«
»

Your Coaches Do Make a Difference

So here is an interesting little tid’bit’o information found on the world wide web. (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100106193328.htm)

To sum it up “a negative lifelong attitude towards physical activity can be determined by either a good or a bad experience, based on the personal characteristics of the coach or instructor.”

Take a moment and try and think back to the days you wrinkled your nose when the topic of “fitness” came up…

Did you have a Debbie Downer bringing you down?
Maybe they went out of their way to embarrass you or treated you unfairly?
Maybe there was just a consistent lack of energy and enough of a negative influence to leave a bad taste in your mouth. It could have been one bad experience and it could have been a lengthy reign under the spell of one.

As FTS might say… “Homie don’t play that….”

Any existing bad mojo or not… we are all very fortunate to find such a positive sanctuary in CFSF. The coaching staff is truly emotional invested in the day to day operations in that joint. We care all of the athletes that let us train them and appreciate what you do. We hope to inspire you and get you to results that maybe things got in the way of before. Enjoying yourself is a must, it’s what keeps the “buzz” alive at the box. Show up with a smile, chat it up with great peeps, get your warm up on, wreck shop, do things you once thought you couldn’t, earn complete exhaustion, wonder if today is the day you puke, make a sweat angle, rehash the WOD with your fellow athletes, mix in a PR here and there, and look forward to the next one. That’s good livin’…

I’m sure most of us can instantly remember our old PE coach back in school…you know, the one with the whistle, cleats on 24/7, and some shorts that left us worried about indecent exposure. Or maybe it was a coach of some team from back in the day… a personal trainer? Heck…let’s be honest, was the negative Nancy the same person you see in the mirror???

Any how… take a sec to leave your story and give a shout out to your fellow athletes and coaches you look forward to each visit to the box. If we get enough blog replies Casey and Mike have agreed to wear those same “PE coach” shorts to a class very soon!!!

Cheers to earning a healthier and happier you…and enjoying the ride,

MattyB

This entry was posted on December 15, 2010 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Crossfit Philosophy, Lifestyle, Members. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

15 Responses to “Your Coaches Do Make a Difference”

  1. MB PhD Says:
    December 15, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    Not sure I’m closer to any other friends then my college team mates, we lived thru it all together, or my college coach who got more out of me mentally each day then I thought I had in me for a life time. But then a handful of years (maybe its two handfuls) later I find these 5:30 am homies that like Paa says “wouldn’t want to start my early mornings with any others” that I not only share a pull up bar or complain about a WOD or how sore we are, but can share the world out side of the box with on all levels….
    Each of the coaches at the box brings inspiration merely by their presence, personal experience, verbal motivation, and execution.
    From one that used to pride herself on self motivation I thank each coach and each athlete at the box for the daily “push”!!!

    Reply
    • MattyB "FTS" Says:
      December 15, 2010 at 7:57 pm

      Amen MB! Well said… you are def a huge part of that 530am crew, always enjoying yourself and ready to get after it. Very contagious stuff…lucky to have you a part of our team.

      Reply
  2. j Says:
    December 15, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    warning a bit long- but I couldn’t sum it up in a short comment.

    I am so very grateful to be a part of the CFSF community!

    As some of you may know I’m a musician (a violinist to be specific). I ran track in jr. high, but lets face it that doesn’t really count. When I turned 14 I decided that playing violin was what I wanted to do and so everything else in life took a backseat. I didn’t do any sports, or do any fitness because I was always terrified of hurting my hands. Also with practicing 4-5 hours a day, I felt I didn’t have the time. I come from a family that is very very supportive, but no one is into working out. Eating healthy, yes, but actually working out- no. In high school gym class I was always the one who came up with any excuse I could to why I couldn’t participate- swimming- water in my ears could affect my hearing and in turn affect violin playing- baseball/volleyball- I could break a finger and not be able to play violin.

    I went on like this throughout high school and some of college. In college, I sometimes would go to the gym and do the treadmill thing after the holidays. All this time only focusing on my violin. I soon started to get some back problems from all the playing I was doing- and had to do some research. I figured maybe my core wasn’t strong enough to support all the playing i was doing. But, joining a gym was pretty scary and time was still an issue (or another excuse….) My husband, then boyfriend Tyler 🙂 was my complete opposite – really into fitness! World Championship Rower! He inspired me to start to take care of my body that i was beating up everyday with all the hours of playing I was doing. He introduced me to the ERG (rowing machine) and it helped, but I still wasn’t consistent with working out.

    Then one day last May my friend Jamie Harris told me about crossfit and I met with Chris and Annie. It sounded a bit scary, but I dove right in. I signed up and paid right away without doing a trail class. I knew I needed to make a big change in my life, and the philosophy of crossift sounded like something I wanted to be a part of! I drank the Kool-Aid and I haven’t been the same since. I would never ever go back. I realize now that my fear of the unknown and my own mental roadblocks were holding me back from achieving fitness in my life.

    I am so thankful to all the coaches at crossfit! Your help and inspiration drives me to continue to do my very best at each and every WOD- and in life 🙂

    xoxo to all of you!!!

    Reply
    • MattyB "FTS" Says:
      December 15, 2010 at 7:53 pm

      Holy smokes thanks for the post j! Love reading/hearing stories like this from our athletes. It just helps paint a great picture of “what is CrossFiit?” Couldn’t be happier for ya! I look forward to your continued success and progress.

      Reply
  3. Rob S. Says:
    December 15, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    Hold onto your butts, kids….I’m gonna get a little windy!

    I guess I can’t really blame anyone but myself for the years of laziness that got me in the condition I’m in, but one major difference from “back then” to now, is the dedicated attention I get from the coaches and friends at cfsf.

    When I was in school, it seemed the PE teachers and coaches only really cared how the athletes performed, they didn’t really push those of us with less athleticism. If you were in sports, you were an “A” student, but I had no interest in being in sports. With the lack of “love” in the gym, I guess I thought, “if they didn’t care, why should I?” Bad attitude, right?

    Well, I underwent a pre-midlife crisis when I was 26. Lost a ton of weight, accepted who I was and actually started trying to be a better person in both personality and health.

    I joined the “globo-gym” and actually did pretty well. I knew I thrived with group fitness rather than working out on my own. For starters, I knew NOTHING about lifting weights. So, I stuck with “step-class,” twice a week and used the elliptical 3 times a week. That only went so far….I needed more. I went down the “trainer” route for awhile, which helped immensely. I learned a lot and it was working for me, but the politics of the group I was in went south, so I was looking for options. Enter CrossFit.

    OH. MY. GOD.

    My life has changed. It’s amazing to me how much attention the coaches give to me…because they really do want ME to succeed. They push, they motivate, they yell, they pat my sweaty back when I’m done. Just the other day, I was chiseling away at Kimmy’s Bday WOD and got to the DU’s. Liza’s in the background cheerin’ me on. I’m exhausted, but knowing someone’s watching and interested in how I’m doing and what I’m accomplishing just pushes me even more. Believe it or not, I pounded every one of the F’ers out. I was pissed at the whip marks, but damnit, I did it! By the time I was at the squats, I was done. Checked out. Chris comes over, gets in my face and says, “keep going, Rob. Do it for me.” That was all I needed…that little extra push.

    And what’s really great, being able to ask questions about lifts, movements, how much weight, etc. to coaches and not be looked at like you’re a total dumb ass. I look at coaches like Browny or MattyB who started as members just like me, but I was always intimidated by them because they were so advanced. They go out of their way to make sure I understand what I’m doing. They answer all my questions and search for solutions. They offer advice. I truly do appreciate that.

    So, at long last, I guess what I’m trying to say is, thanks for showing me the love, CFSF! It makes all the difference!

    Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. 😉

    Reply
  4. Greg Nelson Says:
    December 15, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    Shout outs…(it seems every time I comment with a story, no one else comments so just some shout outs) – Casey, Cody, Browny, Matt, Chris, Annie, Liza. All the 930a crew.

    Direct shouts – Casey on techniques with Overhead Squat. Cody teaching Snatch. Browny on kipping though like a true pro wanting to get you the absolute best advice, also told me to hit up Matt.

    Now if I can just get a kickin board name like FTS. Thanks to MLK…I too have a dream…”GSD” – get stuff done.

    Reply
  5. Chris Mello Says:
    December 16, 2010 at 12:29 am

    Great post MattyB. My journey started when I was 15 years old with my 1st Love Basketball. My high school coach was how do you say nicely…not my favorite person on the planet:-( But the good I got from all my heartache, blood, sweat, tears of NOT making the varsity squad my freshman and sophomore year, and getting minimum time my junior and senior year made me the man (and coach) I am today. All the setbacks, the curse words, spit flying, saying, “You dont have what it takes to play” drove me and developed my passion and determination like no other. It lite a FIRE inside my soul that has stayed with me and will stay with me for the rest of my life. And it is all for the good and how I look at myself athletically, as a coach and box owner.

    CrossFit works! Everyday of the week. But the coach you are fortunate to be surrounded by pushes and educates you to YOUR VERY BEST! Being a CF coach is the greatest job in the world. The connection you make with each and every member/student is priceless. I am ever grateful to continue to develop current relationships and meet that next CF’er.

    CFSF has an amazing cast of coaches to draw from. Each bringing their experience, passion and personality to the table. This group of men and women that are YOUR coaches are those coaches that will take each and everyone of YOU to YOUR BEST.

    Keep up the great work guys! I appreciate each and everyone of you.

    Recco

    Reply
  6. Angela H. Says:
    December 16, 2010 at 12:36 am

    Here it goes!!! and I’m agreeing with Doc Paa on this one “There is no other group of people I want to wake up for and workout with at 5:30am than the ever great 530AM CREW!!!” We are one crazy group of people for waking up that early when we could be sleeping in a few more hours. I may yawn while warming up, but as soon as the FIST PUMPING MUSIC starts playing and I hear the clock BEEP when the start button is pushed, the yawning stops and I get in this ZONE where I don’t even realize the music is playing…all I hear is “good job ahoff, you can do it, one more rep, push yourself a HARDER!!!” Monday morning during the WOD, I couldn’t hear a thing except for Liza yelling at me “C’MON AHOFF ONE MORE ROUND…C’MON QUICKER”, and MB doing the WOD next to me yelling at Brownie “You can do it Brownie”. Through all the pain that we put ourselves through all I hear/get out of it is MOTIVATION & INSPIRATION from the 5:30am family.

    Take yesterdays WOD for instance:
    21 Turkish Get-ups right arm, 50 kb swings, 21 OH Squats left arm with kb, 50 kb swings, 21 OH Squats right arm with kb, 50 kb swings, 21 Turkish Get-ups left arm. Time was 17:32
    I did this WOD 2 weeks ago at CrossFit Lincoln on a Saturday morning with a partner(Cody) and I used an 8lb kb for the turkish get ups and 20lb db for kb swings. We did the WOD as partners for a time of 11:45. Fast foward to yesterday I used the 20lb db for turkish get ups and the 25lb kb for kb swings…(The reason for going up in lbs for weights was because of a few people that said to me yesterday “AHOFF YOU CAN USE MORE WEIGHT BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH”)

    Just hearing the coaches cheering us on and telling us we are strong enough makes a person push themselves harder. THANK YOU CFSF COACHES…you are AMAZING!!! And thank you 5:30am crew…I wouldn’t want to wake up and workout with anybody other than all of you!!!

    Reply
  7. Laura LD DeHaan Says:
    December 16, 2010 at 3:04 am

    We have the best coaches and trainers!!! I am thankful for all the cfsf coaches for pushing me every time I step into the box. I was a member of several globo gyms in the past, and no trainer there ever pushed me. BEST COACHES EVER AT CFSF! And that’s all I gotst to say about that…..

    Reply

Leave a comment