Check Out the Crossfit Games Wednesday 9pm on ESPN2

Mudder Monday was another bruiser...the workout was 5 rounds of:
15 Deadlifts 185/135
15 Knees to Elbows
15 Burpees
Stoplight Run

Tonight we took some time to teach and refine one of the best full body exercises out there, the overhead squat:

Mama G and Mama Mess on the overhead squats

We also added some strength/skill work with the ring dip. After than it was time for a quick and dirty finisher of: 21-15-9 overhead kb swings & box jumps.

After class tomorrow if you guys don't have anything going on I highly suggest you tune to ESPN2 at 9pm on Wednesday and check out the second installment of the Crossfit Games. Take a look at some of the fittest on the planet going on at it, you will be inspired at their ability, effort, and intensity. And it's very cool to see other people going through what you guys go through on a daily basis! All your trainers hold various certifications, first and foremost we are all Crossfit Level 1 trainers, and obviously believe heavily in this methodology. Although we started out as a pure kettlebell gym, we are excited to be able to offer more barbell and Crossfit programming. Although currently we are not a Crossfit affiliate, that is our goal in the future as soon as we feel we can offer you guys all the necessary equipment and associated overhead. So stay tuned!

Speaking of competitions, the Back at the Ranch competition is fast approaching and there's been a lot of buzz at the gym about this. Some of the talk has revolved around "can I do it"...to which I emphatically say "HELLS YEAH DUDE". I've been fortunate enough to participate in some of these competitions and I'm always happy I did. It's not so much about competing against other teams, but it's about testing yourself and being proud you did so. I've also not competed in some events and have been stung by the feeling of regret for not doing so. So sign up, get a team together or compete as an individual...you will have a blast.

Finally, Josh Bunch of Practice Crossfit, who is also the individual organizing the Back at the Ranch competition posted something recently that I really found interesting and insightful...are you appreciating every breath life gives you??? Read Josh's post below:

No matter how deep the deep end is, breathing is sometimes impossible. Even if that deep end is no bigger than a puddle. Even if your ocean is no bigger than a kiddie pool.


When we feel like we are drowning we often make the mistake of gasping for that life saving breath to early. We claw and grab wildly at all those around us hoping to get out of the water, never caring weather we pull them into the danger with us. All the time forgetting; better to die alone that bring along the innocent.


While writhing in our puddle we often forget to just rollover and take a breath. We often remain immediately focused on the problem of water below, instead of the savior or air above.


If you ask most humans what death they fear worst, drowning is almost always atop the list. We fear suffocation of life more than anything. We fear missing our most taken for granted action...breathing.


Its when we finally appreciate every breath for the life giving ability it has. When we start appreciating every breath our loved ones take that breathing looks alot more like a gift, than a function.


Water doesn't equal drowning. Drowning is any time we feel suffocated by the events of the day. The events we had control over and chose our way, not the right way. Its when we realize we have taken for granted every good thing until it removes its sweet breath from us. When we no longer feel the warm air from which we love.


If the greatest sin in life is not living up to ones potential, then taking for granted that which we hold dear is the second.Its taking our health for granted, our kids, our friends, our ocean of gifts. Do this long enough and that ocean feels smaller everyday. Drain the water for too long and one may just try suicide by puddle.


We are the ones who choose to make our ocean of gifts into a meager puddle. To drown out all sensibility around us with our selfishness until everything is gone, until everything is taken. When more and more people leave our pool, the watter becomes more shallow, we become more shallow.


Our ocean is made up of minuscule rain drops over the course of our lives. The things we love add to that water everyday. The things that leave or are removed can either promote us to gather more rain and build our ocean back, or we can lose it all and end up with a puddle, drowning, praying for mercy. And when you can't breath death becomes just as freeing as life.


If we drown in the ocean, we drown surrounded by the rain drops of everything we tried to create. We drown as legend. We drown as potential realized. If we drown in a puddle, we go alone with nothing but our selfishness to blame.


If your letting puddles get the best of you, start looking up for the rain, and collecting every drop like its your last. Never taking even the most trivial of matters for granted. Once its gone, you never get it back. There are only so may rainstorms we will be blessed with, but if we selfishly squander them all our reservoir may be no more than a stream big enough to take our breath away forever.