Life has a lot of sandcastles in it.

Projects, jobs, relationships, fitness pursuits… Things that you must put work into that may fall over at any moment.

Have you spent all week (all month... all year) building a 'sandcastle' only to have it crumble right before it was finished?

The beauty of a real sandcastle is that it is temporary and that the finished product isn't as important as the process of building it.

Are you spending all your time fixing a failing sandcastle?
Are you learning/enj…

I could talk for HOURS about metcon creation. But the short answer is that, yes there are very deliberate methods to the madness.

Benchmark Workouts

• First and foremost, I'll schedule certain 'benchmark' workouts 4-6 months in advance and make sure they jive with the strength lifting and skill progressions (and the Open of course). I'll make sure that the programming leading up to those workouts and the Open sets people up for success when test day comes.
• Second, I'll acknowledge what week w…

I’ve heard it said that ‘Effective marketing is just setting expectations. Show why & what you do, then deliver on that promise.’

If a company makes false claims (or manipulative claims), they’ll pay the price. If they portray a product or experience as something other than what it delivered (even if the product/experience is good), people will sense the disconnect and be uncomfortable doing business in the future.

This is where having a clear understanding of your brand image and knowing your…

What is more important for coaches: The mouth or the ears?

Most people would assume that your voice is the most important tool as a coach.

You give people directions.

You tell them what to fix.

You yell at them to slow down (or go faster).

You talk to them about what they should be eating (and what they should not).

You describe how they can change their habits.

But the truly great coaches… the ones that focus on the relationship just as much as the technical side… they listen more than t…

We’ve all experienced it.

Everything is going well.

We are sticking to our plans and making progress toward our goals.

Then…

We hit a wall.

Our motivation runs dry.

Unexpected obstacles keep getting in the way.

We lose focus.

This is something that happens during long workouts, but it also happens with our goals and routines.

We set new routines for our Resolutions. We try to forge habits that will take us toward our goals.

“The Wall”, or “The Dip”, is almost guaranteed if you are sign…

What a finish to the 2021 Open!

Great combo of movements. Two scoring opportunities. Safety built in. I think it is great!

The video is long (you can always watch it at 1.25 or 1.5 speed), but I tried to keep it to things that you won’t see on other breakdowns.

I talk about why the 8’ rule, how front squats can make your grip tired, what to do during the rests, what shoes to wear, pointing toes, riding one wheels, how to get your first toes to bar or chest to bar, the secret to bar muscle u…

Be Careful with Diet Changes and Training

It is that time of year when many of you have been cleaning up your diet.

The Issue: When you drastically drop your total calorie intake (more than 10-15% generally) and/or you reduce your protein intake while upping your training volume. Dropping your total calories too much WILL affect your energy and your training. It may not be noticeable the first couple of weeks, but it will catch up with you eventually.

• You will be more sore than usual.
• You …

One of the most important things we do with potential members and new members is build trust.

• When trust is established, people sign up faster, and are more likely to pay upfront.
• When trust is established, people are more likely to do what you tell them (and get better results).
• When trust is established, people are going to tell their friends to come and see you.

A critical first step to building trust is to not assume that others build trust as you do or that they understand the depth…

Well... I don’t think anyone expected Wall Walks in the Open!

That being said, it is a pretty cool movement to test people. It is more approachable than Handstand Walks. The judging should be pretty easy (although chalk handprints on the floor will drive gym owners mad).

It isn’t the most ‘functional’ movement in the CrossFit arsenal, but it will challenge people’s coordination and flexibility.

Watch the video for the full breakdown, but here are the high points:

Overall

• 55 total Wall…