazon.com/Epic-MMA-Gear-Gymnastics-Grips/dp/B00BDQTVQO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8)

Keep your hands happy!

Write your goals down!!

Be aware of where you are in the process to achieving your goals!

Keep it constantly varied!

Is there a better song in the history of songs that compares to Rocky’s Eye of the Tiger. Nothing conjures up that feeling of “I’m kicking ass today!” than remembering how DETERMINED Rocky was in every single movie. (My personal favorite contender is still Drago)

Wait, what?

In the year that I’ve joined the CrossFit community, one of my favorite excuses that I’ve heard people give of why they’ve hesitated in joining CrossFit is this: they’re afraid of “getting big.” Which leads to the question…are you serious? Ok, maybe that’s a bit harsh, but hear me out.

Did you know that our box’s original tag line was “Rock your Fitness”?  That was rooted in Dustin’s love for music and his background as a DJ.  Our tag line has since changed to “Be Carson Strong”.

As a throwback to our roots, my song pick for the week is “Somebody” by Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaRypcAQGps).  This song makes me want to get up and dance!  I can’t think of a better place or a better group of people to Rock my Fitness with!

Happy Friday!

What sets BoxLife Magazine apart from other fitness publications is that the content is contributed by CrossFit athletes: people who truly understand this lifestyle.  It’s one of my favorite resources because the articles are relevant, educational, inspiring and entertaining.

This list of 21 habits to break is brilliant!  Take a few minutes to read and reflect.  Be honest with yourself.  How many of these habits apply to you?  Now who’s ready to be a better CrossFitter???!!!  Me!

Happy Friday!

Hey Guys!

Happy Hump Day! Here’s one of my picks that gets me pumped on the way over to the box. If it just so happens to come onto one of our Pandora stations, this is a great song to focus and concentrate on instead of listening to your body's angry screaming begging you to give up. There’s even a little bit at the end where you can catch your breath and look back at all the hard work you’ve done, and the sweat you’ve left behind. 

What do you like to listen to? Let us know in our ask box!

Artist: Finch

Song: Daylight

Keep it constantly varied!

Where's my motivation?

We all have those days where our mental state tries its best to convince us that sitting on the couch is just as great of an idea as back squatting for a PR.

Sound about right?

As appealing as the idea is of "relaxing" and telling yourself, "eh, I'll just go tomorrow!", realize that for some, this one step into the abyss of "tomorrow" can become "next week" and then you inadvertently begin the game all over again.  

An easy way to avoid your daily struggles from interfering with your well laid plans is to make and commit to a schedule. As Jen mentioned last week, 3 days on, 1 day off is the typical CrossFit schedule for rest days, and this works well if you are an unlimited member. For 3 times a week members, plan your weekly schedule ahead of time so that you can take full advantage of your membership and still get results. Don't forget about the technique class on Thursdays at 8pm that is included with all memberships. 

Whatever your schedule looks like for the week, remember to stay committed  and meet those goals! We all know life gets in the way sometimes, and emergencies will come up. However, staying committed is the only way to get the results you're looking for.

See you at the bar!

Every so often when friends ask me about CrossFit, this question invariably pops up: “isn’t it dangerous?!” To which I reply, very adamantly, “No!,” and it’s true. CrossFit itself is NOT dangerous.

Injuries are typically caused by improper form, attempting a skill (or lifting a load) that you’re not ready for, and over-training.

Understand your current limitations and fitness level.  If you have mobility issues, work on them!  If you have old/nagging injuries, you may need to supplement with targeted strength work.

Listen to your coaches.  They want to help you correct bad movement patterns. They will push you to work at an appropriate level of intensity. They will progress you up to advanced movements and heavy loads, when they feel you are ready.

Give your muscles a chance to recuperate by taking rest days.  Three days on, one day off is the pattern you’ll find on the CrossFit main page.  Find a pattern that works for you!

Stay safe!

It’s common to hear athletes say that “the community” is an important reason why they enjoy CrossFit. Over the past two years at Carson CrossFit, I’ve seen members come and go. I’ve watched individuals thrive and friendships grow. I am proud of the community we have formed here; full of strong, friendly, encouraging and inspiring athletes!

A little etiquette goes a long way, my friends! This image is a nice reminder of things we should all do individually, things that will help our community thrive. Take a second to introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. Cheer for your peers until everyone is done with the WOD. Clean your blood, sweat, chalk, and tape off the floor and equipment. Return everything you use to its proper place. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!!

Feeling nutty?

One of the most common questions we get is...what can I eat for a snack? Here's half of the battle in answering that question: it's not that simple of an answer to give. Our natural instinct is going to be to ask...why? Are you feeling hungry too often? Are you craving anything? Are you feeling like you're starving? If the answer to any of these is yes, it means you're probably restricting too much at once and your body is protesting. If that's the case, we'll lead you to a better answer than simply giving you a list of "snacks."

The real answer, if you're simply looking for something new or one of our favorites, is NUTS! This mix from Target is my absolute favorite. Their unsalted Raw Mixed Nuts is a peanut free mix that will leave you satisfied during that long drive or during the afternoon lull at work. HOWEVER, take into consideration that as with everything, serving size is important. In this case, no more than 1/4 cup a DAY! Although it could be tempting, refrain from taking the whole tub with you and instead consider portioning out with little snack sized bags. Combined with a small fruit, this snack will tide you over until your next healthy meal. 

Advanced apologies for the "quick" Target trip that'll leave you buying more than you need :)

SUCCESS requires trying, not wishful thinking.

As the month of January comes to a close and our New Year's resolutions settle into reality, let's take a moment to remember that unrealistic expectations will only lead to the very realistic feeling of failure. But this failure is ultimately a chance for all of us to realize that underneath it all, we are very much human and are given the unique opportunity to get up and try again.

Whether you have stumbled into CrossFit for fitness, weight loss or weight gain, we are all in the same battle: coming out a success story. Are you ready to continue the challenge? After all, only you control your score card.