Category: Personal Change

Why the CF Group Class Model is a Disservice to Athletes

Written by Einar Leon

First, let’s be clear that I am not denying the effectiveness of group classes as they relate to general fitness. What I am criticizing is the fact that the quality of fitness has suffer over the quantity of athletes attending a group class. By piling people into a group class, the caliber of coaching is diminished, athletes are getting hurt, and people are not reaching their true fitness goals.

In an effort to meet an-ever increasing demand, the Group X business model was introduced to the CrossFit Community in 2006. The Group X business model is an import of a system widely used by martial arts, and its main goal is to put as many bodies into a group class by any means possible. CrossFit classes morphed from small groups of 4-6 individuals in the late 90s, to classes of up to 15-20 athletes observed today. Although large classes may have increased revenue for the owners, the negative impacts of this practice are still being felt to this day primarily by the athletes.

In a group class environment, it is practically impossible for a coach to address major form issues, or teach technically advanced movements, due to the difference in ability levels within the athletes. When new students show up to class, the trainer is forced to focus all attention and efforts on the newer athletes, while the most seasoned students are totally disregarded. At the end of class, the new student will never learn the complex movement at hand, and the loyal client will always be ignored. In other words, the additional energy invested with the new athletes by the coach is wasted, and any investments made with the veteran clients over time are completely lost. As a result, coaches quickly burn out and lose the desire to achieve excellence in coaching.  The athletes in turn, only receive substandard coaching.

The first word generally associated with CrossFit is injury. Make no mistake, this bad reputation was earned by the ever-increasing number of CrossFitters getting hurt, not because of the program itself, but by the substandard coaching described above. Regular people are thrown into classes expected to perform movements that take years to master, combine this with a trainer too busy to pay attention to detail, and the end result will always be injuries.

Now, if a coach is too busy because of the size of the class, then this coach will never have the opportunity to get to know each client individually. The athlete on the other hand, will not be able to explain to the coach the true reason why she or he is there. The opportunity to foster true relationships and rapport in between coaches and athletes is simply lost, and consequently the athlete will most likely never meet her/his fitness goals.

Back in 1996, Greg Glassman started with one-on-one sessions. Soon, as the popularity of his program soared, Greg was forced to shift his sessions, from one-on-one, to small groups.  The true reasons behind his success were the effectiveness of the program, and the quality of the service brought on by on-on-one sessions. The program is still the same, however its implementation is different. The quality of the coaching and its results have been diluted by the Group X business model. Moreover, injuries and unmet fitness goals are prevalent issues resulting from this model.

The group model is what gave birth to what we know now as “community.”  Camaraderie, friendship, and support are some the terms people use to describe the benefits of community.  However, the groups class model can only be effective if every person within the group meets his/her fitness goals. This level of competency can only be achieved by forming strong personal bonds with the athlete, which can only be met by one-on-one coaching. The benefits: increased quality of coaching, reduction of injuries and happier athletes and coaches.

Find out more at:

CrossFitIKAIKA.com

by Project Never Quit

Get True Satisfaction out of Your Training

Written by Einar Leon

Do you remember the day that you got your first promotion? Or the day that you purchased your first car? What about that day that you got your first PR on your deadlift? It is almost certain that you experienced satisfaction during any or all of these events, but how long did it really last? The most likely answer to this question is “not long enough”, but why?

Unfortunately we have been conditioned by society to believe that satisfaction is on the other side of achievement, but achievement is always a moving target. Take for example the PR for your deadlift, as soon as you achieved that 1 RM, you were already thinking about ways to go even heavier. The same for your Fran time, the moment that you achieved that new record time, you were already thinking about ways to make it even faster. And therefore the satisfaction that you got out of these achievements was very short lived, because we tend to compare ourselves against a better version of us, which in turn is an ever moving target. The same principle applies to promotions, buying a new car, or being the fastest one to complete the WOD, satisfaction in every single one of these instances is transient and short lived because there is always bigger and better out there.

On the last posting of this blog we covered the topic of practice and training during class as an efficient way to truly improve your strength and conditioning. Now, if you add the commitment to improve your movement during your training/ practice sessions to the best of your ability, then you are holding yourself accountable to a higher level of performance. Executing a WOD at a higher level of personal performance does not mean that you will be faster or stronger that day. In fact it will make the WOD harder and most likely is going to slow you down, because moving properly is HARD, however the level of satisfaction that you get out of the workout that day will be high and long lasting. Furthermore, the longer you do this, the better your movement will get with time, and the more improvements you will experience in the future.

Think about it, knowing that you put your best effort at completing a challenging task has nothing to do with how much you lifted, or how long it took you to complete it. It has everything to do with the confidence that you gave your best effort. Knowing that you gave your best effort at anything will always make you feel fulfilled, it will bring you joy, and more importantly this type of satisfaction is long lived since you are in total control of it! The endorphins that you get out of this will make you want to do it more, creating a POSITIVE cycle in which you will always strive to perform to the best of your ability, giving you a true sense of satisfaction

NEVER QUIT! Always perform to the best of your ability, and you will be fully satisfied!

by Project Never Quit

You May Be “Training” Yourself Out of Shape

Written by Einar Leon

As CrossFitters, we believe that showing up to class as often as possible and doing the WOD constitutes training, however that notion is not true in most cases.

Upon arriving to class, most CrossFitters follow one of these behaviors: a) we anxiously search the board to find the athlete with fastest time, or heaviest load and use this as the standard to beat for that day. b) We rapidly shift through our personal notes, and find the time or weight achieved the last time the same WOD was performed to set that as the goal for the day.  c) Once the WOD starts, we engage in a head-to-head competition trying to beat each other until a clear winner is identified on the board.  If you are doing any of these things every time you show up to class you are NOT training. Instead, by definition, you are COMPETING!

Competition is a contest, it is the ultimate test of our abilities against another human being. As such, competition does almost nothing to improve our skill, conditioning or strength. To the contrary, because of the maximum effort invested in trying to win, form and technique tend to suffer. Moreover maximum efforts put a great amount of stress on our bodies, and any possible metabolic benefits are minimized.

The only way to increase strength, improve movement and conditioning is by practicing, and then training. Boxers don’t’ just jump into a fight the same day a fight is announced. Instead, boxers spend months in “training” camps in preparation for a fight. Pianists are unable to play Beethoven’s piano concertos right off the bat, instead they train and practice for years before showcasing their talents in a public performance. During football season, NFL teams practice and train rigorously throughout the week to be in the best shape possible to compete on Sunday. CrossFit should be approached in exactly the same way. The only way to improve your strength and conditioning is by practicing and training, not by competing yourself to death every single day at the gym. Living proof that this “radical approach” to CrossFit “training” works is on TV right now! Katrin Davidsdottir was able to become the 2015 and 2016 champion by concentrating in practice and training during the off-season. She limited testing her abilities against other CrossFitters to about once a week.

Practice should be done with weights below 65% of 1 RM and without raising your heart rate, with the sole purpose of improving technique and mechanics in an effort to instill “muscle memory”… Yes, practice is boring!  Training should be done with weights above 65% 1RM, raising your heart rate with the purpose of improving conditioning and increasing strength. Competition should be done as an ultimate test of Practice and Training. Ideally you should be spending 45% of yout time practicing, 45% training, and only 10% competing. This means that if you attend the gym 5 days a week, then once every 10 days you should test your improvements by engaging in a form of PRODUCTIVE competition.

 

NEVER QUIT practicing and training! Stop competing every day! Be Patient it takes time.

by Project Never Quit

Man’s Search for Meaning

Written by Einar Leon

This week, one of my favorite podcasts covered in depth a 1946 book titled Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust as an Auschwitz inmate. In the book Frankl details the horrors he endured, but most importantly he describes the strategy he developed to find the real meaning of life, which in turn allowed him to survive Auschwitz.

My favorite quote from the book reads: “it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us“. In other words, we need to stop thinking about the meaning of life, and instead we should start thinking about how to keep moving forward when bad things happen to us. Let’s face it, we all know that sometimes life is not fair, but instead of dwelling on it or feeling sorry about ourselves, it is more productive to face any challenges head on, and fight our way out of the hole.

NEVER QUIT, never dwell on the negative, keep moving forward!

by Project Never Quit

The Trail Fucks with You

Written by Einar Leon

Last weekend my friends and I ran the Ragnar Trail relay race in Virginia, and it was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Not because of the distance, or the unusually warm weather, but primarily because I was scared of running on a trail in the middle of the forest at night. Some people have a primal fear of snakes, spiders and even clowns, however for me there is nothing scarier than walking through the forest at night. Adding to my anxiety was the fact that I was to run as fast as possible on a narrow winding trail in the dark.

My nightmare became a reality when I was awaken at 2AM to start my run. Still dazed and confused I got dressed and walked over to the starting line to wait for my teammate to complete his run and pass race bib to me. As soon as we made the transfer I took off running into the dark with my head lamp at the brightest setting possible. Within 20 minutes and passing a few runners, I came to the realization that I was all alone, and exactly at that moment fear got a hold of me to the point in which I could no breathe normally. Almost immediately I began to trip and stumble all over, my feet hit every single root, rock and tree stump on that trail. It got so bad, that my right ankle rolled twice under me in less than 10 minutes forcing me to stop and walk the pain off. While walking, I noticed something rather comforting: SILENCE. The quietness of the trail at night was soothing, it made me feel at peace. Immediately I told myself: “The trail is fucking with you!”

I resumed the run, paying extra attention to the placement of my feet on the trail to avoid further damage to my ankle, this raised my fear level once more. Upon recognizing that the trail was “messing” with me again, I stop and listened to the SILENCE to calm myself down, then very quietly I resumed my run, this time trying to be part of the SILENCE. From that point on, I had the most enjoyable run ever!! I’ve never had such a peaceful run in my life. Upon my return to camp, my teammate Kelly described her experience of running the trials in the dark, I was very surprised when she said: “the trail fucks with you at night” I could not agree more with you Kelly!

Thank you to all of my teammates for your support and company on such a great adventure. It really changed my life.

NEVER QUIT, do not surrender to your fears!

by Project Never Quit

Dealing with Shortcomings

Written by Einar Leon

As a devoted fan of military aviation, I came across a very compelling story on Bob Hoover (b. 1922-d. 2016), a legendary Air Force test pilot and the oldest Air Show Pilot in the US.

While Hoover was flying home on a vintage plane after an air show, he suddenly experienced a major engine malfunction at low altitude, thanks to his superior skills as a pilot he was able to crash-land his plane without killing anyone in the process. Immediately after the crash he inspected his engine and discovered that his World War II propeller plane had been fueled with jet fuel instead of aviation gasoline, this was a major mistake by one of his mechanics.

He then asked to see the mechanic who serviced his plane ASAP. The young mechanic met with Hoover the next day expecting to be fired. Hoover calmly laid his arm around the mechanic and said “To show you that I’m sure that you’ll never do this again, I want you to service my F-51 (jet plane) tomorrow.”

Now, consider the power behind Hoover’s response for a second. Instead of showing his anger by yelling or cursing at the guy, Hoover chose to get the most out of a negative experience by teaching the mechanic a lesson in attention to detail. Hoover placed his anger aside and took advantage of the situation to make the mechanic feel better about himself, instead of degrading him. In return, the mechanic got a boost of confidence, instead of suffering the negative effects of being yielded at.

Imagine how much better our lives would be if we adopt Hoover’s attitude towards shortcomings.

NEVER QUIT, never criticize! Think about the best positive outcome instead!

by Project Never Quit

Scaling your Workouts

Written by Einar Leon

Being able to complete WODs as prescribed or Rx is a great confidence booster and an indicator that you are getting stronger, faster and better, however having an Rx by your name on the whiteboard should not be your main goal for training, otherwise you may be missing the whole point of CrossFit.

The stated purpose of CrossFit is to “increase work capacity across broad modal and time domains.” In simple terms, CrossFit is to give you the capacity to perform almost any physical activity safely, quickly and efficiently. For the sake of the argument let’s say that an athlete is able to complete Fran Rx in 7 minutes, but this athlete did not perform a full squat (below parallel) on each thruster repetition, moreover this athlete’s form was compromised by not keeping a neutral spine during the workout. In other words, this athlete completed the WOD quickly, but certainly not efficiently or safely. Due to the lack in technique, this athlete’s work capacity was not optimal, and therefore we can conclude that he/ she did not get the full benefit of the workout, and perhaps even increased his/her risk of injury by not following proper form and technique.

Now consider an athlete who completed a scaled version of Fran (at less weight) in 7 minutes as well. This athlete instead, performed each movement with perfect technique and form. Despite the fact that the power output for the second athlete was less than the first one, athlete number 2 successfully completed the workout just as quickly, but more efficiently and safely than the other one. Consequently we can conclude that the work capacity of athlete 2 was significantly higher, and therefore this athlete received the full benefit of the workout.

The act of focusing on technique more than weight allows athletes to incrementally increase speed and strength, resulting in better mechanics and efficiency. Being more aware of the efficiency of our movements is definitely more beneficial than having an Rx next to our name on the whiteboard.

 

NEVER QUIT thinking about technique.

by Project Never Quit

Inauguration Day

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to witness the raw beauty of positive human interaction. During a CrossFit competition event, an athlete attempted to complete the last set of overhead squats as required, with almost no time left on the clock. The look on the athlete’s face was that of uncertainty and discomfort as the crowd of spectators and competitors began to cheer and call for the athlete’s name. Almost immediately the look on the athlete’s face changed to that of determination. The athlete then decisively stood over the bar and lifted it with all of the remaining strength, feeding off the positive energy in the room. This amazing athlete then proceeded to complete the last set of overhead squats unbroken before the time cap. The whole room broke into a singular and loud explosion of applause and joy.

This example highlights the fact that our behavior is not the product of our genes, the environment or conditioning. Instead our behavior is the direct result of how we decide to respond to situations or events. In the example above, it is clear that the spectators and athletes made the conscious decision to cheer for the athlete in the middle of a challenging situation. The athlete clearly and independently decided not to give up, and completed the task at hand, despite the overwhelming odds. The end result: an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and joy for everyone in that room, independent of the score or overall performance of that athlete during the competition.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” If you think about it for a second in the context of this discussion, she is undoubtedly right. It is not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurt us. Our athlete’s response to the overwhelming situation was to finish despite the odds. The athlete choose to finish and won, not in terms of the competition, but in terms of personal achievement. The audience on the other hand, choose to cheer for the athlete and also won in terms of admiration and respect for that athlete. Now consider what would have happened if the opposite choices would have been made by both the athlete and the audience.

Today is Inauguration Day, depending on your political affiliation and/ or views this day could be the start of four promising years, or four challenging ones. Despite the character or condition of our political system, we still have the freedom to choose how we respond and behave in the face of any challenges or trends, and therefore we all are still capable of accomplishing great things. Let today be Inauguration Day to always keep in mind that our behavior is the direct result of our decisions.

NEVER QUIT on beautiful human interaction.

by Project Never Quit

To Achieve Your Goals, Learn How to Trust Your Future Self

The first week of 2017 has gone by, and therefore it is a good point in time to check your progress on your resolutions. Statistically just 8% of people achieve their new year’s resolutions, however according to science it is not because of lack of trying, but a lack of trust in ourselves.

As an example let’s assume that your goal is to run a 5K in May, and you have decided that to complete this feat you will wake up at 5 AM to run for an hour every day, you set your alarm clock for the next morning and go to sleep with an irrevocable sense of commitment. Next thing you know, the alarm goes off, it is pitch black and you find yourself smacking the snooze button, and go back to your pillow’s sweet embrace. Eventually after snoozing three or four times you wake up and realize that you screwed up, but why?

The reason, according to a 2009 study published by Stanford University, is directly related to the immediate reward based on the “Current Self” versus the future reward based on the “Future Self”.  In other words, the immediate reward of your pillow’s sweet embrace is more attractive and attainable than the far in the future reward of having bragging rights of completing a 5K in a few months.

The solution to this discrepancy problem with our reward system is to stop worrying about the behavior, and instead focus on your self –trust. The way to do this is via a process called “stretching.” Here is how it works. Step one: Choose a simple rule for yourself, one so simple that you can’t possible fail. Step two: Make sure you follow step one.

The point is to establish a pattern of evidence for your brain to observe. Find a very doable piece of behavior to adopt, and then focus on doing it, no matter what. In our 5K example just say, “I am going to get out of bed the moment that the alarm goes off.” This goal is so small that it seems almost useless. But if you keep at it, you will establish credibility and now you can “stretch” it to a more ambitious goal. In our case it would be, “I am going for a brisk walk after getting out of bed.” As you establish more credibility with your future self you can use your new found “stretching” power to add more goals  until eventually you get to run the 5K.

Gerry Duffy is one of the world’s leading endurance athletes and winner of the UK Deca-Ironman Challenge, a competition that involves running a triathlon for ten days straight. Gerry used the “stretching” technique as a way to lose weight and get fit, quit smoking, get over a fear of speaking in public, and to quit his job and built a multi-million dollar business.  So if stretching worked for Gerry, why not make it work for you?

Below is a TED talk in which Gerry talks in detail about stretching

 

NEVER QUIT in the pursuit of your goals!

by Project Never Quit

How to Implement Change Now

Most of us wait until the end of the year to formulate resolutions as a way to improve for the upcoming year, but have you ever consider that you can change today? All you need is to take control of your mind to impose your will.

NEVER QUIT, never wait!

by Project Never Quit

It Is All About the Struggle

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the wisest of mortals, who sometimes played tricks on the gods to get what he wanted. When the gods finally had enough, they condemned Sisyphus to eternal hard labor, rolling a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back to the bottom each time he reached top. It was intended to be not only difficult labor, but frustrating and futile.

Sometimes life situations might feel like Sisyphus’ sentence, however if you change your perspective and look at the struggle as your main objective, then problems become more manageable. Watch the video below to learn how

NEVER QUIT struggling!

by Project Never Quit

Two miracles, one weekend

About three weeks ago, on a hot Thursday afternoon, we had to take our daughters to an open house at their elementary school. The objective of the open house was to allow the girls and us to meet their respective teachers, and to get familiar with their new classrooms in preparation for the new school year. After all of the official gallantries were done, Rona and I decided to hang around and talk with some of the parents who we are friends with. About an hour later, when we were heading out for the door, I noticed that an unfamiliar guy in blue scrubs ran towards my wife and gave her a big hug. Just before my brain was about to process this scene as strange, Rona asked me with a big smile “do you remember Sean from my work back in San Francisco?” Still in shock, somehow reluctantly I shook Sean’s hand and said “I am sorry, I do not remember, but nice to meet you again Sean.” He then introduced his wife Kim Lan, and their beautiful daughter. It turns out that they were there for the open house, and after a couple of minutes of conversation we also found out that they lived a few miles away from us. They had recently moved from the SF bay area, and like us were California expats, making the great State of North Carolina their permanent home.

Now, allow me to stop for a second to point out the importance and randomness of this encounter. First, Rona and I left the SF Bay area 10 years ago. Second, during that decade Rona didn’t really keep in touch with Sean. Third, Sean and his family moved to Durham about a year ago, and settled in a neighboring development. Finally, what are the chances of running into someone who, you have not seen in 10 years, and recognize them in a split second? Are you thinking what I am thinking? That is correct! The chances of all of these things happening are slim at best, and therefore a miracle by definition. I will call this Miracle #1.

Back to the encounter…while Rona and Sean caught up with stories about mutual friends, Kim Lan and I began to ask the regular questions one poses when you meet someone for the first time. However, I could not help but notice that her friendliness and good disposition made me feel totally at ease (for those of you who do not know me well, I am very reserved and normally experience minor anxiety when meeting someone for the first time, which makes me come across as quiet). After a few minutes of continued conversation Rona and Sean exchanged phone numbers, and the time came for all of us to say bye. It was at this point that I was surprised once more by Kim Lan’s warm and wholehearted character, she sincerely hugged us all with the biggest smile on her face as if we were life-long friends.

A couple of days later, our families were having a BBQ at Sean and Kim Lan’s home. Among many of the conversations that we had that day, Kim Lan casually mentioned that she had given a TED Talk just a couple of months back. Intrigued and full of curiosity, Rona and I Googled her name as soon as we got home later that day. We learned that Kim Lan is a prolific advocate for people with disabilities, in fact she is the Director of the Redefining Disabled Project (http://redefiningdisabled.org/). She has also been featured in numerous publications, radio shows, and podcast. At this point, Rona and I recognized that we had spent an afternoon in the presence of a powerfully driven mother and wife, with an unmatched level of strength, character, positive energy and above all, humility. When Rona and I watched Kim Lan’s TED Talk, Miracle #2 precipitated onto our lives.

Through her lecture, Kim Lan provides the audience with a very simple concept drawn from an event at a supermarket which had a negative impact on her daughter. Her concept: to make our minds a safe space in order to identify and celebrate our variances and those of others. In other words, changing our natural human instinct to place personal differences in a negative light, and instead assigning a positive value to those things that make us unique, creating at the same time a positive environment and consequently, a better world. This concept alone instantly transformed my perception of the world from one of fear, uncertainty and lack of trust, to one of positive optimism and hope. Since it is impossible for me to convey the true power of her message, I strongly encourage you to watch Kim Lan’s TED Talk after reading this paragraph.

Now please consider the following, how many times in your life has a simple idea or concept drastically changed your perception of the world around you in a matter of minutes? Furthermore, what are the chances of meeting the author or originator of such idea? Personally, this is the only time in my life, in which a simple notion has opened my eyes to a world full of new possibilities, all brought about by a person we met as a result of  Miracle #1, therefore qualifying the whole experience as Miracle #2.

Thank you very much Kim Lan! You have single-handedly changed my life and that of my family’s in a single weekend.

If you enjoyed Kim Lan’s Ted Talk, please help by spreading her message, or by supporting the Redefining Disabled Project (http://redefiningdisabled.org/).

Remember: NEVER QUIT in the quest to build a better future for our friends and families.

by Project Never Quit