“Warming Up to the Warm-Up” by Melissa Reed (Physical Therapist and CrossFit Coach)

Classes start on the hour with a group warm-up here at CrossFit Watertown. Your coaches spend about 10-15 minutes preparing your bodies for the WOD ahead, and while it is sufficient to get you ready for that day’s workout, you all can (and should) be doing more!

The crowd usually starts gathering in the Club Room about 15 minutes before each class; we chat about our day, our soreness, and who killed the WOD yesterday. I love this aspect of CFW. The community and friendships are what makes CFW so great and unique. I’m going to make one suggestion: Let’s take it INSIDE the gym. Use the 15 minutes to make yourself a better CrossFitter and a better athlete.

We all have our unique flexibility issues, injuries, and goats. This is a great time to work on them. Let me offer up a few suggestions . . .

First, start off with an easy run or row to get the blood flowing and help loosen up all your muscles and joints. If you have specific flexibility issues (like not being able to get into a good front rack position for your front squat) spend some time working on PVC dislocates and other shoulder and wrist stretches.

For those of you with low back pain, OHS with PVC pipe/ring holds/plank position are all great exercises that will help build core strength. For those of you with shoulder issues, it’s important to prehab and rehab with ring rows, shoulder dislocates, plank holds, and foam roller to the thoracic spine, all of which will improve mobility and strength.

Are you someone who spends all day at a desk or has a long commute? Use the 15 minutes to stretch out your back and hips; press-ups and active hamstring stretches are both great!

Double-unders getting you down? Practice, practice, practice. Double-unders are an example of a coordination/agility/balance/accuracy exercise that CrossFit includes in the 10 domains of fitness. The only way to get better at these types of exercises is to practice!

If all else fails, keep in mind the basic CrossFit warm-up. Samson stretch, squats, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups: 10 reps, 3 rounds. That should get a sweat going. Talk to any of the coaches if you are unsure of what you should be working on or if you need suggestions for exercises.

The world gives back what you give it. Like the ocean. Throw trash in the water and guess what? That same bag of garbage is washing up on your shore. It might take a while, but it will happen. One morning, a putrid mess could be swishing over your toes.

The gym is no different. What you get out of your CrossFit experience is going to be directly related to what you put into it — physically and emotionally. So you might as well throw your heart into it right now and get some beautiful, clear water back.

See these folks in the photo? They could have been doing something else. Working on a lift. Stripping down their bars. Getting a drink of water. Checking their Facebook. But they all stopped what they were doing and came over to watch Erin try to get a new max on her back squat. They cheered her on — and she got it. Sure, it might not seem like that big a thing, but it’s huge.

Whether we admit it or not, it helps to have a cheering section in life. Did you watch the 2010 CrossFit Games? Who didn’t want to be Jason Khalipa, with an entire section full of crazy guys waving signs, chanting his name, and spelling out “K-H-A-L-I-P-A” on their bare chests? They couldn’t help him lift the bar, but they helped lift his spirit during some brutal, crushing workouts — a feat of strength that we can only begin to imagine.

So, the next time you’re wondering why life — or CrossFit – isn’t giving you the results you so desperately want, think about what you’re putting into the mix. Think about the effort and enthusiasm you’re bringing to the task in front of you — and the task in front of the others around you. Become a cheering section. You don’t have to paint letters on your chest, you just have to yell a little for the other guys. You just have to hope desperately for successes other than your own. You simply have to help will the others to victory too. And the ocean will return what you give it . . .

(Words by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)

But some things just can’t be powered through, like double-unders here. You can’t just set your jaw and drive through your heels. The rope doesn’t care how big your quads are, or how determined your mind is, or who the heck you are in life.

The rope wants quick wrists, light feet, and — gasp — a relaxed state. WTH? You want me to RELAX? This is CROSSFIT! I’m geared up, pumped up, espresso’d up, and ready to rip through life with my bare hands, sharp teeth, and razor wit! I am roaring!

And so you won’t have double-unders. Not until you learn to listen, relax, and make your body do what the coaches tell you to do. Until you make that commitment, you’ll be passed by every person in your gym who has two feet and learned to listen.

So, chill. Stand tall and relax. Quick wrists, light feet. It seems like the antithesis of an aggressive sport like CrossFit, but that’s the beauty of it all — we must learn the things we don’t want to learn. We must sometimes be who we think we can’t be. And then we learn so much more.

(Words/Photo: Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)

The CrossFit Games are this weekend. You know that already. There’s a pit in your stomach and you’re not even competing in them. How the hell can that be? How can you be so wrapped up in an event that your stomach is churning for something you will watch starting on Friday? What is this thing we call CrossFit and what has it done to us? How do we even describe what is going on here?

We all know how to talk the CrossFit language to other CrossFitters. We are skilled in the CrossFit vernacular for people who share our world. But when faced with newcomers, most of us struggle so much in attempting to explain it. Describing CrossFit is like trying to say why you love your kids so much. Words have been written for thousands of years but no one yet has come up with the right ones to say what we feel.

It will be totally inadequate, but allow me a few words to try to describe what CrossFit is:

It’s a way of working out. It’s a sport. It’s a community. It’s a way to live your life.

It’s Heart. Soul. Love. Victory. And Loss.

It’s getting up early to do some horrible workout with others, or alone. And going to bed late some nights because you’re waiting for the next day’s WOD and you just have to know what it is before you shut your eyes.

It’s sprinting 400 meters again and again, even though you hate running, but you sure want to do it faster and better.

It’s learning Olympic lifts and obsessing over your clean technique, even though you’re a 15-year-old kid, or a 58-year-old grandfather, or a 25-year-old bad mofo stud.

It’s getting back on the pull-up bar, even though every muscle and bone in your body hurts and you’re shaking and you can feel lunch rising in your throat and your heart is pounding out of your chest. You can’t quit now. You can’t quit ever. You must see things through to the end, no matter how painful that might be.

It’s realizing the power of the barbell is mightier than the lure of the couch and the television. One will make you stronger, but the other will weaken your body and your brain. I do not exaggerate when I say the barbell may literally save your life. And your soul.

It’s a community that comes together to perform and witness feats of strength and stamina. A crowd that recognizes heart more than standings, and that victory must be earned or it is worthless. Cheaters will not be tolerated. Character and honor still matter here.

It’s a place that is growing faster than anyone could ever dream, propelled by heart, soul, hard work, and dedication. This CrossFit world is ours. And it’s about to become the world of so many others too. No one can contain the passion that CrossFit generates — good or bad. And we wouldn’t want them to. The energy in those stadiums this weekend will be off the hook. Passion in life is fascinating to behold and even more exciting to possess. Consider yourself blessed.

So, when the competition begins, let us all revel in these days and these ways. Let us lift until our muscles give out, pull up until our hands are raw, and cheer until our dry, raspy throats can manage no more words. These Games – these people – deserve no less.

Heart and community. We’re about to witness huge displays of both. How lucky we are to be here.

This year’s Games are going to be fabulous for many reasons. I have goose bumps just writing about them. Hold on, CrossFit World, this is going to be a hell of a ride . .  .

(By Lisbeth Darsh/www.crossfitwatertown.com.)

Joe found us through this blog. He was at a picnic and someone talked about CrossFit and then Joe searched and found this blog. He read. And he kept reading. And then one day he walked in.

This blog serves a lot of folks — newcomers, veterans, members of CrossFit Watertown, members of other CrossFit affiliates, insomniacs in Kansas, prison inmates in Texas. (I might have made some of that up, but who knows?)

Our world is changing though. The conversation that used to take place here, in comments, is now elsewhere — on Facebook mostly, in person some, maybe a tad on Twitter. Social media is a game changer in our lives. If you’re not on Facebook now, get there. That’s where the conversation is now — not just for CrossFit Watertown, but for a huge (and increasing) segment of America and the world. And I’m not just saying this because my job is social media for CrossFit HQ.

This blog will continue, don’t worry — there will always be a place in the world for good words, but don’t be surprised if you see a small number of comments under a post. Folks are reading — they’re just hopping right back over to Facebook or whatever brought them here. (Or maybe they’re working on a shiv in their cellblock, who knows.) And that’s cool.

But would you do me one favor? If you like the post and you’re a Facebook member, hit that “Like” button below the post. It will automatically let others know on Facebook that you liked what you read here. And they’ll head this way. Like Joe in the photo above. CrossFit is not yet a common language in our society. Somebody has to tell you about it at a picnic — and Facebook is a kind of virtual picnic, just without the bothersome flies and Aunt Ethel’s potato salad. So, please share the love. Hit the Like Button. And say “Hi” to Joe!

Today marks the start of a new feature on the CrossFit Watertown blog: Listen To The PT.

As many of you know, Melissa Reed is one of our coaches, in fact she was the first coach (after me) at CFW. She’s also a Physical Therapist and her knowledge and perspective has been absolutely invaluable to our community. Melissa, Pete Catuccio and Jason Smutnick (all of the Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center here on Depot Street in Watertown — and all active CrossFitters) will be sharing their knowledge with us on a semi-regular basis here on the blog. We’re lucky. Let’s pay attention!

“What’s With Our Warm-Ups?” by Melissa Reed

High knees, butt-kickers, lunges and walk-out push-ups: why is it that these show up so often in our warm-ups? Why is a warm-up so important? CrossFitters pride themselves with the face that “Our warm-up is your workout.” CrossFit Watertown is no different. Warm-ups are often long and intense, but make no mistake, everything that you are put through during warm-up serves a very specific purpose.

So what determines the warm-up each day?

The WOD. Depending on what movements we are about to perform, it is essential to “wake up” and stimulate and stretch the muscles that we are about to engage. When you see “Deadlifts” on the whiteboard, you can be pretty sure that the warm-up will include exercises or stretches that will activate your hamstrings. If it’s Overhead Squats, you will probably be doing some activity to get your core engaged and stretches to open up your hips.

So, what’s with all the buttkickers and walk-out push-ups? They are all forms of “dynamic” exercises — which use momentum and active muscular effort to stretch parts of your body. They are different from the “static” exercises that most of us grew up with. You know, the ones where you hold a position for 30 seconds, repeating three times on each side. Current research shows that static stretching done prior to activity does not decrease incidence of injury and can even be detrimental to performance — whereas dynamic stretching has been shown to increase core and muscle temperature, stimulate the nervous system, elongate muscles, and decrease chances of injury. So, instead of sitting our butts on the ground and reaching for our toes to stretch our hamstrings prior to working out, we do walk-out push-ups or inchworms.

Does this mean we should stop all static stretching? NO! Static stretching is still one of the best ways to improve our flexibility. We just need to be aware that it is best done AFTER a WOD. A great WOD starts the minute you walk though the door. You may not realize it but a good warm-up is essential to a successful and injury-free workout. If you want to get that PR today, make sure you spend some time on your warm-up.

I’m not always sure people understand what we do. Not even within our own global community, sometimes. CrossFit here is not the same as CrossFit over there, or in that other place, or down that way.

Huh? How can that be? If it’s CrossFit, it should be all the same, right? A barbell is a barbell. Sprinting and squats are sprinting and squats. A muscle-up is a muscle-up. Sort of like an egg is an egg is an egg. A shell with stuff inside.

That’s right — in theory. CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity. What we do as CrossFit should be similar to what CrossFit XYZ Anywhere does as CrossFit, or what Joe Gym does as CrossFit.

But it’s not. That’s just simply not how the world works.

In our McDonald’s society, we’ve become accustomed to the idea that we can get the exact same product everywhere if it has the same name on it. A hamburger here should taste the same as a hamburger there.

In reality, though, CrossFit affiliates are more like the egg once you crack it open. You’ve got the egg in a bowl and you’ve got choices now to make. Fry it? Poach it? Whip it and turn it into an omelette? Add some veggies or some ham or bacon? (Mmmmm, bacon.) Then, into the pan. Cook it with butter? Or some nasty kind of oleo? Undercook it and it’s runny. Overcook it and it’s dry. Burn it and throw it out. So many options. So many outcomes. So much depends on choices made and the skill level of the chef. But the fact of the matter is the same in CrossFit as it is in so much of life — skill matters. Immensely.

CrossFit is the egg. Look for a skilled chef. Talk to him or her. See if you share a similar outlook. Taste the omelette — for free. If you like it, come back and order again. If you don’t, keep looking. Don’t let a bad chef turn you off of eggs.

And, if you LOVE the omelette? Tell all your friends, just like you would if you found a great restaurant. Life’s too short to put up with nasty eggs or boring/bad exercise. Chase what thrills you and scares you and makes you feel alive. Chase what makes your life better. Don’t just exist, chase.

(Words by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)

Shakespeare would have loved CrossFit. We produce happier women than any fitness program in America, maybe on Earth. There’s something empowering about the weights and the steel and the iron. Something about the runs and the rows and the sprints. Something about pushing the Prowler and pulling the sleds and getting to yell the word “F***” right out loud if you blow a lift. Something about getting your chin up over the pull-up bar and getting off your knees on those push-ups. Something about not asking permission anymore to live life. Something about growing strong and loving it.

I’ve written about it ten times at least and I could write about it a million times more. Hell, I want to shout it from the rooftop of our building every single day. CrossFit builds stronger women, stronger mothers, stronger lovers, stronger daughters, stronger wives, stronger friends. And that’s a good thing. No, that’s a great thing, for everyone.

Go girl. Seek happy nights to happy days. CrossFit.

(Words by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)

For some folks, it’s not easy to get into the bottom of the squat. They have to work to get there. Their hips don’t drop easily down and their torso comes forward.

But for some folks, it’s easy to squat. They just plunk down and look like little ducks, chest upright, wondering what all the hullabaloo is about with squatting. It comes natural to them.

What’s easy for one may not be easy for the other. Give me any kind of squat and I’m a happy girl. Ask me to handstand, I can do it. Tell me to forward roll and well, I’m going to need a little time to myself in the corner because that’s out of my comfort zone.

Comfort zones are a nice thing we’ve all created for ourselves in our lives. The CZ is a beautiful place — warm, happy, full of stuff that makes us feel good about ourselves and in control of our world. Stepping out of that CZ is kind of scary.

But, see, here’s the cool thing about CrossFit: It makes us live outside of the CZ. For an hour a day, your CZ is gone. Demolished, destroyed, wrecked. It doesn’t exist. You’re out on the edge. You have to do stuff that makes you uncomfortable. And you have to stay there for a little while.

But then the WOD ends and you can go back to your CZ. But the cool thing is that you’re stronger because you went there. It might only have been a bunch of overhead squats, but you did them and you survived. Next time, you’ll do better and with more weight. You’ll get even stronger.

The CrossFit Zone is an entirely different place than the Comfort Zone. But you can have both, at different times in your day. Except you’re going to find that the CrossFit Zone is a lot more addicting than the Comfort Zone. Once you throw off the shackles of your fears, it’s easier to live life. And it’s a whole lot more fun. So, don’t wait for anybody or anything else to unlock your spirit. Set yourself free. Step out of your Comfort Zone and into the CrossFit Zone.

(Words by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)

You should be wrecked.

And if you’re not? Then your pacing was off, your intensity level was too low, your plan was too measured.

CrossFit, done right, is like taking drugs. Your brain gets scrambled and your hands shake, but you feel flippin’ FANTASTIC. Yet your health improves and you look better. The fact that it costs less than drugs and you get to keep all your teeth is just a bonus. But don’t try to fool yourself. You’re an addict. A CrossFit addict. Maybe you don’t have track marks on your arms, but look at your hands. Touch your traps. Check out the marks on your shins, or your collarbone. The signs are there, aren’t they?

You’re addicted to CrossFit but you don’t have to cruise bad neighborhoods for your fix and the cops aren’t going to bust you. In fact, the cops are working out next to you and they’re addicts too. Both of you will go home and find yourself thinking about your next hit — reading CrossFit Journal articles, haunting the blog, watching videos again and again, hitting Facebook for some CrossFit talk, jonesing for your next hit.

And the next day, when you get to the box and you’re lacing up your sneakers and the warm-up is about to start, you’ll feel that pit in your stomach and you’ll be scared and you’ll think, “Holy crap, why do I do this? It’s going to hurt.” You’ll almost want to run away, back to your couch, back to the food and television oblivion that used to dull your pain of living, back before you had your first CrossFit hit.

But then you remember the high you’re going to feel at the end. And you swallow hard and walk onto the floor.

The coach yells “3 . . . 2 . . . 1. Go!” The needle slips in. It pinches a bit . . .  but then . . . ahhhh . . .

(Words by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown.)