*Old post from a while back

Back in April of 2007 I found myself in a situation that I had absolutely no control over and honestly thought I was about to see the end of my days. For those of you that know me, know that I absolutely love the ocean and when the waves are big you can guarantee to find me in the water. A huge swell from Mexico swept up our coast and the infamous “Wedge” in Newport was getting hit with waves 25-30ft. The thing about Wedge is that it breaks in about 4-8ft deep waters depending on the tide and if you are in the right place at the right time out there you can catch the biggest waves and get the biggest barrels of your life BUT if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time you are in a world of trouble.

I sat on the sand reading and watching the waves trying to find the perfect window of opportunity to get out in the water. Timing was crucial this day because you did not want to be that guy who gets stuck inside only to get mowed down by these beast of waves coming in.  Keep in mind these waves were coming in about 8-10 waves at a time only minutes apart between sets. After watching for a bit I grabbed my board and my guts and headed out. At the time these were the biggest waves I had ever ridden. After catching a few waves and getting warmed up I found myself becoming more comfortable in the big surf.

After a few waves, I rode one all the way in and then proceeded to paddle back out only except this time my timing was not as well planned out. As I began paddling back out I saw another set coming in from the back and from years of experience in the water I could tell that I was in a spot that I did not want to be in. The first wave came and I made it underneath but it was so powerful I was unable to paddle forward and found myself not moving anywhere staring at 9 more waves coming in as big as 3 story buildings. I knew I was royally f*cked. I was now in a situation I absolutely did not want to be in and had no control over. I felt my heart drop to the bottom of my stomach knowing there was no way out and that the next few minutes of my life (if I made it) were really going to suck. I faced what I had to face honestly thinking I was staring at death. Wave after wave I was tossed around like a little rag doll with little to no breath in my lungs. After being slapped around by mother nature I finally made it back to shore and puked up enough water to create another ocean but  I MADE IT..I SURVIVED.

This situation taught me a couple things. One..work on my timing when paddling out and two..I know if this were to happen again I can handle it and be ok. In life we will be put in situations where we have to step outside our comfort zone and see what we are made of. We will either turn away and run or face it head on and become stronger and wiser from it.

Running 2 miles, doing 100 Pull Ups, 200 Push Ups, and 300 sit ups sucks but all of you stepped outside your comfort zone and finished it. You all survived. Training your mind and adapting your body to these situations will not only help you inside the gym but in the real world as well. Next time you find yourself in one of these predicaments face it head on and watch yourself grow as a human being. -A.J.

Matt facing his 450lb challenge and conquering it.

Every now and then we get a complaint about the choice of music or lack thereof.  Now I hope I don’t hurt any feelings because I do enjoy music every now and then. But I do not rely on Bieber Fever to get me through a workout and neither should you. When we first started this project I would not allow any music at all. Reason being is that music releases all sorts of emotions and not all those emotions can be positive. Example, if I was in a car accident and the last song I heard before impact was Enter Sand-Man by Metallica what would be my first thought if I were to hear it during a workout? That is an extreme case but it could possibly happen and I need complete focus by the athlete I am training.

Most would find it beneficial to stay relaxed as much as possible during a workout. To control breathing and remain focused can be a tough task while certain music is on. Most do not believe me, but if I have any music playing while I’m training-it’s going to be Motown. I am able to relax, slow down my breathing and it keeps me focused on the task at hand. Now that may not motivate you but I beg the question, should we need motivation from any source other than ourselves?

Once in a while the coaches are instructed not to say a word (as long as technique is on point). We don’t cheer you on, we want you to get after it with only your inner voice.  When applying your training in real world use, chances are you don’t have Eye of The Tiger pumping through your iPhone. We had a CFBrea member push his motorcycle a few miles uphill in the middle of the night with nothing more than his thoughts for motivation.

When I start to fade I immediately hear my mother cheering me on for some reason she was the only voice I could pick up when I was wrestling. There is a saying in the mixed martial arts world, “If you want to make a good fighter great, then make him a father.”  You will often see fighters rededicate themselves after their child is born. They now have that driving force. That self motivation, one needs to be a champion.

So what is it that moves you? If you had no choice of music then what would you rely on?  My name is not MC DeadLift, I am a strength coach. You will never see a DJ in here while a normal session is going on, sorry it just wont happen. In my eyes, music can be viewed as two things, motivator or gimmick, and I lean toward gimmick. -Erik

One can wonder down the rabbit hole, but lacking self motivation will lead you to the gimmick. This is the path to nowhere and always finishes with a dead end.-EA

Do your best in all that you do. Whether it be training, how you work, how you present yourself, etc. Make it a habit and you will find that “doing your best” will come naturally.

Always choose to progress “forward” towards your goals regardless of how little of a step it may be (i.e. a rest day is a perfect example of a “little step” in which you allow your body to heal mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually).

Everyday counts and it will all add up in the end. Take action and become great.

-Tim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-uqgaZOWA&feature=related

The workout today was “Morrsion” which is one of many Hero workouts. Hero workouts (Murph, Whitten, Lumberjack 20, ect.) are put together in respect for our fallen soldiers. Every hero workout is given a name with a specific soldier in mind. When we see a Hero workout on the board at CF Brea, it should make us think about a few things. What kind of hardships did this person go through? How does carrying a med-ball compare to carrying a human? As well as how lucky we are to have a gym, with a sufficient amount of equipment, to workout in. Here’s a more detailed read on the Fallen but Never Forgotten if interested. Let’s keep that high energy and motivation flowing through the gym all week. Train hard, eat clean, rest easy.

-Will

Maria's killing these SOS workouts!

9am starting with 50 wall balls.

Couples therapy at Crossfit Brea.

10am box jumps

Its 5:30 p.m on Saturday and the programming is now finished for the month of June. We will be focusing on the clean so get ready for drilling drilling and more drilling.  Just a reminder we are closed this Monday. Enjoy your holiday and come ready to work Tuesday. -Erik

Sean, down 25# in 6 weeks. Congrats bro.