Coachability: Do you have it?

Coachability is one of the hallmarks of great athletes throughout the ages. Every great athlete and every great team to ever step onto the field of battle has had a coach behind them: pulling strings, tweaking technique and strategy, holding the athlete or team accountable for greatness.

The question is: Are you coachable?

Do you listen? Do you apply feedback in the moment? Are you willing to do what is asked of you to reach your goals?

Your coach may not always be right. That is not the point! The point is that whether or not your coach is right or wrong, they have your best interest at heart. They have a great well of knowledge and are eager to share what they know with you. Test and retest. If it is working -- then it is working. Follow the path they set out for you and trust in the method and sometime, the madness.

BE COACHABLE!

Things to come

Do the simple things. If it is important, do it every day.
Have integrity with yourself and those around you.
You are already whole complete and perfect.
Be consistent. Through consistency you will build discipline.
With discipline, hard work and sacrifice are not burdens but celebrations of things to come.
Let go of your Ego and leave your bullshit at the door.
Be authentic: the world does not need carbon copies.
Journey inwards.
Journey outwards.

2012 Training

1. Nutrition
2. Mobility
3. Power/Strength
4. Oly Lifting
5. Metcon
6. Gymnastics
7. Skills

This is what it will take to make the 2012 Games. I am on my way. Gotta stay focused. Must have a great team by my side. The foundation has been laid.

Listen...

...When do you turn on?

As a response to myself... When do you turn on?

First thing upon opening your eyes in the morning? When you get to the gym or office? When do you get FIRED UP?!

As a person, I must admit it takes me a good 15-20 minutes in the morning to "wake up". This is at 4:45 AM and usually includes "resting with my eyes closed" for 10 minutes, getting in a hot shower, putting my clothes on... slowly and at least 1 cup of coffee... OK 5.

As a coach, the minute I get into my car in on the way to the gym it's go-time. No more fun and games -- business time! Time to put the fear of God into my athletes. Time to teach, explain, coach and push them to limits they didn't know existed. I love it. This is why I wake up.

As an athlete, as Coach Travis Holley likes to remind me, the SECOND you cross that line (imaginary line at door into the gym) get your effin' game face ON. I have that mentality 75% of the time. The other 25%, I am grab-assing, procrastinating, or not rolling out or mobilizing.

I made the realization last week that I (we as CrossFitters) complain about how sore we are and what hurts and what isn't working properly (insert sore muscle, tight this, impinged that). You know what I call that? #1stworldpains. Shut up and be grateful to have limbs that can hurt. From now on, when you cross that line into the gym, your work, or your bathroom: TURN ON.

Be unstoppable. Light a fire under your own ass and don't stop until it's done.

This is how I have felt over the past month or so... More on that next week (hint: spreadsheets and a certain "competition" going down this Saturday at the TSR).

When do you turn off?

When do you "turn off"?

As coaches, crossfitters, parents, husbands, wives, children, friends, lovers, and generally busy people we are during every second of every day... well... busy. (Insert sad face here).

This is the result of taking on many responsibilities, wearing many hats and having lots to do to "stay on top": keep up with the Joneses - pay the rent - pay the car - do well at your job (is doing well good enough?) - be a better athlete - be the best athlete - lean up - eat well (cook a lot) - make it to the meeting(s) on time - answer e-mail (52 in the past hour?) - visit family - take supplements - roll out - mobilize - answer e-mails - meet with clients - PT - another meeting... ARE YOU STRESSED OUT YET?

That's when you step back, take a deep breath and realize it's all a game. That's right - life is a game. You get to choose when and how you play, what you play and by what rules you play. Everything is a choice: when you wake up, when you go to sleep, when you work, when you play, when you WOD and when you don't. Then you get to decide to what level you do each of these things. 

Over the past month, all of this has been especially clear in my life. As things change at CrossFit Central, CC ATX and the RedBlack Gym, we are asking a lot of ourselves and those that we work with. It is not good enough to be good. We must be the best. Not because anyone has told us so, but because it simply is what we do. We do it because we do it. 

In striving to be the best in the world at something, naturally there comes a time when you have to step back and ask yourself: When do I turn this thing off? When do I rest? When do I take a moment to myself to think, reflect and breathe?

For those of you out there with a macho bravado and disdain for all things yoga and "lite", your quick reply might be:

"Ha! I can sleep when I'm dead. #Hustlegrindanddoworkbitches. Rest is for the weak... " 

That may be the case, but show me a man or woman who does not take care of themselves and I will show you a person who: 

a) Is inefficient in the workplace and not performing to their potential.

b) Is tired, grumpy, injured, and unhealthy (mentally, physically or spiritually).

c) Hates life or at the minimum where they currently are in life.

So the big question is: WHEN DO YOU TURN IT OFF?

-Do you find yourself staying up until Midnight when you have to wake up at 5:00 AM?

-Are you attached to your iPhone or CrackBerry: checking e-mail, tweeting, texting, calling ad nauseum?

-Do you skip meals, workouts, quality time with friends and family in the name of finishing a task that could easily be done later with the same result?

-Do you work even when you are done with work?

Your health, sanity and well-being cannot be overstated. 

Please note, I am NOT advocating a lazy-man's shrug it off, it's not that important, fall-behind, procrastinate and suck-at-what-you-do lifestyle. Actually, I advocate the opposite. 

Work 100%. Play 100%. Party 100%.

BUT!

There must be clear and defined boundaries in one's life. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven." 

Live in the moment. That is all there is; all we have. When it is time to work, work. When it is time to play, play. When it is time to love, love. And when it is time to pause, reflect, recuperate and rejuvenate - do that!

The CrossFitter's Creed

1. Do not think you can master CrossFit or achieve elite fitness in a day. It may take an entire lifetime to learn. Keep showing up. Be consistent even when you don't feel like it. Consistency is the key.

2. "Virtuosity" is performing the common uncommonly well. Master your body and the mechanics of the movement. Practice the fundamentals. Then add speed and intensity.

3. Promise to do your best. Your best may vary from day to day from hour to hour from minute to minute. But in that minute do the best you can.

4. If you can run, run. If you have to walk, walk. If you are forced to crawl, crawl and then rest and survive to fight another day.

5. Fear no man but fear your workout. If you don't fear your workout it isn't hard enough.

6. You may puke, you may cry, but I do not quit. Ever.

7. Never cheat. There is no honor in cheating. What joy can there be in a victory that you did not earn?

8. Check your ego at the door. Have the courage, humility and curiosity to ask questions and ask for help. Be willing to be a student. Be willing to share with others.

9. So be afraid... be inspired... be angry... be strong... be weak... be passionate... be yourself... be ALIVE and be CrossFit!

10. Welcome! You are about to find out who you are and what you are made of!

Borrowed from CrossFit LA. Thank you for your hospitality and friendship.