I hate deadlifting.
I hate moving the weights and putting them on, and I hate the movement in general. But I do it because I have to in order to be strong.
This week, I came across a WOD, or CrossFit Workout, that had a heavy deadlift in it. I did that instead of my normal 5×5 deadlift sequence.
This actually worked out quite well. I didn’t mind deadlifting, and I lifted heavier afterwards.
I learned from now on to put my strength in the WOD — at least for deadlifts.
Comment said to me this week from someone I haven’t seen for a while.
I wish I felt that way…
“Your biceps are incredible.”
This was one year ago.
This week at CostCo:
“Really nice muscles. Good job.”
When I got my CrossFit Level One certification (L1) almost five years ago, I had two motivations:
When I started CrossFit, I was obsessed with doing all of the movements correctly. I would Google every movement and watch tons of videos when they were programmed. I did this for a solid two years, and I still do this when something shows up I want to learn more about.
So today, devil’s press was programmed for CrossFit. Devil’s press is a push up with a dumbbell and then you raise the dumbbell overhead. You can either snatch the dumbbell in one movement or you can clean and jerk the dumbbell, which is two movements. As long as it ends up overhead.
Enter my coach.
He’s been coaching maybe six months. Unsure how long he’s been doing CrossFit. I don’t say anything to coaches; I let them coach. Except when they state a falsehood. Then I have to speak up.
Today, my coach tried to tell everyone that a clean and jerk for a devil’s press was not allowed. When I told him it was, I was questioned, but more than that — I was told I was wrong and rudely told “No, you can’t” and “I’ve never seen it done that way before.” Throw in a rude tone, and the CrossFit coach was trying to make me seem like I had no clue what I was talking about. Plus, he kept insisting you couldn’t clean and jerk it.
When I told him I had done devil’s press in a CrossFit competition as a clean and jerk, I still got told I was wrong.
I was angry. I left mad. I didn’t appreciate being told I was an idiot.
Finally, the owner had to step in and tell the CrossFit coach essentially I was right. I still didn’t get an apology.
Know your CrossFit programming. If a movement is programmed in CrossFit you don’t know, Google it and its variations. It doesn’t take that long.
Many CrossFitters think they know moves. Some are right; some are wrong. You can be nice about it either way.
“I would do it this way.”
Honestly, no one particularly cares how you’d do it. CrossFitters can do it however they want — as long as you are safe, of course.
I usually alter the CrossFit WODs no matter what. I either go heavier, or I change the moves. This is because I have my own CrossFit programming and training, and I know what I need to work on. Some CrossFit coaches take this personally. It’s nothing against you. Again, everyone is at their own place in their CrossFit journey. Honor that, and don’t berate it.
The point of CrossFit is to be better at functional movement in the real world, to get a good workout, to feel better about yourself. Meet people where they are at. Everyone is at their own prescribed weight. Everyone can do the movement however they want. It’s their workout; not yours.
At the beginning of the year, I felt healthy and ready to go hard at CrossFit. My injuries had all been healed, and I was well rested.
Enter January.
My dog had to go the emergency vet. The next week my grandmother died. Then I fell down the stairs and bruised up my entire left forearm.
Enter February
Then, this week, I hit myself in the foot with a dumbbell, I fell on the ice, and I dropped a 15-pound plate on my other foot.
I’ve about had it and am wondering what the hell God is trying to tell me here.
I’m in it to do it.
Another CrossFit Competition in the books.
Yesterday, I has a CrossFit Competition with my daughter. As usual, we took last place. Overall, we had fun, but there were a lot of dopey rules that made it exceedingly hard for my daughter to compete. I did most of the work (as expected), but I’m not as sore as last CrossFit competition we partnered together.
Overall, we had fun. It was held outdoors, of which we froze the entire morning until it warmed up. However, it was so close to my home that I was able to go home in-between CrossFit WODs, eat a good lunch, and even take a nap. I wish all CrossFit competitions were as such.
If you remember, my last CrossFit competition I came in first place.
Now that was fun.
Today, I did a REALLY fun CrossFit Wod that is called “The Chief.” The Chief is 3 power cleans at 95 lbs, 6 push ups, and 9 air squats. We did five, three-minute AMRAPs with a minute rest in-between. It was totally fun, and I got 24 rounds in.
It’s taken me almost four years to get to this point. And when I’m healthy (like now), I’m enjoying it like never before!
I love doing CrossFit competitions for a good cause, and this CrossFit competition, held at CrossFit Endure in Windsor, CO, was to raise money for the Windsor High School Weightlifting Club. It was a male/female partnership, and it was fun.
We ended up taking first place in the Master’s competition (totally unexpected), which felt really good. I hadn’t won a CrossFit competition in a long time, so this felt good — like I still have it. Fun stuff!
Teenagers are a fickle bunch. They really don’t want to do anything unless it’s what they want to do (which is hang out with their friends and sit around all day long, watching Netflix, playing video games, or just reading a good book in bed). They are at that awkward age where they are trying to figure out themselves, what they want to do in this world, and why they exist. Heavy questions for only having on average about 15 years of experience.
Enter CrossFit. CrossFit began as a way to get in shape. Period. It would have been cool I think to have been there at its inception or to have participated in the first CrossFit Games where it was nothing but pure fun and a good time.
Fast-forward a decade, and CrossFit is a serious sport with professional athletes. While this is fun to watch, the vast majority of CrossFitters will never be at that level — and most don’t want to be.
However, the problem arises when this mentality of being the best, pushing yourself, and actually caring about WODs is thrusted upon teens, who, honestly, could give a shit most of the time. Granted, there are those serious about it; but, to be truthful, they have time, and most of them know that.
I enter CrossFit competitions because they are fun. That is it. If I win, great. If I come in last place, great (I must admit, there have been CrossFit competitions where I have secretly hoped to come in last place so I could leave early).
As a parent, I want to share this with my daughter, who likes CrossFit, but at this point, just does it for fun (and to spend time with me, but she’d never admit that).
As someone who can never find a partner for whatever reason, she and I have become partners in several CrossFit competitions. We usually enter scaled so she can do the movements. In one that is coming up, we have entered Open, mainly because I thought this CrossFit competition had a scaled division (just found out it does not).
In local CrossFit competitions, the WOD’s are released as the CrossFit competition nears. This gives the die-hards time to practice (I never do cause I don’t give a shit), and it gives those who are on the fence about signing up an opportunity to decide.
Back to the whole point of this article: so this local competition is not programmed at all for teens. In fact, I will be doing the majority of the work. This is incredibly frustrating: 1) I would like to be able to walk the next day 2) my daughter does not get to experience the whole experience of the CrossFit competition when I’m doing the vast majority of the work. Plus, this is no fun for either of us.
But the real point of this CrossFit rant is that no CrossFit competition is programmed for teens (even when it’s a teen CrossFit competition). It’s programmed for 17 & 18 years olds who are a world away from 13, 14 & 15-year olds. As a parent, this is beyond frustrating. In fact, I’ve had several words with several CrossFit competitions (who all probably hate me, too) about this very fact. If you’re not even using CrossFit Open teen standards to program for teens, then there’s a problem.
I believe firmly this is why CrossFit teens programs at local CrossFit boxes remain stagnant. You cannot coach or program teens like you do adults. The focus needs to be in just getting teens to the gym, working out, and going home feeling like they did something. The passion will come later when they actually care.
My fight will continue as I am utterly incapable of not voicing my opinion. My prayer is that CrossFit does wise up, return to its roots, and just get teens moving (this is good advice for adults, too).
And programming a CrossFit competition with teens in mind would be nice. But so many CrossFit boxes are afraid if they don’t put on a good comp, no one will come back. I believe the opposite is true. When a CrossFit competition is all-inclusive, your CrossFit competition will grow (as will your membership). Contact me today!
My Journey to the CrossFit Games 