I HATE THE YANKEES, BUT I HAVE AN UNBELIEVABLE RESPECT FOR DEREK JETER. LET IT BE KNOWN. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT I'LL BE AN OLD MAN SOMEDAY GETTING TO TELL FUTURE GENERATIONS ABOUT HOW I GOT TO SEE HIM PLAY. WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THIS KING OF THE EVIL EMPIRE FROM OTHER GREATS LIKE A-ROD? IT WAS HIS IMMOVABLE CAPABILITY OF MAINTAINING HIS COMPOSURE DESPITE YEARS OF SLANDER AND HATE FROM MY BELOVED RED SOX AND THEIR FANS. I CAN'T RECALL A MOMENT WHEN JETER EVER RAN HIS MOUTH OR SLAPPED AWAY A TAG LIKE A LITTLE BITCH OR LOST HIS TEMPER. THAT BEING SAID, IT WAS THE OUTCOME OF HIS "TRIAL BY FIRE" THAT MADE MANY RED SOX FANS RESPECT HIM AS A PERSON AND PLAYER.
NOW, HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO CROSSFIT. WELL, OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS I'VE BEEN CONFRONTED WITH NUMEROUS ARTICLES FROM A MULTITUDE OF SOURCES (MEN'S HEALTH, THE MARINE TIMES, ETC.). THESE ARTICLES HAVE BEEN POPPING UP IN VARIOUS VENUES WITH AN INCREASING FREQUENCY OVER THE YEARS. THE FUNNY THING IS, IT TOO LATE...
THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARTICLES COME FROM 3 MAIN TYPES OF PEOPLE.
1)PERSONAL TRAINERS WHOSE PROGRAMMING, BUSINESS REVENUE, AND TACTICS HAVE BEEN THREATENED BY A MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE FUNCTIONAL, MORE EFFICIENT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING WHICH IS THAT OF CROSSFIT.
2) PEOPLE WHO HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE AT A CROSSFIT GYM. IN ONE OF MY PREVIOUS RANTS, I MADE MENTION THAT NOT ALL CROSSFITS ARE CREATED EQUAL. THESE ARE SEPERATE BUSINESSES RUN BY SEPARATE OWNERS WITH SEPARATE LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND EXPERIENCE. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, IT IS CRUCIAL TO TAKE YOUR TIME, ANALYZE YOUR TRAINER, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO SCALE TO A LEVEL THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH.
3) PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO TEACH THEMSELVES CROSSFIT WITHOUT UTILIZING A TRAINER WITH THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE AND CERTIFICATION. THESE DYNAMIC AND FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENTS REQUIRE TECHNIQUE. IF YOU DON'T LEARN AND EXECUTE THESE MOVES PROPERLY, YOU WILL HURT YOURSELF.
SO, I'LL BURST THE BUBBLE FOR THESE JOURNALISTS AGAIN: YOU'RE TOO LATE... CROSSFIT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE IPHONE, NO ONE CARES IF ONE LITTLE RUNT IN A MATCHING SWEATSUIT AND WORKS AT A GLOBOGYM WRITES AN EDITORIAL BASHING IT. WE'VE GOTTEN RESULTS.
IN 2008 I HAD THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
BAD BACK (LUMBAR AND THORACIC)
TENDONITIS IN MY ELBOW
WRIST PAIN
KNEE PAIN
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
OVERWEIGHT (BMI OF 28/204# BODYWEIGHT)
NO PROGRESS IN THE GYM
ABOUT A 9 MIN MILE
AS OF RIGHT NOW I HAVE THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
0
WHAT I DO HAVE:
INCREASED ENERGY LEVELS
5 MIN 30 SECOND MILE RUN
190# SNATCH
385# DEADLIFT
2 MIN 27 SECOND FRAN
ALL AROUND INCREASED WORK CAPACITY
A BODY MASS INDEX WHERE IT SHOULD BE
A STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM
INCREASED RECOVERY TIME
AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. SO, HERE'S THE DEAL. I RESPECT THESE JOURNALISTS FOR "GOING AGAINST THE TIDE" AND STANDING IN THE CORNER OF THE GYM AT A HIGH SCHOOL DANCE MUTTERING, "DANCING IS QUEER..." THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION. UNFORTUNATELY, CROSSFIT HAS NOW BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 9 YEARS. IT HAS MUSTERED SPONSERSHIP FROM AUDI, ADIDAS, UNDER ARMOUR, REEBOK, ETC. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE DOING IT AND THAT NUMBER IS INCREASING DAILY. THE COMPETITIONS ARE BEING TELEVISED REPEATEDLY ON ESPN2 WHICH MEANS THEY'RE PULLING RATINGS. SO THANKS, BUT NO THANKS.
I'LL CROSSFIT TIL THE DAY I DAY. I DRANK THE KOOL-AID. GREG GLASSMAN IS MY FITNESS LEADER AND THE HQ PROS AND COACHES HIS DISCIPLES. I AND ALL OTHERS WHO HAVE ENTERED THE BOX WON'T FAULTER. SO SAVE THE PLANET AND STOP BURNING UP THE PRESSES WITH YOUR USELESS EDITORIALS. CROSSFIT IS HERE TO STAY.
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