“I smell toast. That’s what they say when you’re having a stroke, right? You smell burnt toast?” These kinds of thoughts can’t be helped. When you’re past 35, words like “obese” have made their way into your medical records, and you’re 10 minutes into a grizzly WOD, my mind jumps to the worst. Thankfully, reason intervenes; I remember there is a fire oven, pizza restaurant next door, and think of T-Rex.

You don’t have to search far to learn how T-Rex feels about pull-ups, wall balls, kettlebells, or pushups. The king of the Cretaceous period laid low by the basic functional movement. In spite of T-Rex’s shortcomings, he keeps showing up. That’s the takeaway. That’s what you have to remember. Regardless of your abilities you have to put the effort in even when you just don’t have it.

Here’s the T-Rex and CrossFit key:

• Show up.
• Don’t leave money on the table and be honest enough with yourself to know when you have.
• Forgive yourself but never excuse yourself.
• Repeat.

It is fine to suck—be like T-Rex when you do and keep coming back. Take pride in what you do well and keep trying at the stuff you don’t. I’m reminded of what Greg at Wicked Fit Apparel shared with me, “T-Rex loves air squats.”

– Bryan P.

As many of you know already, we had a team from EDCF compete in this weekends Europa competition. What you don’t know is that we placed 18th out of 79 intermediate teams. Jen, Mason, Fernando, Shawn, and Elizabeth did awesome and showed a lot of heart on Saturday. I am very proud of you guys. Looks like all this squatting and olympic lifting is paying off!

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ALL NEW ELEMENTS CLASS starting Monday, August 27th, at 8:30pm. The class runs for two weeks on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights (six total). Contact us here to reserve a spot. Spaces are limited.

A team from EDCF will be competing at the CrossFit competition tomorrow at the Europa Expo. If you would like to come and support, the action starts at 9:30am at the Dallas Convention Center. There will be competitions in everything from bodybuilding to karate. Come out and support Fernando, Shawn, Jen, Mason, and Elizabeth as they compete for cash prizes.

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The 30 Day Paleo Challenge is almost two weeks deep. How is everyone holding up? Keep those points high and remember to report your scores at the end of each week to Mason.

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Free CrossFit class tomorrow, and every Saturday, at 10am! Bring a friend. Open to all levels.

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ALL NEW ELEMENTS CLASS starting Monday, August 27th, at 8:30pm. The class runs for two weeks on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights (six total). Contact us here to reserve a spot. Spaces are limited.

Getting stronger and feeling good are but a few reasons to jump into any fitness routine.  For me, I have half-heartedly tried it all.  About 11 years ago, I was a small business owner and had plenty of people doing all the work for me.  Up to that point I had always been fit and trim.  Then I began to “manage” the business instead of laboring away in the shop fixing, and fabricating race cars.  Then the gradual weight gain began that everyone said would happen.  At 5’11”, 212 very soft pounds didn’t agree with what I had envisioned me being at 27 years old.  So I began the quest for getting back into shape.  Married with kids and a business to run didn’t leave time left in the day for anything but eating, working, and sleeping a little bit.

Luckily, we sold the business and I started teaching a High School Auto Tech class.  Teacher’s hours.  Time available to explore fitness options.  I began running, and then cycling.  I later learned to swim.  Then I began competing in Triathlon races.  I got down to about 175 pounds and felt great.  I was still relatively soft looking and ramped up my mileage for each discipline.  Results came in the form of better times, but not in body composition changes like I had hoped.

I became obsessed with running, and trained like a lunatic for a marathon.  Overtraining and prior injuries kept me from starting the race.  After feeling sorry for myself for about two months I bought P90x and gave it a shot.  For two weeks.  I discovered that I hate working out alone.  No motivation, and little self-discipline prevented me from completing the program.

I began running and cycling again, and was having fun.  No data recording.  No PR setting.  I just tried to keep a routine.  But I was bored.

Then I discovered CrossFit through searching the internet  for something unique..  After about 2 years of sitting on the fence, I took the elements class at EDCF.  Almost 3 months later, I can honestly say that I have never felt better, looked better, or have been more motivated to do anything for my fitness.  Ever.

I have never lifted weights before and find that I have the opportunity to learn something new, every  time I work out.  I enjoy working out again.  It is sort of a game for me at this point.  How strong can I get?  How fast can I go?  What physical changes can I accomplish?  So I keep showing up.  And I keep seeing progress.  I am now in the best shape of my life at almost 38 years old.   I now tip the scales at 165 lbs.

What I most enjoy is never knowing what to expect when I go to the box.  Sure I could look at the WOD on the website before I go, but I like the surprise of getting there and thinking “sheez, they want us to do WHAT!?”  It is never easy, but always gratifying.  I feel very fortunate to have discovered this special group of folks.

I have found that I thrive in a group workout.  The synergy of everyone encouraging one another is incredible.  The human spirit soars when we come together with like-minded individuals.  We are all different, but have one goal.  To get stronger and faster.  Prepared for anything.  Functional fitness..   Quality over quantity has always been my motto.  It seems that it is the same with EDCF.

– Kenny C.

I am proud to introduce to you the newest member of our EDCF team, if you haven’t met him already. Coach Jacob Rochester has begun coaching the Monday and Wednesday 6:30 and 7:30pm classes. He adds a lot of experience to our team both through his athletic and personal training experience. We are certainly glad to have him!

Jacob’s bio:

“I love sports, competition, and team environments.  So making the transition to CrossFit from a football and wrestling background has been an absolute blast!  For me, CrossFit pins individual fitness as a very personal, yet collective journey.  Personally, it’s the great search for improved physical performance that challenges us to raise our mental and physical state of awareness.  Collectively, it becomes such a team effort as the culture here at East Dallas Crossfit offers a healthy balance of support, care, and accountability.  I really enjoy working with folks to achieve their goals and helping them establish diet and functional fitness as priorities.

I’m a business major and former football player out of Virginia Military Institute.  I hold current certifications for CrossFit Level 1 and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer.

All things are possible through Him.”

Jacob is available for personal and small group training.

I’m a nerd. Always have been, always will be. In high school I was more interested in reading than sports; my extracurricular “sports” were academic competitions. Believe it or not, I lettered in Whiz Quiz after competing at the state level. (Yes, I have the jacket to prove you can letter in academics.) =)

 

So, imagine the surprise of my friends and family when I told them I was starting Crossfit just weeks after turning 30. Reactions ran from, “What are you thinking?” to “You’re not really…ahem…athletic!” to  “Do you see what they do with those weights?!? You’ll kill yourself.” How it happened is simple really—I made my roommate skydive with me, she made me try Crossfit with her. Our first WOD was 3 rounds of 10 pushups, 15 sit ups, and 20 lunges. No big deal right?

 

About halfway through I wanted to die and swore at my roommate who reminded me if she was jumping out of a perfectly good plane, I could make it through some sit ups. Even though it sounds easy, it was probably the hardest thing I had done in years. When I finished, I stood up, noticed the world swimming, and got right back on the floor. Lying there, somewhere between the heaving breaths and watching the barbells swim before my eyes, I realized I had been challenged and I had succeeded. And that feeling…well, I was hooked.

 

I know I’m not the best athlete in our box, nor am I the fastest. Frankly, I’m usually last, but it makes me laugh to think of myself as being one step up from WOD roadkill…at least I survive! But…even when I finish last, I finish. Even if I only lift 5 pounds more than I did the last time, I get PRs. I meet the challenges that I set for myself. And for me, that’s the important part.

 

So why am I blogging about Crossfit and challenges? Now that we’ve officially started the Paleo Challenge, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about what constitutes a real challenge.

 

(Warning: I’m about to release my inner nerd.)

 

Webster’s defines challenge (noun) as “a stimulating task.” Personally, if you’ve ever tried to give up chocolate for a month, I’d argue it’s much more – something akin to a trial ((noun) “a test of faith, patience, and stamina through subjection to suffering and temptation.”) Now, THAT’s more like it!

 

Going Paleo for a month isn’t easy…but it’s not impossible. Even a trial is only a test and tests are made to be overcome. Every day we walk into the box we complete and excel at stimulating tasks that test our faith and stamina. Every day we stomp on challenges and trials. This should be no different.

 

As teammates and friends, we are entering a contest ((noun) “a struggle for superiority or victory”) together. In other words, entering into this contest together, together we struggle for superiority and victory. Through supporting and encouraging each other, we have great strength ((noun) “power to resist”). It might seem silly, but knowing we’re all in this together, each one of us giving our all like we do in the WODs, makes it a bit easier for me to skip that brownie in the break room.

 

Keeping that in mind, I challenge ((verb) to confront or defy boldly) you to give the Paleo Challenge your very best. I challenge ((verb) to invite into competition) us to kick this competition’s butt. And I encourage ((noun) to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope) you to remember this great quote by Stephen R. Covey:

 

“Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition—such as lifting weights—we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.”

Written by Heather Nice

Craving something sweet already? How about Paleo Crockpot Dessert Stuffed Apples?

• 4 green apples, cored, bottom still in place
• 1/2 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate or homemade coconut butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sunbutter, unsweetened (or other nut butter)
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon (the more the better in my world)
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup water

Our first ED*CF BBQ turned out great. Actually, great is an understatement. If was, in fact, awesome. The food was wonderful (both paleo and non-paleo), and I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to spend a Saturday afternoon with. I definitely wasn’t expecting the appreciation you guys gave me and it was heart warming to say the least. Seeing everyone come together is a true example of what our community is all about. Being around y’all day after day and seeing positive change both mentally and physically is what gets me up every morning to teach the zombie class at 5:45am. I want to thank each and every one of y’all for the gifts. They were really special. A big thanks also goes out to Andrew who grilled up some amazing meat (with the help of Bryan P.), and also Jen H. and Jill P. for getting the whole thing together. You rock! I’m pretty sure Heather and Karen had a hand in this whole thing, too. Thank you, as well. If there is anyone else that I left off, I apologize.

It is hard to believe that we are coming up on the one year anniversary of East Dallas CrossFit. Big things have happened over the past 12 months. Few people have come and gone but the majority of you guys have stuck it out with us. This was a year of growth and it went as smoothly as it could have. We look forward to moving locations soon in order to get you guys some more space, adding more classes, incorporating new and different equipment, and adding more diversity to our programs. There are big things on the horizon but I want to keep the mentality of being a small gym with a big heart. Can’t wait for what this next year has in store!

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The 30 Day Paleo Challenge starts today! Check out the rules list here. Email me if you are in need of the spreadsheet to keep track of your points. There will be some awesome prizes for the winners!!

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If there are any pictures from the BBQ please upload them to the Google+ event page that Bryan set up located here so everyone can see them.