WOD Kills

Diaries and motivations of a CrossFit beginner

Tag: health

October 6, 2013

I joined a 100 Burpees Challenge. What about you?

100 Burpees Challenge (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch)

100 Burpees Challenge (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch)

Guess what? Burpees don’t like you either. Many times we read this sentence in Internet memes and, probably, is just the truth. Anyway, it happened last Monday, that we had to face one of those MetCon WODs packed of Burpees. And it literally knocked most of us down. And so my friend Rolando, one of the box managers, had one of his brilliant ideas: lets start a 100 Burpees Challenge!

We started the first of October with 1 Burpee, and we will add one everyday. This until the 100th day on which we will – hopefully – be able to do 100 unbroken Burpees, with 5050 Burpees done in 100 days.

Rolando is covering the challenge on its own blog (100burpees.rolandoalberti.ch), posting some useful tips everyday.

The myth of Milone

Milone is the most famous fighter and an Olympic champion of the ancient Greece, lived in the second half of the VI century, before Christ. A legend says that he trained since his childhood lifting a calf. He did it everyday, and his strength grew together with the calf that was getting heavier, growing day by day. Milone won six ancient Olympic games.

Milone di Crotone, Pierre Puget (Paris, Le Louvre)

Milone di Crotone, Pierre Puget (Paris, Le Louvre)

And now: why don’t you join our challenge?

Probably, you don’t like Burpees. Why don’t you try to start fighting the daemon joining us in our 100 Burpees Challenge? Burpees can be done everywhere: at the box, at home or at office (for the joy of your colleagues) and are a great MetCon exercise which will help you getting better results during the WODs.
You can start today (6th of October) with 6 Burpees and stay with us for the next 94 days.

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September 24, 2013

What I learned from CrossFit (until now)

Me and my friends after a really intense WOD

Me and my friends after a really intense WOD (crossfitlugano.com)

When I joined the CrossFit community, I never thought I could have learned something. I soon realized I was going to workout hard and I was going to give my best, but it took me a while to understand that the experience I’m living is actually more than just fitness. We’re not talking about skills and techniques. What I learned, and I’m learning day by day, WOD by WOD, is something that I think is making me a better, and more complete, person.

CrossFit is a lesson of humility

CrossFit boxes usually have a really heterogeneous customers base. Students, lawyers, traders, workers, sport professionals and more. What I learned, is that doesn’t matter who you are and what you do outside the box: in there you are just like all the other folks. You will give your best, you will sweat and you will suffer. And perhaps, you will find your name at the bottom of the times whiteboard. This way, I’m learning to never give up and to keep challenging myself. Leaving my ego at the door.

I can learn something from everybody

When I first moved my steps in the CrossFit world, there very little I knew about. Of course, my trainers are the first source of knowledge and information. But I’m trying to keep looking at all the people around me. In CrossFit no one is the best in class. And, with humility, I’m sure I can learn something from everybody in there.

I started eating well

I spend about 12 hours a day out of home, in car and at my office. And I’m sure most of you are in my same conditions. Eating well, eating healthy, is difficult. And, to be honest, was never my concern. But joining CrossFit is not just about sport and getting active. It’s more like lifestyles that will make you feel better and more conscious about your body. Soon I started being pickier on my lunches and dinners, trying to choose the best nutrients I could get. Such a change is quite difficult, and requires determination and patience. Most of the time, while eating at self-services or restaurants, is almost impossible to find what your body really need. Nevertheless, I quickly found out that my performances during the workouts and my general feelings during the day were much better while I managed to eat the right amount (and from the right sources) of carbs, proteins and fats.

Less is more!

All my life I looked for fancy fitness clubs with modern machines and cutting edge interior design. That stuff cost me a lot and, guess what? It never worked. We think that being member of a nice gym will give us better chances to go often, but at the end, this rarely works. The ugly truth is that most of us don’t need all that stuff. Less is more: CrossFit boxes are essentials and offers just what you need. You will learn to workout with floor exercises, jump boxes, PVC bars, ropes and few other (heavy) objects. Nevertheless, the rugged look of the box will give you other motivations to work you ass off. No women with fancy gym pants and make up, no guys with expensive watches. Everybody will be sweating and moaning, and you will not be embarrassed to do the same.

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September 16, 2013

5 Great (explained) motivationals to make your day a better day

Welcome to the best day of your life

Welcome to the best day of your life (julianbialowas.com)

Welcome to the best day of your life.

How many of us, waking up this morning, had this sentence in mind? Probably very few (and lucky) ones. Success and happiness are mostly based on self-consciousness and attitude. Think about today: we all have deadlines and stressful stuff to do. Convince yourself that those things are just part of your life, and doing them with enthusiasm will make your life a better place to live in. We all wait for a big change. Just focus on your passions, and start being the change you wish.

Do small things with great love.

Do small things with great love. (julianbialowas.com)

Do small things with great love. (Mother Teresa)

Most of our everyday actions are based on simple, repetitive things. Which are often the ones the bores us more. We may forget that there are two ways to do them: a good one and a bad one. Try to do your best even for the most simple gestures of your day. Pay attention to details. Only in this way you will be ready to face bigger challenges. 

No great achievement is possible without persistence.

No great achievement is possible without persistence. (julianbialowas.com)

No great achievement is possible without persistence. (Bertrand Russell)

When you have a dream, you have to pursue it. And you shall never give up. We tend to underestimate ourselves and to move back while in a tight spot. Modesty and temperance are precious values we have to safeguard, but this is not an excuse to not give out our best. Life is made of small and big obstacles: each one of them will be defeated with self-consciousness and perseverance.

Rethink everything.

Rethink everything. (julianbialowas.com)

Rethink everything.

Have you ever had the feeling that we all think in the same way? We are scared of being wrong and to be lonely. So we tend to conform our thoughts. Day by day, lets try to rethink everything, small and big things. Life is made of perceptions we can control. Why don’t we try to change the angle with which we see the stuff around us?

If you are not everyday conquering some fear, you have not learned the secret of life.

If you are not everyday conquering some fear, you have not learned the secret of life. (julianbialowas.com)

If you are not everyday conquering some fear, you have not learned the secret of life. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

We all have fears. Is just a human thing. Sometimes we feel trapped in our lives, like there is no way to really do what we would like to do. But we’re wrong. Some of our dreams will remain dreams (but we should never stop going after them). But some others are there: we just have to get up and catch them, even if something is stopping us. Day by day, we all have to try to defeat our small and big fears. To make our life happier.

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September 13, 2013

My 8 reasons to join CrossFit if you think you are not made for it.

Because you think you can’t do it (and you’re wrong)

If you’re wondering around the Internet trying to understand what CrossFit is, probably you already saw a lot of big guys and fit girls. CrossFit Boxes are usually packed with incredibly prepared athletes, but that does not mean you can’t be part of the game.  The CrossFit training system is scalable and easily accessible for every kind of person. Even for you. You will be surprised by the things you will do and the improvements you will achieve.

Because you will learn to not give up

How many times, following your daily program at your gym, you ended up cutting reps or exercises because you were feeling a bit tired or bored? Doing your CrossFit workouts you will be motivated by your trainers, your mates and your desire to achieve results, to finish up the full program once you started it. You will improve your determination and constancy: two basic skills in the Box and in your everyday life.

Because you need motivations to move your ass

Nowadays people tend to get lazy. The sedentary life deriving from office jobs and daily routines gives us a lot of excuses to not take care of ourselves, cutting down our motivations. The CrossFit community – once again: your trainer, your mates, and you – will be a very efficient driver that will push you to take an hour for your own well being. 

Because you don’t have enough time

Each one of our days is packed by deadlines and stressful tasks. And the daily routine often doesn’t allow us enough time for our social life and physical activity. “Ain’t nobody got time for that”, a popular Internet meme says. But without making big compromises you will find time for CrossFit. You can be sure everything will be done in an hour or less. And after that, you will be tired and satisfied as never before. Cutting down those boring (and time expensive) 30 minutes of warm-up on the treadmill.

Because you will feel healthier

You will feel healthier and fit. And this will happen very soon. Your body will be surprised by all the new things you will be doing, and you will end up with a strange, addicting sense of well being. This will motivate you to carry on a healthier lifestyle, taking care of your alimentation and your sleep quality. Simple actions like climbing stairs, or carrying shopping bags will become surprisingly easier.

Because you will make new friends

One of the distinctive signs of CrossFit is its community. People going to the same Box tend to become friends. During the daily workouts, athletes are driven to bond, helping and motivating each other out. You will socialize with your mates and, perhaps, you will build up new friendships.

Because you will feel more confident with your body

You will be trained to do things and movements that you thought were reserved to a small number of people. And you will be surprised by how powerful your body is and how more powerful it can become. This will turn up in a renewed confidence in your body and your physical possibilities.

Because you will never get bored

A daily/weekly workout program of a regular gym bores us all. And in a short time, we tend to loose our motivations. CrossFit WOD changes every day, and you will rarely end up doing the same thing two times. Plus, the intensity of the training will keep you excited about what you are doing.

May you always do what you are afraid to do

May you always do what you are afraid to do (julianbialowas.com)

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