PUSH511 - BlogFit

Prior to his death, Randy Pausch gave a lecture entitled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”, also referred to as “The Last Lecture.” This lecture was given around the time that Pausch had received news that he had terminal pancreatic cancer, and had a few months left to live. He gave this lecture to discuss the importance of seizing each moment, because “Time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think". After explaining his prognosis, Pausch gave the quote, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” When we apply the meaning of this quote to our own health and wellness, this has a powerful impact. Sit back and think about this. We are all dealt a hand of cards. Our genes. Our family history. Many of us have family histories and are therefore predisposed to conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. We cannot change our family history. Without a solid foundation of consistent balanced nutrition and exercise, we are more likely to develop these conditions, altering our long-term health outcomes. 

Something as fundamental as nutrition should not be complicated. We can help! Sign up for a free intro session. Now, think about this: Every choice you make today, even the choices you deem small or insignificant, have the cumulative power to make a huge impact on your health outcomes. We are all dealt a hand of cards. We cannot change our genetic makeup. However, we do have the power today to seize each moment. We have the power today to make healthy choices: eat more balanced meals, drink water, consume less sugar, and move our bodies. Nutrition coaching offering individualized programming begins to lay the foundation for long-term health. Achieving health is not done in 4 or 6 weeks. It takes dedication and commitment, and is best done with an accountability partner - a nutrition coach that is encouraging you, and helping you to dial in the details, and addressing behaviors that derail goal attainment. Ongoing nutrition coaching along with consistent work in the gym is truly the best way to help us play the hand we are dealt and minimize our risk of developing chronic disease and ultimately be the healthiest version of ourselves.   We have the power today to play our hand of cards that we are dealt, to alter our course, and achieve long-term health, live a life without the burden of chronic disease. That is a powerful thought. Go out and make these healthy choices today, be well, and LIVE.

There are two misconceptions about losing weight and eating healthy in the long-term that can be mentally challenging to overcome: 1. It is only hard at the beginning 2. Progress is a straight line We usually focus on the start of the healthy eating process. You start with action steps, slowly learn how to eat the right balance of foods, and adopt healthy habits that help you reach your goals. Those first few months feel like they are the hardest. However, there can be just as many challenges 1, 5 or 10 years in, and it is important to recognize that in order to be successful in the long term.

Do you need help setting goals? Come in for a free intro and let us help you! For example, one summer, you may have a string of weddings. The following winter, you may have several work and family trips. These interruptions to your routine, even if you have been doing it for two years, can feel like setbacks. During these times, it is important to take a step back, remember that it is only a small chunk of time in your long-term progress, and make new steps for yourself that help you during this time. Just because you have been doing it for 5 years doesn't mean that new action steps are not needed. Here is where the idea that progress is not a straight line comes into play. You build healthy habits, but sometimes you fall off. Maybe that month, your body fat increases a little bit. That is ok! It is important to move on and not focus on the setback. Focusing on it will cause more stress to your body. Instead, find your accountability buddy, talk to your nutrition coach, and ask for help. If you are 2 or 5 years in, you may need new goals and steps to keep you motivated. Eating healthy and building those habits is a life-long process. Don't let a speed bump in your line of progress make you forget about how far you have come. 

When it comes to nutrition, what excuses do you find yourself using that derail efforts to stay on track? A common one I hear is… and confession, something that I find myself saying… “Its just hard to stay consistent…”   Making healthy choices on a consistent basis, and staying on track with your health and wellness goals is hard. That is true. It is ok to feel like this is hard.

Nutrition doesn’t have to be difficult. Schedule a free nutrition consult for help! Rather than staying stuck with these excuses, my challenge for you, if you find yourself making this excuse, is to make a list of things that are hard. Your list may look something like this:

Losing weight: Meal prepping and working out on a consistent basis

Logging food: Either with pen & paper or with MyFitnessPal

Doing strength sessions: Staying committed to long-term goals

The next step of this challenge is to find the counter argument to these excuses. What else is hard?

Chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes

Fatigue from eating processed foods

Losing strength and endurance from not working out regularly, or staying committed to an exercise program

Walking up the stairs and being out of breath 

Feeling a lack of accomplishment

The next time you find yourself making the excuse of what is hard, examine your list. What is truly hard? In the moment, your effort may feel difficult, but take a moment to reflect on the big picture, and reshape your thoughts. What are things you can do TODAY to stay committed to your long-term health and wellness goals? When you change your thinking, you have the power to change your life, make consistent healthy choices, and ultimately achieve long-term goals and long-term health.

            Congratulations Denver Weil!

Denver's morning presence has been met with excitement and joy. The sun isn't up, the coffee is barely brewing, the music is still just firing up, and he's there happy as a clam. It's infectious, and I've really enjoyed talking to him about everything. He's been pushing through workouts and nutrition to reach his goals, he understands where he might be limited, but knows that it's just a limit for now as he keeps driving ahead. I know he'll keep pushing, and I can't wait to see what the next year brings for him!

**** Denver has decided that he wanted to change his life and get healthy. He shows up and works hard every time he is here. He has an amazing attitude that is infectious. He continues to make progress and is slowly changing his life for the better every day.

**** Denver always comes in with a great attitude and the biggest smile! He comes in prepared and motivated to put in the work regardless if he has to alter a movement. His happy demeanor is contagious and he is great to have in class!

**** We see Denver getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. He is doing great work and we all are thankful to have him!

**** Denver has been working so hard lately, and every day that he is at the gym, he gives it his all. His smile and attitude are infectious and he makes friends wherever he goes. I love seeing his progress and hearing of his weight loss. You’ve got some awesome goals ahead of you, Denver... you’ve got this!

**** Denver makes the best pickles…in addition to that he is a joy to be around and brings a smile to your heart.  Keep up the awesome work and “just keep swimming.”

Come in and meet Denver!

 Started CrossFit:  September 2017

What is your fitness background:  Didn't have one.  That's why I got so fat.  LOL

Favorite Movement: Deadlifts, Biking, Ring Rows, kettlebell swings

Least Favorite Movement: Running, or anything that deals with squats

Occupation: Mad Scientist/part time Chemistry teacher

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I'm a native Marylander, living about half my life in Harford County, moved to the Greater Lauraville area in 2007.  I am the baby with 2 brothers and a sister.  I graduated Towson University with a degree in Chemistry and in Biochemistry.  Then got my master's in Biotechnology with a concentration in Regulatory Affairs from Johns Hopkins.  

I've been with my husband, Derrick, for 10 years.  We were married 3-years ago. Tiny court house service in Harford County.  Our fur baby's name is Nugget.  He's 5-years old blonde cat, and owns the house.  I love my baby and is the perrrfect pet for Derrick and my life style, but I'm a big dog lover.  With me out the door at 4:30 am and not home until 6 most nights and Derrick traveling for work a lot, it makes it hard to care for a dog.  Derrick and I like to go for day hikes when the weather's nice and go see any type of good entertainment (Musicals, plays, concerts, movies).  Derrick and I love to cook.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I'm an introvert.  I also sing for New Wave Singer of Baltimore.  I'm starting (very early stages) of writing a novel.  I love the Hallmark Mystery Channel.  I'm sure this is an obvious one I'm in love with Hugh Jackman.  

Words to live by or Favorite Quote:  Treat others how you would like to be treated.  "Bubbles" -- Bubbles from Finding Nemo (It just makes me laugh).

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym:  I have way more energy (not sure my co-works like that so early in the morning.  LOL).  I notice I don't eat as much as I use to. 

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The people. Fill in the Blank: I like… my life, can't ask for more than that. I eat… anything that's good food. I do… not like coffee, or raw tomatoes I am… easy going and shy Favorite Cheat Meal… Pizza or Mac and Cheese Favorite Real-Life Hero/Athlete…  My mother. Being a single mother, she worked 3 jobs and still found time to take care of me.

Thanks again for this honor.

Think about your last really amazing workout performance: a workout where you walked away feeling like you gave it your all and it showed. In this workout, the results were beyond your expectations, you recovered quickly, and everything just came together the way you imaged it in your head. What did you eat before that workout? Now, imagine the last terrible workout you completed: you felt sluggish, low energy, and couldn't lift a weight that you normally would consider to be light. You maybe even had to drop weight in the middle of the workout. You walked away feeling defeated. What did you eat before that workout? I guarantee you that what you ate before each of the situations above was completely different. It is easy to assume that your muscles are the same, your body is the same, and therefore, your performance should be the same. But that is not true. 

Need help figuring out what to eat before a workout? We can help!

The ideal macronutrients to eat before a workout are carbohydrates and protein. If you cannot do both, focus on carbohydrates. Carbohydrates fuel your body, provide energy, and help your body burn fat, not muscle, during a workout. You want to actually avoid fats right before a workout, as they take longer to digest and can make you feel full a bit sluggish. Not the ideal situation through a 15-minute metcon of wall balls and rowing! Here are some ideas for a pre-workout snack:

Oatmeal, blueberries, cinnamon, and egg whites with vegetables

Rice cake and white meat chicken or turkey

Applesauce or fruit smoothie with protein powder mixed in

Low-fat Greek yogurt

It is hard to change our routine and convince our body of how good it can feel unless you try it. Switch up your pre-workout for a day. Consume carbohydrates and protein. Leave out the fat. Now, what kind of workout did you have?

                            Congratulations Jessica Duchen!

Jessica has the best attitude and I love having her in my class!

**** Jess is a rock star, by all means. For one, she is a speedster and flies through endurance workouts.  She is also incredibly strong and dedicated to improving herself, no matter what it is.  But more importantly, she is a great team player and a positive person to work out with. She encourages people around her and I am so glad to have met Jess through PUSH511. One of my favorite memories will be running the American Odyssey with her this past year. She motivates me to do better and to train harder! :) Miss you Jess!

**** She embraces the challenge, works hard, and is capable of bringing others that she loves in to do the same.  

****

Jessica always strikes me as a person with a positive attitude. She has grown so much since the early days of Grit, becoming a very complete athlete. Doesn't matter what the Endurance workout is: run, gymnastics, weights, she masters each one of these components. She also puts in the extra effort with accessory programming or extra classes. She is a pleasure to workout with!

Get gritty with bootcamp classes.

**** Jessica embodies positivity and consistency and is always great to have in class. Vast improvements everywhere across the board on strength/gymnastics.

**** Jessica's smile, encouragement and positive attitude always brighten my day and WOD. I have loved getting to know her more and am so glad she is part of our PUSH Family.

**** Jessica comes in smiling every single day and instantly makes the gym a better place. She works so hard and it shows. We are a better community because she is in it.

Time to get to know Jessica!

Started CrossFit:  I started CrossFit in October 2012, took a break for a couple years and came back in August 2017.

What is your fitness background: I've always loved sports, but unfortunately lacked the athletic skills and coordination to play beyond high school. After college, I started running and training for long distance races.

Favorite Movement: Kettlebell Swings, CARDIO!

Least Favorite Movement: Overhead Squats and Snatches.

Occupation: Research Data Analyst at Hopkins.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I grew up on Long Island, NY (it is not that bad!!) with wonderful, supportive parents and 2 siblings, and went to college at the University of Scranton. I met my husband Dylan in grad school and we have a furbaby named Ruby (who in my unbiased opinion is the cutest dog in the world). Moved to Baltimore in August 2017, after living in San Francisco for about 3 years. I love living back on the East Coast and being closer to friends and family. I am an aunt to two (soon to be three!).

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I LOVE reality television - the trashier the better!

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: "Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." - Michael Scott (The Office)

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: In so many ways!! It has given me more confidence both inside and outside the gym. Before this year, I never thought I would be able to do a pull-up, but PUSH has helped me build the confidence and develop the skills I needed.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: What is not to love! But most especially, I enjoy the people and the atmosphere at PUSH. I love that every time I come to the gym, I am working out with friends who always push me to do my best.

Fill in the Blank: I like… wine, The Office, mint chocolate chip ice cream. I eat… a lot of sweet potatoes. I do… not like to parallel park. I am… a huge Harry Potter fan. Favorite Cheat Meal… French fries, pizza. Favorite Real-Life Hero/Athlete… Serena Williams.

Thank you so much! I am so happy to be a part of PUSH511!

By: Jarrett Smith, CF-L2

To learn more about starting a healthier lifestyle, schedule a free intro session.

Want armor against Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Is there such a thing?

Two of the most common and devastating diseases that you are almost guaranteed to have impact your life. If you’re fortunate enough to not have either, it’s almost certain someone you love will.

Now I know that most people think it won’t happen to them. That’s just something that other people go through. And that’s a common thought. It’s easy to think that your current situation is more stable than it truly is. But let’s say you accept the fact that it’s very likely you will be touched by either of these illnesses. What now?

Prevention.

Notice I didn’t say medication. We currently do not have a cure for Alzheimer’s and our treatments for heart disease are very reactive and if it is far enough along, can involve risky surgery.

Want to learn about prevention through diet and exercise? Come in for a free intro session.

Let’s start with Alzheimer’s. Without getting too deep, one of the things that scientists believe contributes to the disease is the buildup of a protein called amyloid beta. That buildup can take upwards of ten to twenty years before symptoms begin to show and become problematic. This slow buildup can be the reason why it is often so late into the disease that people notice the symptoms and seek help.

So how do we prevent the buildup of this protein? One way is sleep. Low wave, deep sleep. While you are sleeping, your brain is clearing out the waste that accumulates while you are awake. One of those things it’s cleansing away is amyloid beta.

A second cause of Alzheimer’s is the degradation of synapses. The average brain has approximately one hundred trillion of these synapses where neurons communicate. The way we create new synapses is by learning new things. So the top of the CrossFit pyramid that says to regularly learn and play new sports can help stimulate your brain to create more pathways. The more synapses you have, the better defense against Alzheimer’s. You can think of it like a traffic jam. If you have more side streets, one road closure won’t make much of a difference.

A third way to combat this disease is improved cardiovascular health. What’s good for you heart is typically good for your brain and vice versa.

Exposing your body to regular exercise, specifically workouts performed at relative high intensity (CrossFit) create an atmosphere in your body where you are lacking oxygen. This low oxygen atmosphere helps your body create new capillaries and arterioles (angiogenesis). This has the same effect as the increased synapses in your brain. You are creating more side streets for blood flow. So even though this doesn’t prevent disease processes from occurring, it could be the reason that fit individuals experience heart disease less frequently than sedentary individuals.

What does all this mean? That a routine that includes a heart healthy diet of whole foods combined with regular exercise, quality sleep and mental stimulation could be the armor that your body needs to stave off these diseases for as long as possible.

This will help you to not experience them personally as well as reduce the burden on loved ones that would be your care takers. Take small first steps, but please take those steps.

The summer can sometimes be a roll of the nutrition dice.

You may have a summer full of travel, outdoor parties, and schedule inconsistencies. These types of summers are memorable, but they can also make it hard to stay on track with nutrition. Or, you may have a summer with a lighter workload, no school commitments, and a lot of extra time to commit to fitness and nutrition.

Regardless of the type of summer you have, there is no reason to stray from your plan for an extended period of time. After all, you do not want to reverse all of the amazing progress you have made so far.

Need help staying on track with your fitness & health goals this summer? Learn more about PUSH511 and schedule a free intro session! 

There are 4 ways to enjoy your summer and events, while still maintaining your progress and building healthy habits.

1. Continue to track meals & exercise:  People who track are more likely to stay on track. Don't avoid entering meals if you "went over." That’s ok! Have your treat and move on, but be aware of where you are.

2. Eat vegetables first: For every meal, continue to fill up on vegetables first. By doing this, you consume fewer calories in the long run.

3. Plan ahead for travel meals: If you are traveling, think about meals ahead of time. Pack non-perishable snacks such as RX Bars, turkey jerky, and whey protein. Make sure you always have a quick snack for when you are hungry.

4. Monitor your alcohol intake: Keep an eye on the amount of sugar in your drinks. Avoid sugary, premixed drinks and stick to clear liquors or wine. This will help cut your sugar and calorie intake.

If your summer means a shift in your routine, use it to your advantage. How can you use this opportunity to build good habits?

                                Congratulations JR Rubinoff

His attitude is forever positive. JR jumps right in to our community of crazy CrossFitters and contributes his knowledge and support. He is an awesome teammate and starts each WOD with a smile.

Even after a long and tough week JR will still make the time to show up at PUSH and put in work.

*** JR has approached new heavier weights and higher boxes with a positive and fearless attitude.  He continues to push himself - all while supporting and cheering on his gym friends.  JR has put in the hard work and it is really paying off.  

*** Makes the time to get to the gym. He works so hard and is an absolute joy to have around. Our community is better because he is here.

JR loves to work out early, come join him at 5 am for a Free Class

*** JR is both a mentally and physically strong athlete - and willing to put in the extra effort to better himself, and reach his goals. JR also has an incredible personality, friendly demeanor, and is a pleasure to have around!  

*** JR is a pleasure to work out with and has been an awesome personal training client and member at PUSH. He always shows up and puts 100% effort in to our sessions and to classes. Even with a busy work schedule he makes time to come in and work on his goals, which he’s been crushing! Not only that but he is always lifting up others and brings positive energy to the gym!

*** To say that JR has been going on a journey to better themselves through mind and body is an understatement. He’s gone above and beyond what most individuals would have to endure when stepping foot in a CrossFit gym and has continued that path to greatness. JR has been a beacon of excellence for an underrepresented community, and has become a pivotal member in the PUSH community as well. Strong, determined, incredibly fun, understanding, supportive, and while he may be fighting his own struggles, his smile and joy lifts those up around him. While there is change in his life, we never want to see him change who he is. Thank you JR!

*** JR has been an inspiration in the gym! When he sets a goal and puts his mind to something, he goes for it regardless of any obstacle. The effort and determination put into every workout shows and as a result, JR has hit some awesome PRs. He's the first to congratulate and complement everyone else while being humble. So I'm glad we finally get to recognize and congratulate you! Keep it up!

*** JR brings positivity to every class and loves helping people become more mobile and learning how all the body pieces work together.  If one thing we can all learn from JR to help us in life…do more deadlifts!  Congratulations keep rocking!

*** JR is always a blast to work out with and is always incredible supportive of his fellow athletes. He's put hard work into the gym, his nutrition, and personal development and the progress he's made at PUSH, especially over the past year, has been so exciting to watch! Well done, JR, keep it up!!

Let PUSH help make your day better - Free Consultation

                                  Words from JR

Started CrossFit:   August 2011 after being "graduated" from PT after ACL and ankle surgery! My friend Kevin opened a box I started by doing "box jumps " on a 45# plate and squatting to a 24” box to continue my rehab and I was hooked.

What is your fitness background: I played a lot of softball and ran a lot of track and cross country. I was always into lifting (bench, squat, dead lift, press). I ran track and cross country until freshman year of college, then found rugby. Played rugby in college and in an adult league. I worked as a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist until I went to PA school.

Favorite Movement: HEAVY Deadlifts (duh) and DU

Least Favorite Movement: Wall ball, thruster....wait we will be doing these later

Occupation: Physicians Assistant in general surgery

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I was born in NY city during a heat wave in 1984 causing my dad to buy his first AC unit (he said he got free ice cream because of the brownouts caused by the heat wave but I think he was trying to make me jealous.)  I grew up and lived in NJ for most of my life (Bergen county as a kid, central NJ for college, and Monmouth county after college). I graduated Douglass College (Rutgers University) in Political Science and Women's studies in 2008 . After undergrad  I worked as a personal trainer and lived in Ocean Grove NJ with my dog Rory. During that time, I played A LOT of Rugby. In 2009 I tore my ACL, LCL, and messed my ankle up pretty bad. After 2 surgeries and a lot of rehab Rory and I started CrossFit in 2011.

In 2012 I moved to Pittsburgh for PA school and Graduated from Chatham University in 2014, I worked in medical oncology for close to 4 years at Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh PA then moved to Maryland in May 2018 where I started working at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.   I live in Crofton, MD with my partner Erika and 3 roommates. I have 2 cats one name Schrodinger (she goes by kitten) and the other one’s name is Schrodinger’s Cat (she goes by cat). I have a younger brother Sam who is 32 and lives in Brooklyn and is a standup comic. My dad and his wife live in NJ. My mom and her partner also live in NJ.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I am scared of squirrels (like terrified) to the point that my senior year of high school I almost missed the cross country state sectionals because I fell after running away from a squirrel during a training run and needed 3 stitches on my knee.  

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: “Just keep swimming” Dori “you’ll pass out before you die’ “Just pick up the bar”

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: CrossFit has given me the confidence in the fact that if you keep “chipping away” you really can accomplish anything you put your mind to, even if it means breaking everything into singles. It has taught me that weaknesses aren’t a bad thing; they are just things you need to focus on and as your weaknesses improve you always find something new to work on.  It also has taught me to focus on my own process and not worry about what other people are doing around me; life and workouts are scalable in the sense that the only way to get stronger in the long run is to really assess and start where YOU are.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The coaching, people, and all the dogs. Moving to a new city is super stressful especially when you don’t know anyone. PUSH is probably the most accepting environment I have ever experienced as a human and as an athlete. To be able to have such awesome programming and all-around great people to sweat with is amazing and something I am very grateful for.

Fill in the Blank: I like…whiskey I eat… a lot I do… try to practice meditation every day and try to live mindfully I am… transgender (and do not mind answering questions or talking about it)

                        CONGRATULATIONS LAURA SCOTT!

Laura is relatively new to intense fitness training. Before joining PUSH11 she couldn’t do one strict pull up and she had never competed in a CrossFit competition before. However, she placed third at her first PUSH winter games and last week, during 19.4, she did a total of 20 strict pull ups! Though this is quite impressive, anyone who knows Laura won’t be surprised. Laura shows a lot of heart, grit, and determination every day that she walks into the gym. At the same time she is as warm, welcoming, and gregarious as anyone I have ever met. Everyone at PUSH loves her and she really appreciates and loves our own little community. I’m so proud of how far Laura has come in her fitness journey and I can’t wait to see her continue to thrive in the future.

**** She’s a badass scientist that won’t take a PhD as “good enough” and is pursuing an MD as well. Does research on Parkinson’s and finds time to crush it in the gym with her boo. Literally throws herself into PUSH and made a big dent in her dub progression in my clinic. Her gifts are always more CrossFit opportunities haha. She’s an inspiration for sure.

Come in for a Free Class and meet Laura, she usually works out in the evening. 

**** Laura has made huge improvements over the past few months and it has been awesome to see! She works super hard every week to get better and better. She also has the best outlook and attitude! She is so sweet, always smiling, and always cheering other people on. I love working out with her :)

****

Laura has been crushing it in the gym. She is consistently challenging herself to push harder and do more. She is PRi’ng lifts, excelling in her pull up programming and competed in her first CrossFit competition! She truly is an inspiration to me and the other woman in the gym to work harder.

**** What I admire most about Laura is her drive and perseverance to become a better athlete. Whether in the beast cave or during a WOD, Laura is always pushing herself to give 100%, seeking ways to improve and hone her skills, and encouraging others.

Not to mention, she is a super sweet and kind person with an awesome dog named Rory!

**** Laura is always a joy to have in class. She has a positive energy about her that's hard not to notice. She's been busting her ass to get better every day. Since starting at PUSH she's thrown herself into all of our activities, clinics, events, and programming. She's made huge progress in a small amount of time. PUSH is a happier place when she's there.

Book a Free Intro session to learn how PUSH can help you!

Insight from the Rockstar herself!

Started CrossFit:  May 2018

What is your fitness background: lots and lots of volleyball, bad long distance runner (I tried so hard to like it, but I honestly hate it), tons of yoga

Favorite Movement: box jump

Least Favorite Movement: thrusters, snatches are a close second

Occupation: PhD student

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family:  I grew up outside of Ann Arbor and then moved to rural eastern NC in middle school. I am product of good old-fashioned IVF. I have a twin sister and we are complete opposites. I grew up on a farm and learned how to drive at the age of 7, had a “pet” cow named Chili Meat (who lived up to his name), and know how to pickle most vegetables.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I love playing pranks. I played pranks on most (if not all) of my high school teachers and college professors.  My high school principle threatened to withhold my diploma if I didn’t stop.

Favorite Quote: honestly, I quote a lot of TV shows and movies. Friends is my go-to (Phoebe and Chandler are the best) and Horrible bosses is the most quotable movie ever.

Also, I freaking love Charlie Day.

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: It has taught me mental toughness and perseverance. Before CrossFit, I got defeated very easily. While my PhD has taught me how to problem solve and grind through all of the failures, it didn’t really change my attitude towards failing. I just always felt defeated. CrossFit has changed that. Now I feel like any progress, no matter how small, is progress. And every failure is something to learn from. If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Wait, maybe that’s my favorite quote?

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The people are AMAZING. I was so intimidated when I first joined. Tom was super in to CrossFit but the movements and weights made me uncomfortable. As soon as I started talking to coaches and members, I started to feel at home. They made complex movements accessible and attainable. I also learned that it’s all a process and you have to start somewhere. And I started at 0 pull-ups.

By: Corinne Pettigrew, PhD, CF-L1

Hesitant to scale a workout? You shouldn’t be.

Don’t want it to seem like you’re taking the ‘easy way’ out? You’re probably not.

Scaling is an important component of CrossFit. In fact, athletes are oftentimes encouraged to scale. Here are some reasons why: 

Adapt a movement to an athlete’s limitations (endurance, strength, skill level, flexibility, mobility, body awareness, etc.) while still preserving the workout’s intended stimulus (included targeted movements, if possible); Develop/perfect basic movement patterns for supporting more complex (or more heavily loaded) movements (for example, mastering the technique and points of performance of an air squat before attempting a heavy front squat); Continue to safely develop an athlete’s work capacity and skill level, ultimately contributing to an athlete’s long-term progression.

Schedule a time to meet and discuss how we can help you, if recovering from an injury, new to fitness or just had a baby. Scaling isn’t just for beginners. It’s for anyone who needs progressions for developing movement patterns, for overcoming soreness or injury, or to just get moving after a bad night of sleep or tough day at work.

Two quick examples: One of my workout partners had shoulder surgery a few months back. He was a force to be reckoned with before the surgery, and soon will be again - but in the meantime, he’s been smart about his return to CrossFit workouts. Before being cleared to use his shoulder, he worked on building up his aerobic capacity (runs, bikes, air squats, lunges, sled pulls). As he’s gradually been cleared to integrate upper body movements, he’s done so deliberately and safely: slowly adding individual movements, but scaling the weights to build strength and mobility (e.g., PVC-only as he builds of the shoulder mobility; barbell only until he gains confidence under weight; banded pull-ups for weeks on end, despite wanting to do kipping pull-ups). 

I was fortunate to be able to workout through pregnancy. When I returned to the gym afterwards, I knew I needed to start slow. I hadn’t lost too much strength, but had lost a fair amount of aerobic capacity. Instead of skipping group classes, I scaled. I started light, reduced the load, and worked at a lower intensity for weeks, as my body adapted and recovered.

Bottom line keep moving and moving properly, let us put that plan together.

In both examples, scaling allowed the athletes to slowly, and safely, return to their prior capacity. But as mentioned above, scaling has the same effect for athletes that are starting out, or working on new skills. It allows you to build the foundation on which more strength, good movement patterns, and fitness can develop. An athlete will never be judged for scaling appropriately. However, coaches will likely intervene when athletes opt not to scale when they should – the coaches have your safety in mind.

                   Congratulations Valerio, Emma & Izzy!

Emma & Valerio’s unwavering consistency and willingness to attack every workout. They aren't the loudest ones in class, but time and time again they show up, do the work, and are gaining visible results! It's always fun being in class with them! Only a matter of time until Izzy joins us and starts outshining us all!

****

Watching Izzy overcome her fears in FitKids was awesome to watch! She's a great kid to have in the program.

****

I love Val’s enthusiasm in the gym, balance that with Izzy in FitKids and they are a power fit fam!

****

Happy to hear that my little buddy, Izzy, and her parents are family of the month! She is such a fun, sasssy, and awesome little girl. It was great to see her growth in FitKids and realize that she can hold her own and is just as strong, if not stronger, than the boys.  I love seeing her come in with Emma and Valerio in the evenings, always wearing her "fast shoes," and really enjoyed getting to coach her in FitKids.

Check out PUSH511 FitKids Winter Session

**** Valerio and Emma have come so far! Although I can tell some movements may not be his favorite, Valerio pushes through with incredible grit and is always determined to finish workouts no matter what. Emma has built so much strength and she always comes into the gym positive. Together they kill partner workouts. Soon, they'll probably be doing family workouts.

Keep up the great work!

**** Izzy really grew during her first time through FitKids. Initially, she didn’t want to participate, but as time went on, and she got more comfortable with the movements and coaches, she became an integral part of the class. We are so proud of her progress!

**** Valerio and Emma are consistent, very fun to hang out with, and workout with! Their strength and stamina gains are proof! It is great to see Izzy becoming more comfortable and confident around the big kids.

****

The Mangano family just make you smile!  Hard working and putting it all out in each workout.  Emma spent many months in a boot and still came in to get her sweat on.  Valerio I think is trying to figure out how he can eat his homemade pasta as he endures an Endurance Class.  Izzy is hard to keep up with when she decides to kick into her fast gear!   Keep up the amazing fitness!

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A Few words from our Family

Valerio (V), Emma (E), Izzy (I)

StartedCrossFit: Emma and Valerio: March 2017 Izzy: November 2018 (PUSH FitKids)

What is your fitness background: E: 10 years of dance before switching to sports in high school. V: Mostly Xbox and PlayStation. I did some swimming as a kid and some kickboxing a few years ago, but nothing even close to the intensity you guys make me sweat here! I: Some swimming. Got rid of those floaties :)

Favorite Movement: E: Kettlebell swings and deadlifts V: Snatches, Rowing, anything core I: Mountain climber, because it’s very easy

Least Favorite Movement: E: Assault bike, and anything overhead V: Wall Balls, Thrusters I: I like them all!

Occupation: E: Psych NP in the psych emergency department. Never a dull moment! V: Marketing Manager: Excel, PowerPoints, Data and a lot of corporate buzzwords. I: Full time kindergartener at HHA

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: V: Born and raised in Milan, Italy (you can probably tell by my high fashion style). Enjoyed Europe quite a bit, until 10 years ago I decided to chase in the US a girl met in Iceland during my college semester abroad. Eventually got married, had a baby... and you know the rest. I: We like to party with our friends. E: I grew up on a horse farm in upstate New York. Such a simple little girl. Then this foreigner guy I met during a semester abroad chased me around for a while, until I gave in…

Tell us something we don’t know about you: E: I had a pet sheep named Snow White. My first degree is in Geology. I: I have visited 7 countries, and we are about to add the 8th soon (Spain). My favorite was Mexico. And Italy because I get to speak Italian and have chocolate croissants for breakfasts. V: Emma and I are on an old episode of House Hunters back in 2009 when I was fresh off the boat. We are also trying to learn and educate ourselves on wines. Yeah I know, good excuse to drink. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfzp0TzLTEY&feature=youtu.be

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: E: Don’t fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it. (Amy Cuddy) V: Always be yourself unless you can be Batman. Then you should always be Batman. (Anonymous) I: Help people when they need help. (Isabella Mangano)

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: E: I have a more confident approach to life and it has strengthened my relationship with Valerio.

V: Girls can’t keep their hands off me. Just kidding, Emma. I learned that with time and dedication I can do things I thought impossible for me only two years ago. So I now apply that to all aspects of my life. I: I am faster than my friends at school. And stronger. (allegedly. V.)

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: E+V: PUSH gave our family the opportunity to find some time to stay together after school/work and do something together, rather than sit at home and watch tv or be each one on their phone/computer. Emma and I have common goals, common passions, common friends and Izzy gets to grow in a healthy environment with a lot of strong girls she can aspire to be like in the future. We also get to complain about various post-workout pain to each other. I: Playing with Gracie, Eli, and Tyler and all the toys while the parents workout

Fill in the Blank:

I like… E: shopping. It’s cheaper than therapy . V: to cook. Such a stress relief activity. I: vacation

I eat… I: pizza V: what I cook. I brought with me my Italian cooking background, but I learned so much while here about different techniques, ingredients and cultures and I like to expand and experiment with them. E: what Valerio cooks

I do… I: like hugging V: try to learn new things and experiment every day. Routine is killer. E: a hard job, that not many people can handle

I am… E: an advocate for my patients. And not very good at filling questionnaires . V: a critical thinker. Need to know the why of everything. Sometimes a little too critical. I’m working on it! I: Clever (and humble, I would add… V)

Favorite Cheat Meal… E: a 5 course dinner with wine pairing at the Charleston paid by Valerio. V: anything that takes half a day to cook, braise, roast, sous-vide, slow cook... the longer the better. I: pizza and pasta (clearly half of her DNA is showing here! V).

                      Congratulations Gabe Tupper!

Gabe will show up for my 7:30 pm Wednesday night shift religiously and WOD with Chris and Prashant and Zach R and Lindsay.  He jumps right into very hard workouts designed for much smaller athletes and complains way less than I want him to.

He attacks heavy squatting sessions with great excitement and gets the rest of us excited too.  Gabe has put in great work consistently and deserves every bit of his hard-earned fitness

***** Gabe is an honest, hard-working guy.  Gabe is an instant comfort to anyone new who shows up for the 6:30/7:30 pm classes.  Gabe has come a long way in a short period of time and the dude is just strong.  He pushes himself and he listens to his coaches and as a result, he moves well.  Not only is a he a badass rugby player with a super cool accent, he's a goofball with a good heart.  I can't remember a time when Gabe came into the gym with a bad attitude.

***** Gabe has been working really hard and pushing himself to always be better. He is very supportive to everyone in the gym and brings a fun and positive energy to each and every class.

***** Not sure which I love more about Gabe his infectious fun-positive attitude or accent!  I know one thing for sure I would NOT want to be on the other side of the rugby field from Gabe. Based on his tenacity in workouts, I can only imagine what happens to his opponents who get in the way.

Drop in for a Free Class and meet Gabe!

Now a few words from the man himself!

Started CrossFit:  July 2017

What is your fitness background: I played a little bit of football (soccer) when I was really young! Otherwise, I have played rugby and cricket all my life. I played cricket all the way through high school for my local cricket club and my school team. Post high school graduation, I played for my school's old boy cricket team during my gap year and whenever I went home to London for the summer. I always took rugby more seriously though. I played rugby for my high school team, a little bit for my county team Middlesex, and also played for Penn State where I captained my senior year. I continue to play for my local men's side, Baltimore Chesapeake!

Favorite Movement: Deadlift! The fewer reps and more weight the better!

Least Favorite Movement: Double Unders are cruel and unusual punishment.

Occupation: I work in Sales for Coastal Sunbelt Produce, which is the largest wholesale produce vendor in the Mid-Atlantic. If you work in the restaurant industry and are looking for a new produce vendor, let me know!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I am the oldest of three. I have a younger brother who lives in DC, and my little sister lives in London with my parents. Fingers crossed my sister will be going to Penn State next year! My father is originally from a small village in England called Castle Combe. My mother is from Blue Bell, PA which is just outside of Philadelphia (Go Birds!). This makes me half English and half American, which means I am very conflicted on the 4th of July... JK I slam Buds and sing "Party in The USA" like everybody else!

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I was born in Belgium and could speak French fluently until I was about 4years old.

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success? - Jerry Seinfeld

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: CrossFit got me back into shape after college, and continues to make me strong and fit for rugby! The workouts are a great combination of the different elements of fitness that any athlete would benefit from.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The people are amazing! Everyone has been very supportive and helpful in my CrossFit journey. The support is only matched by the high quality of coaching. The PUSH coaches have taught me so much since I have started, and I cannot wait to continue to learn from them!  Learn more about The Coaches

Fill in the Blank: I like… Watching sports, working out at the gym (obviously), Netflix documentaries (Dirty Money is a must watch), cold weather, and coffee! I eat… Lots of carbs. Fixing my diet is probably the next step in my fitness journey. I do... Drink too much coffee. I probably average 5-7cups a day. I am… Always happy to talk about the Phila. Eagles! Favorite Cheat Meal… Chipotle with double steak and guac! Favorite Real-Life Hero/Athlete… Andrew Flintoff.

                                    Congratulations Nathalie Iden!

Nathalie is one of the hardest working people I’ve seen! She pushes herself hard and others to keep us (me) pushing ourselves. She gets her workout day started before almost anyone, and she’s come so far, she doesn’t even realize it!

Nat is a beast! She pushes herself in every aspect of CrossFit. She’s got her eyes on the prize, and she doesn’t deviate. She’s in the gym making herself a better person by 5am almost every day. I’m continually inspired by her dedication and focus. She pushes me to do better and to be better. And on top of it all, she’s a great friend, great squatting partner and awesome teammate!

**** A morning WOD nemesis, Nathalie has been exciting to watch mature into one heck of an athlete. She came in with an endurance background and now she's powering through the big weights and keeping her speed. She's become a motivating factor and key component to the girl power squad that I see every morning. Determined and strong, she continues to impress the coaches and her squad. Gurl, you may have think you have RBF, but we all know it's because you're upset the WOD is over. :)

****

One of the best things about Nat is that she has this quiet tenacity that I don't think many people see. Coupled with her fierce competitiveness, her skills and abilities have skyrocketed at the gym and I've lost count of the number of PR's she has accomplished recently. She set out on a mission to get handstand walks and within a couple of weeks, she nailed it. She wanted to get a 150# clean and she got it. She refuses to give up and will grind through what she needs to do to get better.

She is an awesome teammate to push and motivate you to always put forth your best effort. Want to get better at burpees and air squats? Do them in a workout next to Nat and try to keep up. You will end up on the floor in a pool of your sweat and tears ;). Working out next to her will simply make you better. Outside of the gym, Nat takes that same tenacity when she approaches her career and life. She continues to seek out ways to challenge herself at work (yay for the new job!) and I am so beyond happy that she bought a house here so she is forced to stay and be a part of PUSH for the foreseeable future!

**** Nathalie quickly became a friend when she joined PUSH! She is always, always, always putting in the work to get better and improve her CrossFit skills across the board. Her discipline is admirable, and I'm so glad to have her as a friend.

****

From the first time I met Nat, I knew that we would become great friends. It is crazy to believe that she has been part of PUSH for a little over a year -- her presence makes it feel like it has been much longer! Nat embodies the meaning of grit, dedication and hard work. She is such a great competitor and always pushes me to be better not only at the gym but beyond the walls of PUSH. I am so grateful that we have developed such a strong friendship, which I knew will become stronger for years to come!

Now let’s hear from Nathalie

Started CrossFit: MLK Day 2016  

What is your fitness background: I’m a jack of all trades, master of none ;) I played many sports growing up including Soccer, Cross Country, Tennis, Powerlifting, and Swimming (rec team). Once I went to Michigan State University, I joined our club Triathlon team and competed in probably 10 triathlons as part of the team including Collegiate Nationals in 2012. Once I graduated I continued to pursue triathlon and endurance sports including a half ironman triathlon (5:26:51). Overall I’ve done well over 20 in at least 7 different states, I’ve lost count.

Favorite Movement: Pistols, GHDs, Squats of all sorts: Back, Front, Overhead, DB Overhead (I guess a pistol is a squat, probably why I like it?), and running over 400m

Least Favorite Movement: WALL BALLS omg I hate them, Assault bike

Occupation: I work at Constellation Energy as a Sr. Pricing Analyst, currently pricing/costing power for load served in the Midwest. I get to use some math, excel, market fundamentals and even some regulatory research. In October I’m switching positions to a Portfolio Analyst where I’ll do a lot more with our power trading desks, Finance, Products and even some Mergers and Acquisition work when it comes up. Basically making sure our position and revenues are integrated across business units and that they are accurate. It’s still new to me so it’s even hard for me to explain.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I’m the oldest of 3, and definitely fit the oldest child mold. I have 2 younger brothers; Michael who is 27 and Stephen who is 13. My dad is a retired engineer in the auto industry and my mom is a High School French and German teacher. I also have tons of aunts and uncles and cousins. My best friend Sydney lives in DC, she is like family to me.

I would say that I’m pretty competitive and I have a weirdly good memory if I had to pick a few traits.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: Most people don’t realize I play piano and I used to do classical piano competitions growing up. I own a piano and play it from time to time but also try to be courteous to my neighbors who might not enjoy listening as much as I enjoy playing.

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: I think it has affected my life outside of the gym by being part of my life outside the gym. I’m better at all my sports and activities. I have an awesome group of friends that I talk to and see all of the time. I have moved cross country 2 times without really having close friends or family nearby and CrossFit gave me a community.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: It’s my safe space. I can push myself outside of my comfort zone and am not judged, if anything I am encouraged. I love the people, they push me too and inspire me. I have made some of the best friends of my life here in only just a year.

I also LOVE when new people join the gym and workout with me because I have been the new guy and I know the feeling and I know that that person is putting themselves out there. That takes guts. I know I might have RBF like 90% of the time, but I’m actually friendly so don’t hesitate to WOD with me because I think that is really cool and I love it when the fit fam grows.

Fill in the Blank:

I like… making my friends laugh is definitely number 1, working out, cats, being on the water, learning new things, Michigan State University sports, long drives, spending nights in with my friends watching movies and post-gym weekend hang outs.

I eat… “healthy” 80% of the time. I followed Renaissance Periodization, which is great about making sure I eat enough food and don’t over eat certain macros. I still utilize the macro nutrient “checks” so to speak but have gotten less religious in following it and am focusing more on fitting its principals into my life. As far as food, eggs make up 25 to 50% of my meals. I like all types of food but as far as what I cook for myself, I’m working on diversifying. I could probably take on almost anyone in an eating contest.

I am… A Michigander. A Baltimorean. A older sis. Single (wink wink). An Athlete and hopefully a friend.  O and I’m short.

Favorite Cheat Meal… A whole bag of Garrett’s Chicago mix popcorn. Pretty sure there’s supposed to be 12 servings in a bag but I can polish of a bag in 30 minutes no problem.

                              Congratulations Mike Lawson!

When you see Mike make sure to congratulate him with his signature salute: Squat-while-shaking hands.

Come in for a Free Goal Session and join the Member of the Month Club!

Yayyyy! I'm so happy he is nominated - he definitely deserves it!

Mike is such a great athlete and always blows me away with how hard he works! He is a dedicated endurance class attendee and will even jump in the 5:30 CrossFit class! I've seen on the Facebook page that he has made huge improvements since he started at PUSH, and his success story has made me feel hopeful as well!

****

Mike is extremely positive-always smiling and always has encouraging words for other people during and after workouts. He is a very genuine and sincere guy, and his compliments are very uplifting, especially after a nasty workout! I appreciate his willingness to get to know other people in the gym and attend the social events that PUSH puts together. He deserves this recognition this month. WAY TO GO MIKE!

**** A great choice for M-O-M! Mike is an outstanding person to workout with. He is upbeat and encouraging and always puts 100% into whatever the WOD is! He typically sticks around after class to work on additional skills and to perfect movements, which is a telling sign of a dedicated member and athlete. His dedication has shown because he has been able to accomplish so many goals and new strength movements in a short amount of time. Any Endurance class would be sad/boring without him and he is so deserving of Member of the Month! Great Job Mike!!!

**** Mike is great! He is so positive and up beat, even in the 40th minute of a brutal workout.

**** The fact I've seen him in Endurance go from pre-nutrition challenge to now--pretty impressive & only in a few months! I've also noticed how much of an improvement he's made performance wise through all this.

****  He is such a hard worker and more importantly to me as a classmate he brings such a positive energy to each class.  He’s also very supportive and no matter how tough the WOD is he always has a smile on his face.  It’s contagious. The progress he’s made even since I met him a few months ago reflects all the extra time and effort he puts in.   I love working out with him, and he is very well deserving of member of the month. Great choice !!

**** Lawson has been a member at PUSH for less than a year but he dove in head first and has never looked back. He works harder than anyone I've ever seen, constantly pushing himself to lift more, run faster and learn new skills -- all with a grin on his face and while cheering others on. He has fully embraced the CrossFit lifestyle and made himself a true part of the community, and has encouraged his best friends to join as well. He is truly an inspiration to me as a new CrossFitter and is a constant reminder of the changes we are able to make in a short period of time if we stick with it.

****

I could not be more proud of Mike! Watching his transformation over the past year has been a joy. His resolve to Do More, Suck less and Live better, as the PUSH511 CrossFit motto says, is unrelenting -- and I believe it helps motivate those around him to work harder and be their best. This past year has been a whirlwind of firsts for Mike: he was determined to achieve a pull-up, he did it; he was determined to do a handstand, he did it; he was determined to lose 30 lbs (and counting), he did it; and there isn’t anything he can’t do if he puts his mind to it. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings: muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, who knows? With his fortitude the possibilities are endless!

**** I always enjoy working out with Mike! No matter how tough the workout, Mike always has a smile and words of encouragement for everyone.  He is always really pushing himself and inspires me to do the same. Also everyone should witness him absolutely kill it on the assault bike!

**** Mike Lawson is a prime example of why many of us love to coach. He’s open minded and listens to coaching and as a result he has made so much progress over the last year. Mike is one of he most polite and kind people I’ve ever met and makes me happier when he’s in the gym. Insanely hard worker and a genuinely great human being. I will continue to love watching him grow as an athlete.

**** I love having Mike in my classes! He has this fearful smile that always makes me laugh... as if he's looking at the barbell with a little bit of fear, but he's excited to do the workout. That's how you SHOULD approach the barbell! He adds weight slowly so he still maintains form and is safe, but yet he puts enough on so he pushes himself. I've loved watching him chip away at learning kipping pull-ups and was just as excited as he was when he did Murph RX this past Memorial Day. Mike is a prime example that when you put in the work, you get results.

**** Every day I continue to admire Mike’s positive attitude and work ethic. He always sticks around after classes for extra skill work, and is never too shy to ask for help when he is stumped by a movement. And above all else, his smile is contagious!

**** Mike is always a pleasure to work with. He’s always positive and encourages everyone in class. He works so hard each and every day and continues to push himself.

**** Love Mike, especially his work ethic in the gym. He is always pushing himself to the max in WODs and the first to cheer other on as well!

****

Even if it's a nervous smile, Mike always comes to the gym smiling and ends the workouts smiling. He has a contagious positive energy and strong drive to tackle every workout. His progress over the past few months has been amazing; he deserves to be recognized and should be super proud of his accomplishments. Keep at it Mike!

Now let’s learn a little bit more about “Captain CrossFit” as his friends affectionately call him!

Started CrossFit: July 2017

What is your fitness background: I've played and loved pretty much every sport out there. I also got really into triathlons a few years ago. I started off with sprints and eventually worked my way up to a half Ironman last year. It was definitely the hardest physical challenge I've ever come across (sorry Fran).

Favorite Movement: Pull ups! Now that I can do them that is. Also, the Assault Bike and wall balls.

Least Favorite Movement: Overhead squats... I'm still not convinced the human body is supposed to be able to do these.

Occupation: Forensic Scientist (DNA Analyst)

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I'm a Marylander, born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of my days. Wait... no... that last part is the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, not me. I grew up in Montgomery County, went to the University of Maryland for undergrad and have lived in the state my entire life. I went to Towson for grad school, which is where I met my beautiful wife, Lauren. We've lived in Baltimore for about 3 years now and have an adorable golden retriever named Scout. We're hoping that someday Scout can become a PUSH dog, but so far he doesn't seem to be able to quite grasp the concept of exercise and freaks out every time I pick up a barbell.

Tell us something we don’t know about you: I've always wanted to be left handed. When I was little I tried teaching myself how to throw, shoot, kick, dribble, and pretty much every other sports skill with my left hand/foot. It didn't end well for the windows in my parent's house.

Words to live by or Favorite Quote: 

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up." - Jim Valvano

"Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones that don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it'd be easy, they just promised it would be worth it." - Dr. Seuss

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: In so many ways honestly. I feel so much stronger, quicker, and healthier than I ever have. Even compared to when I was 20 lbs lighter and in my best triathlon shape, I think I'm a better overall athlete now thanks to CrossFit. I do have to say though, the coolest way that my life has been affected outside the gym is that I've become known as "the guy who likes to move heavy stuff" at work.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The people. I genuinely can't put into words how awesome each and every person I've met is. From the amazing coaches, to the super friendly and supportive athletes, to a fantastic owner in Ardyth, I feel super lucky to have found such a great place to get sweaty.

Fill in the Blank: I like… good friends, tasty beer, and crisp fall nights. I eat… chicken. Soooo much chicken. I do… still consider Kermit the Frog to be a role model in my life. I am… unabashedly a Maryland Terrapins fan, no matter how terrible our football team is and always will be. Favorite Cheat Meal… anything from Hudson Street Stackhouse, and, of course, multiple Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for dessert. Favorite Real-Life Hero/Athlete… Barack Obama. Some of you might say he's not an athlete, but I can't think of any other President that could even come close to beating him in a game of 1 on 1 basketball.

Thanks so much to everyone for nominating me for this super cool honor! You guys are awesome!

By: Josh Muskin, CFL-2

As many have heard by now, I’ve spent the last 6-7 months or so training for an Ironman (with a ways still to go).

As you can imagine, that training involves quite a bit of running, and as you can also imagine, with tons of miles comes an increased chance of injury.

Within the first month or so, I had already experienced some IT-band issues, & struggled with some knee pain, that sat me out for a few weeks.

Thanks to this, I had to develop a warm-up routine that both rehabbed my current injury, and strengthened the necessary muscles to prevent future injury.

Outlined below is the warm-up I’ve used before each running workout (3-4 times per week) since then, and I’ve enjoyed roughly 6 straight months of 25-30 miles per week worth of injury-free running!

Check out 511Endurance!

Items you’ll need

Not much, just a:

Foam roller

Peanut / 2 lacrosse balls taped to one another / Gemini

Well, what’s the warm-up?

The warm-up will take you approximately 5-10 minutes total, but won’t take up much energy, leaving you fresh to start the run.

Phase 1: Rolling

Use your peanut to roll the muscles that flank your shins.

The space in the center of the peanut goes right over your shin bone, and you roll up and down your leg, focusing most of the pressure on your tibialis anterior (muscle on the outside of your shin).

Use your peanut or foam roller to roll the outsides of your lower leg (peroneus longus)

Laying on your side, roll up and down the outside of your lower leg, focusing lots of pressure on the peroneus longus as it approaches the knee. Much of what people assume are IT-band issues, actually stem from here.

Foam roll your calves & hamstrings

Place the foam roller under your legs, raise your butt off the ground using your arms as leverage and roll from ankle all the way up to the tops of your hamstrings several times.

Phase 2: Dynamic movement

Clams

Each leg, 15 reps per leg

Knee tuck to lateral leg raise

On your side, right after your 15 clams, tuck your top leg into your chest, then extend it fully, and raise it using your adductors to do so. You should maintain your position on your side while doing this exercise, resisting the urge to roll towards your back.

Try a Free Class!

Phase 3: Static stretching

Standing straddle

For 30 seconds to 1 minute, stand tall with your legs spread wide. It’s important to note that I specifically say “stand tall” to get a good inner groin stretch. Bending forward does impact the hamstrings, but tightness in the inner thigh can pull your knees inward while running causing IT-band stress, arch collapse, and some other not-so-fun movement patterns.

Contract/relax calves

Stand on a step, or otherwise raised surface with only your toes making contact. Let your heel sink as far as you can, and count to 8. Then flex your calf, pushing yourself up on your toes, count to 8 again, and repeat twice on each foot.

Phase 4: More dynamic movement

Just before your run, perform these movements to really wake up the muscle fibers you’ll be using. Immediately upon completing these, begin your workout.

Butt kicks

Begin to jog but on each step, make your heel kick your butt. Perform 10-20

Knee raises

In the same cadence as your butt kicks, shift from kicking your butt to quickly raising your knees close to your chest. Again, do this 10-20 times

Sideways strides

Face sideways and with long legs (not much knee bend) think about scissoring your legs so your front leg pulls you along, your back leg crosses over and then pushes you forward. You only need 5-6 steps per direction here.

Air squats

Perform 10-20 air squats right before you take off. It helps pull all these stretches and movements together, giving your legs one last wake-up call before it’s go-time.

That looks like a lot…

It’s really not. Once you move through each phase, the entire thing should take no more than 10 minutes. Time that’s easy to commit to, if it’s going to keep you off the sidelines.

Give it a try, see how it goes, discover some tight areas you didn’t know were there and more importantly, discover what it’s like to run injury free!

                            By: Corinne Pettigrew, PhD, CF-L1

A friend convinced me to try CrossFit in 2011 – I was a graduate student at the time, and for months and months I said I was interested but couldn’t swing it financially. In reality? I was intimidated – it was something brand new, out of my comfort zone, and I didn’t want to be the person who had no idea what they were doing.

I hear it often when I tell someone that I CrossFit: Them: Oh that’s cool, what’s it like? Me: Well, it’s a ton of fun – a great community atmosphere, group workouts that range anywhere from 5-45 minutes, a mix of cardio and strength, and anything we do can be adapted to anyone’s skill level! Try a Free Class!

Them: Oh that sounds fun! I’ve been wanting to try CrossFit but I can’t because … {inset excuse}.

These excuses include: 1) I’m not in good shape/I’m not athletic/I’m not strong enough. I would first have to get in shape/get stronger. 

Untrue. CrossFit is highly scalable, meaning each and every workout can be adapted to a person’s current abilities. In fact, our coaches will never push you to do a movement or lift a weight that you’re uncomfortable with – they’ll instead make sure you have an appropriate alternative (scale) that matches your current skill level. And these scaled movements will target the same stimulus as the prescribed movements, so each workout has the same effect for everyone. This is most clearly elucidated by the following description of “What is CrossFit?”, from crossfit.com: “While CrossFit challenges the world's fittest, the program is designed for universal scalability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual, regardless of experience. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change the program. The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind.”

Also, getting in shape is more than just exercise: the foundation of this is nutrition. At PUSH511, we have an extensive nutrition program with options ranging from one-time consultations to continued nutrition coaching to help you make healthy lifestyle changes. 

2) I’m too old. Untrue. Individuals of any age can learn new skills, why would this be any different? And most importantly, see #1 above, regarding scaling workouts to an individual’s skill or ability level. The same applies to older adults. Want an example? One of our athletes started CrossFit when he was ~53 years old; four years later, he’s one of our most impressive athletes and has qualified for CrossFit Regionals twice. Another of our older athletes was convinced to start CrossFit with by his son; since starting, he’s seen substantial improvements in some of the blood-based labs. Besides, physical activity is also beneficial for cognitive and brain health (see these prior posts), so what do you have to lose?   

3) I don’t have time. We get this, we really do – everyone is very busy with work, life, and everything in between. But you can’t (or really shouldn’t) ignore the importance of a healthy lifestyle and physical activity, whether it’s CrossFit or your own exercise routine. Health plays such an important role in your quality of life both now, and as you get older. Consider making the time. Invest in yourself and your health – do it for you, for your family, for the next generation. 

4) I have a previous injury/I’m injury prone. You’re not the only one – many people are dealing with past injuries or ailments, or trying to overcome current injuries. See #1, above. 

5) I’m scared/intimidated. I get this, I was too. At PUSH511, individuals who are new to CrossFit first go through our Foundations program. Over the course of 9 one-hour group classes (over 3 weeks) or private sessions, we introduce you to the most commonly programmed movements, teach you all about good form for achieving these movements, and talk about how these movements apply to everyday life. And this is hands-on training: you’re not sitting in chairs, lecture-style; you’re actively practicing these movements under the guidance of your coach, and establishing good movement habits early on. And P.S., this includes a session on nutrition. 

6) It’s expensive. This one’s true, but it’s all about perspective. Consider it an investment in your health, and in your future. Put that way, it’s priceless. You can do your own head-to-head cost comparison against other options that intrigue you – but come in for a free class, give it a try. See what the fuss is all about, and decide for yourself.