I heart you CrossFit

Top right.  Thats me.  Stud athlete NO DOUBT.  

It is no mystery that I love sports.  And to be totally honest I do not quite understand how EVERYONE does not share in this love.  While the insanely ridiculous contracts for many many many millions of dollars or the occassional knucklehead athlete who decides to drink and drive or post something stupid to Twitter get most of the attention, what is often forgotten is the hard work and dedication these athletes have put into their sport to become the best.  While natural ability and genetics has helped many of them (you cant teach being 7’ tall),  the fact remains they have sacrificed and worked their butts off to get to where they are.  

This is something I always loved about sports.  I loved being accountable to a coach, to a team, to a goal.  I loved showing up to practice knowing that my hard work mattered to more than just me.  Sprints at the end of soccer practice were never a punishment but a step closer to winning a championship.  I understood that and while the pain and suffering during the endless drills and practices seemed unbearable at the time, I appreciated what we were working towards.  I was relentless in my work ethic for every sport I played and always tried to be the best… but not for my sake. I didnt try to be better than my teammates… I tried to make my teammates better.

Fast forward.  Once my competitive sports career ended there was a huge void.  No more team.  No more coach.  No more goals to strive for.  Who the hell cared how much I bicep curled at Ballys?  Who cared that I leg pressed all those 45’s on the leg press?  Answer: no one.  I didnt even care anymore.  Working out was just that… work.  

Enter CrossFit.

Holy s**t.  

CrossFit was made for me.  CrossFit was everything I had ever wanted in a training program and in a sport.  Once again, it mattered.  What I did mattered.  When I did my first mainsite workouts in 2008 I was posting my results to the comment section along with countless other people from all over the world.  I was looking at their times and weights and they were looking at mine.  Then I got on the forum and started asking questions and getting into discussions about everything from whether CrossFit would help improve your tennis game or not to shoulder prehab to CrossFit training for rugby athletes.  

I began actually tracking what I was doing and striving to improve in more than just physique.  I wanted to learn this crazy ridiculous movement that kept coming up called the snatch and the muscle up.  I wanted to run faster and farther.  I wanted to pick up heavier things.  I wanted to set goals and reach them.  The pain and suffering that I endured to win championships in soccer and All-state honors in baseball had returned and I loved every second of it.  Working out became something totally different… it become fun.

Now, I am a coach.  The fact is I am leader.  If that sounds arrogant I apologize but it is the truth.  I am passionate about what I do and even more passionate about those I lead.  My gym is everything to me and the people who train with me mean the world to me.  Like a family, there is no “off days”... there is not one day that goes by I am not thinking about how to make my members better and how to make our program better to improve every part of their experience with us.  I coach with more intensity and purpose than I train and that is saying something… I would never want to be anywhere else or doing anything else than what I am doing right now.  

If you are reading this and thinking “Damn dude get a grip its just working out” then please dont join my gym.  I am not interested in half-hearted individuals who want to be dedicated for a week or two then quit.  I am also not interested in people who do not want to be a part of a team and something greater than themselves.  My gym is made up of individuals who work and train together as a team.  What we do matters to each other and everyone’s progress is equally important.  Your success and hard work will motivate and inspire the person next to you and so on and so forth… if you cant understand that, no hard feelings.  Dust off those Insanity DVDs and go ham on some workouts in your living room.  

I love CrossFit.  I have for a long time and I will for as long as I am around.  I am more passionate today than ever before to keep progressing our vision for changing lives through more than just fitness… we are reminding people and the world that when you come to CrossFit ECC it matters what you do.  

Love you all.  

Lets go Rangers.