Crossfit Threshold Holt's Corner

"Do without doing"

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

I have been pleasantly surprised over the past couple months. With the introduction of Elisha's 6 week program, Rey's 4 week program, and GRIT, all the athletes at CrossFit Threshold have shown amazing resolve and fortitude. It is human nature to oppose change but change can be a powerful tool towards growth. It is always so amazing to see how strong the human spirit is and what warriors we've created thus far. Each one of you sacrifice every day giving forth all that you are in the name of fitness, health, and longevity.

Elisha's six week programming was an adjustment for most. It was a much different pace with vastly different goals. But most people noticed that it honed in on many neglected areas of mobility, movement, and muscles that typical CrossFit workouts overlook. It also gave everyone a break from heavy breathing met cons which ISN'T a bad thing. It was only for six weeks and I feel everyone benefited from it in more ways than one.

Rey's four week program got back to some raw CrossFit. I know you were all hungry for it which was so great to see. The effort put forth was electrifying. I could feel the energy in the gym. It was so exciting it gave me goosebumps. :-) But whether you believe it or not, the prior six weeks set you up for success for these past few weeks. Ya'll went full throttle and it truly displayed that warrior spirit which is within you all. Some of you may disagree but trust me, you all have it.

"GRIT" has been a surprise. I never expected the overwhelming response that it has received. It has shown the athletes that have completed either the past 4 weeks or even one class that pushing past those levels of discomfort, pain, and mental voices that tell you to stop prove to be fruitful in the end. Ask any "Grit-er" how they feel afterwards. Put aside the physical and mental exhaustion; the level of pride, sense of accomplishment, and self-actualized state keeps them coming back. One would think that once would be enough for these crazy people but they continue to want more. :-) It's SO rad.

The human body can withstand amazing amounts of adversity. Drought, famine, childbirth, etc. You must all understand that you are all monster athletes in your own right. Not many people can say they do what you do. But with the constant arsenal of workouts you endure each week, there must be some emphasis placed on REST.

Rest will not set you back. In fact, it will push you forward being a catalyst to even more PRs and accomplishments! (I know most of you were wondering if I had a point to this article). Please listen to us when we say that rest must become your best friend. Over training is so easy to do with CrossFit based on the fact that the workouts (minus GRIT) are typically short and intense. You may feel completely capable of doing a second workout that day but rest will allow your body time to regenerate and repair itself. Nutrition is crucial with rest but ya'll know where I stand with that so I won't embellish on it.

You have all displayed admirable capacities which is so thrilling to see as a coach but like I always say to new athletes, "You're safety is our number one concern and we are not here to break records." Maybe later down the road I'd like to see you harness your inner super hero but CrossFit must be implemented in a gradual way.

Resting is difficult because you enjoy CrossFit so much. I get it. Trust me, I'm a chronic over-trainer and it's been a real issue for me. Anyone that knows me knows that I enjoy punishing my body and mental being for hours, sometimes multiple times a day. But I can tell you first hand, I haven't progressed nearly as far as I'd liked to because of it. So please rest at least two times a week. Space out your rest if you need to. You all need it especially after the past few weeks of programming and GRIT.

We have so many plans and future operations brewing at CrossFit Threshold. We are working hard to provide you with the richest and most goal-oriented experience you can possibly ask for. But you can enrich your own experience ten fold with good old fashion rest. So get some more sleep and I promise you'll wake up better equipped to hit that WOD with more drive and capacity then you can imagine.

"Wu Wei" is an important concept of Taoism. Knowing when and when not to act in a natural way. Much like planets revolving around the sun. They "do" this without "doing". Or the growth of a tree, they "do" but without actually "doing". Listen to your body. Rest when you feel you need it (which is more often that you think).

Sometimes doing nothing is doing something.

"We will never be here again."

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

You have been given the gift of life; a golden ticket if you will. Each and every one of you has been blessed to experience all the highs and lows this life has to offer. Yes, all the lows. Without experiencing the pain of suffering, you truly cannot appreciate the joys of happiness. I personally welcome those dark moments because they are my life's litmus test.

Now ask yourself this question, "What have you decided to do with this gift thus far?" Forget money, material possessions, or other superfluous things. The foundation of what most people would consider happiness is a life filled with love, passion, and health. Good health has been a concept that dates back as far as time. Remember this; nutrition is the foundation of our lives. Without a solid foundation, everything else around us crumbles to the ground.

Why do you think I ask you all everyday the same question, "How's nutrition?" Most may feel I like to do it to agitate people but I ask because for almost four years, I've been waiting for that one person to reply with a sense of verve. Change is what I'm looking for. Altering your path towards true habitual changes. Positive self talk is a good start. Not only for workouts but for daily living. Create a mantra for yourself that will help you stay the course. Nutrition doesn't need to be clean 100% of the time. That's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for lifestyle changes. Eating a clean diet not only helps with countless long-term health benefits but it also leads you towards a life of success. If you feel better and function better, you will see it positively affect every facet of your life. Just like CrossFit has.

A strong foundation in nutrition has a direct link to a strong commitment to yourself as a human being. It leads towards a life of control. We all want control in our lives. We want to be steering the wheel at all times but negative choices lead to a life dictated by food and cravings. There are many things in life that we cannot control. What you put in your mouth is one of them. But remember, creating a new lifestyle for yourself with your daily eating habits will lead to a longer life free of medicine and medical procedures! You can't beat that. We are fortunate enough to be part of a community full of loving families. As role models, parents, and heroes, what do you want to see? What kind of example do you want to set for future generations? What legacy do you want to leave behind? I find myself reading obituaries from time to time and it's rare to find any that state how healthy the person was. The majority of them are a bit tragic in nature with deaths caused by health issues.

We all have this naive sense of time. "I'll start tomorrow", "I'll tighten my nutrition in the next few months", or "I fell off the wagon but I'll start monday." Stop giving in to the pitfalls of excuses. Excuses are the cousin of failure. Are you a loser or a winner? I know you are all the latter. I was 16 like yesterday. You don't have that much time. There are still many that feel that eating clean is not "living". I don't believe that for a second. No one truly enjoys feeling self conscious about their weight, body, or performance. Most of us suffer from metabolic derangement but correcting that will lead to unexpected things. Fact: there is no better feeling than looking good naked. True story.

People ask me how I eat clean and what motivates me to keep it going. Minus competition, personal goals, and health, I have always taken an elitist approach to eating clean. I people watch. Of all the facts I learned in architecture school, one has always stuck with me. People watching is the number one human activity. For an architect to create a building or structure that will last the test of time, they must observe people because scale, light, and spacial awareness are all factors that go into creating a piece of art that functions for the pedestrian. So watching people and their actions have become an innate pastime of mine. What I've noticed is that no one eats healthy. In fact, it's extremely challenging to find fit looking people. I know this. I am not just another faceless head in the crowd. I am not another number. I am Chris Holt. And I am part of a small percentage of people that live life the way it was meant to be lived. Healthy, vibrant, energetic, and active! All the aesthetics are literally an added bonus. But I will not consider myself part of the norm or just like everyone else. Complacency is no way to live. Have some self respect. It may sound abrupt but that's how I view it. Do what you need to do to maintain your focus.

Life is fleeting. It passes in the blink of an eye. It's a roller coaster and we only get one ticket. The Greeks believed that the Gods (immortals) envied humans because of our mortality. They believed that our lives were that much more beautiful because we are doomed. Any day could be our last. All I desire for you is to grab hold of your life and fix those fundamental things that will exponentially improve you in more ways than you can imagine. We currently have athletes with such stories. They are my inspiration. I want to continue to be inspired. I believe in you, you just need to believe in yourself. Who will be my next inspiration?

"Zombieland: Rule #32: Enjoy the little things"

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Louie Schwartzberg's "Nature. Beauty. Gratitude." "You think this is just another day in your life. It's not just another day. It's the one day that is given to you. Today. It's given to you. It's a gift. It's the only gift that you have right now and the only appropriate response is gratefulness. If you do nothing else but to cultivate that response, to the great gift that this unique day is. If you learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life and the very last day, then you would have spent this day very well. Begin by opening your eyes and be surprised that you have eyes to open. That incredible array of colors that is constantly offered to us for pure enjoyment. Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky. We so rarely note how different it is from moment to moment with clouds coming and going. We just think of the weather. And even with the weather we don't even think of the many nuances of weather. We just think of good weather and bad weather. This day right now with unique weather. Maybe a kind that never exactly in that form come again. The forms of clouds in the sky will never be the same that it is right now. Open your eyes, look at that. Look at the faces of people that you meet. Each one has an incredible story behind their face. A story that you could never fully fathom. Not only their own story, but the story of their ancestors. We all go back so far. And in this present moment, on this day, all the people you meet, all that life from generations and from so many places in the world, flows together and meets you here like a life giving water if you only open your heart and drink. Open your heart to the incredible gifts that civilization gives to us. You flip a switch and there is electric light, you turn a facet and there is warm water and cold water, and drinkable water. A gift that millions and millions in the world will never experience. So these are a just a few of a enormous number of gifts to which we can open your heart. So I wish you that you will open your heart to all these blessings. And let them flow through you. That everyone that you will meet on this day will be blessed by you. Just by your eyes. your smile, by your touch, just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessings all around you. And then it will really be a good day."

We live in a world of instant gratification. Literally everything that we could possibly need or want is a click away. Those pair of shoes you've been wanting or that book or electronic item, all simply a few clicks away and will arrive at your doorstep in a timely fashion or the very next day (depending on how impatient you are). I find this to be a possible problem for all of us. We live in a era where it is impossible to agree to disagree. Wikipedia, google, or any other search engine all give us the answer in a few seconds. I see this emerging into our CrossFit community. People want results NOW. Nutrition, strength, skill based movements, are all things that take time to nurture and cultivate. It's easy to come into our community and want to lift, press, pull, throw, or climb like everyone else. It doesn't work like that. Patience is a virtue that has been lost by the wayside.

Realize this fact. You take many things in your life for granted. Walking to the bathroom. Brushing your teeth. Cooking yourself breakfast. Smiling at the person you wake up next to. All are actions that many people don't get to enjoy. Be grateful for the little things in life. Exercise. One of the most basic things all human beings need to do. It's a gift that you get to come in and push your mental and physical limits. Be grateful that you were born into this time in history where CrossFit exists! Think about that. You could have been born in another time and another place but you were born here in today's world. It's easy to get caught up in the competitive aspect of this sport we call CrossFit. I get that. But realize that we all work at different speeds and capacities. Focus on yourself and what you have control over. That is where you will make the most gains. Be grateful we have such a loving and intimate community. I'm proud of our CrossFit family and I feel we are all here for each other. It's a rare thing indeed.

So next time when you see someone out performs you, don't let it eat away at you. Take a second, take a deep breathe (which this action alone, you should treasure), and remember that there is always tomorrow to better yourself. Enjoy and delight in the fact that you got to fight through a workout that seemed intimidating at first and in the end, you finished it and have ultimately won. Also smile because the 10+ people around you only want to see you succeed and that kind of support system is difficult to find anywhere. Take a second and soak in the beauty all around you. You will find it in the smiles that greet you when you walk through the doors, to the final rep of that workout. You can find it in the small talk you have with the friendly neighbor next to you in the warm up or cool down to the exhilarating feeling you get when you feel like you've accomplished something that is bettering you as an indivdual. Take a second to enjoy the small things in life because that's the glue that makes your life wonderful.

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"Wax On, Wax Off"

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

If you don't know, one of my favorite films of all time is "I Love You, Man". There's a poignant scene where Sydney Fife is disclosing some wise and useful advice to his best friend, Peter. He says, "Trying is having the intention to fail. You got to scrap that word from your vocab. Say you're going to do it. And you will."

I despise the word "try". "Athletes commonly resist the natural processes by trying. The word "try" itself implies weakness in the face of challenge. The moment you try, you are already tense; trying, therefore, is a primary cause of error. In more natural actions, you don't try. You simply walk to the refrigerator, write a letter, or water the flowers; you don't have to try, yet you perform these tasks easily and naturally. But when faced with something you consider an imposing challenge -- when self-doubt arises -- you begin to try. And when competitors feel pressure and begin to try, they often fall apart."

Good Practice makes perfect. This is why myself along with all of the coaching staff at CrossFit Threshold harp on mastering technique over moving heavy weight. With good practice, you engrain the movements and points of performance into your subconscious so that it becomes second nature. You want that clean, snatch, or deadlift to be synonymous with blinking or breathing. Day to day functions that you don't have to think twice about. It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to master anything. Look it up: Mozart, The Beetles, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs; all have reported completing 10,000 plus hours to their craft which is evident as to where they sit in history. There is no point going RX'd if your form falls apart and it takes you 3 or 4 times as long to finish a WOD than it takes people who have properly scaled the movements and loads. Checking your ego at the door has been a rule in CrossFit from its very inception. It honestly doesn't impress anyone to see someone act like a hero. It's borderline embarrassing. Look for an elite time. You need to find a load that is heavy enough for you to match that elite time. If not, you're missing the goal of the workout. Intensity with self-awareness is the road less travelled. Take it.

Our coaching staff has the knowledge and experience to help you reach those elite times but it's going to take time and patience. Chris Spealler said, "CrossFit's defiinitely a lifestyle. We view fitness as a lifelong journey and it's not something that's a quick fix. It's not something you're going to get in a month, 3 months, or even a year." You may be able to move heavy loads but if it looks like garbage, scale it back and master the skill. It takes a lot of self awareness and guts to check yourself. It's an admirable quality that all should strive for. It's a win-win in the end. Scale back, improve technique and over time when you go for a PR, you'll see it'll be a good 10-15lbs greater than your last attempt with questionable form. Another bonus; you won't wake up injured the next day. The Indian Playwright, Essayist, and 1913 Nobel Laureate for Literature said this, "We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility."

No one wants to eat Humble Pie.

Walk the line

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

"Keep moving forward." One of my favorite Walt Disney quotes. So simple yet so profound. When I was finishing 9th grade, I had my first lung collapse. It was during a pick up game of basketball. It was students versus faculty. In small private schools this is very common. Anyhow, I was in the midst of jumping for a rebound when I was struck in the chest with an elbow by one of the teachers. To this day I couldn't remember what this teacher's name was but I can remember his face. Funny how that happens. I had the wind knocked out of me but other than that I felt fine. That night I was walking up to my room when I collapsed on the stairwell. Not only could I not breathe but the pain was dizzying. The frightening part was that I couldn't even yell for help. It's like one of those dreams where you're trying to yell but can't. Fortunately I grew up in a large family so you were always running into someone in the house. One of my brothers found me and before I knew it I was rushed to the hospital. From that moment on I fell into a deep depression. I was in and out of hospitals for years but the worst part in my head was that I wasn't able to play basketball. What was the point of living if I couldn't play sports? That was the only thought I had for a very long time.

My varsity basketball coach pulled me into his office one afternoon. He had played football most of his life and began to tell me about the game where he ruptured his spleen. He was out for a while and it was crushing to his self esteem and mental wellness. He became negative and angry because it was stopping him from doing what he loved. He said to me, "My coach sat me down and gave me this piece of advice that I'm about to impart onto you. He told me that I wouldn't quite understand it now but I would later on and I'm going to say the same thing to you. Over time you'll understand it." He said, "Picture yourself straddling a line. Your left foot is in the past and your right foot is in the future and you're pissing on the present." I was a little taken back with the visual and literally had no idea what he meant. But that's all he said. Didn't explain it. Just told me to remember it. For years I tried to fully understand what he was trying to say. Walt Disney hits upon that note. I spent so much mental energy worrying about what had happened and so fearful of another lung collapse or setback but both those things are completely out of my control. I was missing out on the now. Focusing on what you have control over better ensures where you want to ultimately go. We must all keep moving forward. Learn from the past but don't worry too much about the future. It's this concept that spawned cliches like, "Live life to fullest" or "Do one thing everyday that scares you". We are all trying to reach a self-actualized state.

So whether it's within your professional, personal, or physical realm, we must all continually strive to better ourselves. Experience is imperative. Take what's useful and discard the rest. Purge your life of the mess. We all have mental baggage or physical clutter. Even if it means clearing out that closet you've been meaning to or pushing for the PR on that movement or workout you dread, do it. You'll be a happier person because of it.

So the question is, "Are you moving forward?"