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Time and time again we have all seen bad lifting habits in youth athletes, especially in a high school weight room. The consistency of these bad habits, most of the time, leads to an unneeded and avoidable injury. Therefore, it is imperative that we instill good habits having to do with form, posture, and technique from a young age. Here at Crossfit Austin we are implementing a youth strength program addressing these issues while also aiming to create a strong and explosive young athlete.

I was blessed to have started the sport of Olympic Weightlifting at age 10 with a great coach. I competed in the sport, while also used the movements to make me a better football player. My coach instilled in me, from the very start, the importance of good posture and using that to lift properly. When high school football rolled around, it was obvious the difference in my lifting habits versus most of the other players. This is where my passion of making athletes explosive, and them looking good doing it, developed. Now since I have left high school, that passion has only increased. I am very thankful for this opportunity at Crossfit Austin to pass on to today’s youth, what my coach instilled in me.

In our program, our youth athletes will properly learn how to do the Olympic lifts while also doing other strength exercises to make them strong and explosive for their respective sport. We will focus on getting explosive through the hips and having a strong core. This will all serve as a proper base for when they reach high school athletics. Whether they are a basketball, volleyball, or softball player, etc., they will encounter exercises such as the power clean, squat, and bench. We want to send them into that setting with the proper knowledge and mechanics of those movements to best be utilized for their sport. Most importantly, we are going to have fun doing it!

The goal is to create good lifting habits, be explosive and strong, and ultimately help our young athletes succeed and have fun. Here at Crossfit Austin, we all share this passion, we are committed to it, and we want to invite y’all to share this lifestyle with us!

-Coach Dylan

Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.

Our September Athlete of the Month is Zac Pettiette! Zac just joined the CFA family in April of this year, but he’s no newbie to CrossFit. He came to us with a couple of years of experience under his belt and has fit right in! Zac pushes himself and gives the rest of the class some ammo and a little friendly competition with his drive. He definitely has a fire in him and we can see his hard work! We’ve thoroughly enjoyed Zac’s positive attitude and friendly smile in class. Zac, the CFA Team is proud to honor you as our September Athlete of the Month and as an awesome part of this community. Thanks for your all your hard work and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the years to come! Congratulations!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Zac Pettiette

Words to live by?
Don’t worry about the mule, just load the wagon!! #mulestrong

What is your fitness background?
I played high school football, powerlifted, and “bro gym” for many years.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I started on my 40th birthday, over 2 ½ years ago.  I had an early mid-life crisis.

Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
I remember my first day vividly.  Started at 5 a.m. with heavy sled pushes and ended with lots of heavy power cleans and box jumps. When I got home I collapsed on the closet floor and cried to my wife “I am never going back again” Once I figured out there was a scaled workout, I was able to finish the WOD’s and start to get better.  There were so many movement I could not do at first, so I would come 30 mins early or stay late and practice, practice, practice, and watch hours of youtube videos.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
Prior to joining CF Austin, I had only been to one Crossfit box.  Because of the great introduction and the awesome community it was hard to leave.  My biggest concern was if another Box could be as good as the last? Since the first day at CF Austin I was welcomed with open arms into their community and have gained many new friends.  The fellowship and support at CF Austin has been outstanding even for an “over the hill” athlete such as myself.

Current Training Goals/PRs?
Currently I am working hard to prepare for the Fittest Games qualifier and 2018 Crossfit Open.  

What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
Crossfit is not for everybody, but if you are serious about making a life changing decision and improving your health, it is the right one.  Everyone is not in the same physical condition or have the same fitness goals.  Crossfit takes your strengths and weaknesses and formulates a workout program that will best fit your needs and skill set.  Everyone has an opportunity to get fitter!!  

What is your cheat meal go to?
That’s an easy question for me!!  Most definitely my 2 a.m pan of chocolate brownies, washed down with a large cold glass of milk.

How do you use your fitness outside of the gym?
My two daughters keep me very busy.  Both are very good athletes, so I am either playing catcher for my youngest daughter that’s a softball pitcher or hitting a volleyball back and forth with my oldest.

Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
Anytime you finish a WOD Rx and still alive, that’s a great feeling.  Crossfit teaches you the impossible is possible. Finishing Murph is my proudest moment by far.

If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
My strength is most definitely anything Should to Overhead.  So the best way to describe my WOD would be what would not be involved.  No burpee’s of any form, running, muscle ups, or snatches.  So basically just a lot of strict should to overhead, handstand pushups, and kettlebell movements.  

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
At this point in my life I work full time, crossfit daily, and be a Dad.  My kids are 13 and 12 and they keep me very busy, so I don’t have time for hobbies just yet.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
This is the toughest question.  I played the saxophone in middle school and I love watching  American Pickers and Judge Judy.

Longhorns or Aggies?   
Texas A&M for sure!!!  Class of ’97.  Not a big fan of burnt orange.  I missed the annual football rivalry and hope it will be restored soon!!

Leave the fine folks of CF Austin with some parting words
I think I have met a majority of the members but if we haven’t met come introduce yourself.  I am either there sweating at 12 noon or 5:30 pm.  It’s not hard to spot me in the box; I am the one right in front of the big fan during every workout.

Here at CFA our goal is to push people outside their comfort zone to pursue a great life. While there are many factors to achieving a great life we believe we can have a meaningful impact in three primart areas. Providing a supportive community of fun likeminded people, a lifelong pursuit of fitness that improves ones physical, mental, and spiritual being, and an attitude of adventure to explore this world. Today we continue our “Adventure Series” to highlight members that embody that spirit of adventure, and use the tools they hone daily in the gym to explore the beauty and tranquility of this world!

Adventure Series || Liz Ronco || Grand Teton National Park

Hello CFA community! The next chapter of the Adventures Series has arrived. Earlier this month, while visiting friends out in Jackson Hole, we took the time to hike the Grand Teton National Park. It’s a typical thing for us. The best vacation, in my mind, is a little relaxation mixed with adventure and exploration; or as CFA would say, “functional fitness”. It was only a short few days, but that is never an excuse to not push the limits of experience.

The Grand Teton Park is beautiful yet mostly forgotten national park by the average vacationer. It sits just south of the famous Yellowstone National Park and is often overlooked in favor it’s even more southerly neighbors, Zion and The Grand Canyon. But I can tell you, this 18 mile hike from Jenny Lake through the Cascade Canyon and ending at Lake Solitude, is breathtaking. Literally, there were parts I couldn’t breathe; hiking up a glacier will do that to you.

Hiking has always been an activity I’ve enjoyed. Its freedom from an ordinary routine. And there is nothing as fresh or as therapeutic as mountain air. I’ve never experienced a runner’s high, but I’ve experienced a hiker’s high and its awesomely rewarding. Hiking is also a good benchmark. I can tell when I get on the trail how good my conditioning is and CrossFit absolutely transfers in my benefit. It’s great to be 5 hours in and still have fresh legs under you. To feel the dividends of all squats and met-cons. But it’s also level sets your stability, flexibility and breathing. When your making your way up a mountain on loose or shear rock, how good is your balance? Are your hip flexors getting tight? Are you shoulder or belly breathing? It’s fun to remember how my body feels and where I can improve.

But getting back to this particular experience, we started at Jenny Lake trail head where the first part of the trail twists and turns next to the lake. Then you take a left hand turn and shoot straight up for about a mile finally landing in the Cascade Canyon where you are surrounded by enormous mountains on all sides. The next 5 miles are rather tame as the trail takes you up a slow incline towards Cascade Falls. Then the fun begins. The last 3 miles are a fairly arduous climb up to the lake. And when you finally think you are there, the last half a mile is across slushy, compact snow that ultimately lands you next to a glacial lake and a very inviting sandwich (self provided). Rest for a little bit and then head back down.

Hiking is our family thing. Its allows us to experience a place in a unique way. Its therapeutic. Its affordable (once you’re stocked with gear). And it’s challenging in a different way than everyday fitness. Maybe it isn’t for you. Maybe cycling or running or skiing is your thing. Whatever it is, use it. Use it to stay healthy. Use it to have fun. And use it to challenge yourself.

Until next time! Adventure on fellow CrossFitters.

Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.

Our August Athlete of the Month is Darien Nuckols! Darien joined our family with fundamentals in August last year. She’s primarily an early bird with either the 5:30 or 6:30 am classes. Not only is Darien a great example of how drive and determination can guide you, she’s also an amazing member of this community. She’s had an incredible transformation since her inception at CFA. Darien’s lost close to 40 pounds and is down 4 sizes in her clothes.

It’s not all about the aesthetic measurements, but she has worked so hard for those results and in addition to looking great, she’s stronger than ever! We’ve enjoyed Darien’s positive attitude and infectious smile in class. Darien, the CFA Team is proud to honor you as our August Athlete of the Month and as an awesome part of this community. Thanks for your all your hard work! Congratulations!

Let me be the first to congratulate you on surviving the dog days of summer (so far). While there’s no immediate relief from this heat coming, we can at least rejoice that football returns this month. Also a new treat for functional fitness fans, the CrossFit Games makes its August debut this weekend.  I’ll be tagging along with my wife to the games this weekend, and I’m hoping to get an Adventure Series video in beautiful Madison, WI this weekend. Meanwhile a new month means a new programing update! As always a brief rundown of our general structure….

• Strength and skill focuses run on a 6 week calendar, and are coupled together to maximize the time we have in class.  The goal is to get consistent touches at light, medium, and heavy loads in each lift and skill to create a level of mastery we can’t achieve by putting these movements in the programming randomly and sporadically.
• Skills focuses throughout the year are designed to build on top of one another and safeguard against injury. What this looks like in practice is a simple to complex movement progression, and single limb to double limb progressions in most cases. An example is: doing single arm ring rows and single arm presses to eventually progress into strict pull-ups and handstand push-ups.
• The conditioning work we do progresses from longer work when the strength progression is in a lighter phase, and shorter more intense workouts when we’re lifting heavier in the progression. If you prefer one side of the coin more than the other just be patient it will show back up after a few weeks.
• We also include conditioning “tests” every other week or so. These tests will be retested in the future.  I will keep folks apprised of when a test or retest is happening and whether it falls into the category of long, light, heavy, bodyweight, or team focused.
• Finally there will be other elements including cashouts, skill warm-ups, and additional strength / skill work peppered in to round out the program. However the above represents the core work that will keep folks moving forward over the long term (2+ years).

Strength & Skill Focus for August

We are deep in the heart of our front box squat cycle. Things have and will continue to get heavier over the next three weeks.  That said remember percentages are not absolute rules, if you need to hang back at a lower percentage to perform the reps with the proper mechanics that’s perfectly alright. Additionally don’t let your strict pull-ups be an afterthought. All your reps should be performed with a nice tight hollow body, and no chicken necking! Don’t add weight or reduce your band tension unless you’re accomplishing these things!

We close the book on this front box squat cycle at the end of the month and turn the page to snatches and dips.  Both of these movements benefit tremendously from mobile ankles, shoulders, and thorax (upper back).  Do yourself a favor and get ahead of the game by work on your mobility in those areas now, before you start tossing a barbell over your head. If you’re not sure  how to attack it, contact your CFL and they will get you setup with a game plan!

Conditioning Test in July

Below is the tentative schedule for conditioning tests for August.  Some may shift by a day or two as the weeks get put together, but all of these test will be seen in the coming weeks.

Heavy:
Monday August 7th
“Open WOD 11.3”
Max reps in 5:00
Squat Clean & Jerk
@ 165lb / 110 / 75
*last tested 1/18/2016

Heavy:
Thursday, August 17th
“DT“
5 rounds for time.
12 Deadlifts @ 155 / 105 / 75
9 Hang power clean (same)
6 Push jerk (same)
*last test on January 17, 2017

Bodyweight:
Thursday, August 10th
100 Burpees

Team:
Saturday, August 19th
“Jackwagon”
5 rounds
20 deadlifts @ 225 / 155 / 75
(one person works at a time)
20 DB push press @ 45-55 / 25-35 / 15
(one person works at a time)
10 Synchro Bar Facing burpees
(in unison over one bar)
400m run
(run together)
*Two Person Team

Long:
Tuesday, August 25th
Open WOD 14.5 /16.5
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time of:
Thrusters
Burpees

Here’s to a great August at CFA! Don’t forget we also have free Weightlifting classes all month! Stay tuned for some great community events, and get those summer adventures in before school starts back again!

Sports and the weight room have always been a huge part of Dylan’s life. He started lifting and competing at the age of 10 in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting under the tutelage of  USA Senior International coach Tim Swords. By the age of 13 Dylan was competing at the national level and gained his USAW Level 1 coaching certification. Since then he’s had the opportunity to coach many athletes at local and national level competitions. In 2012 Dylan received an internship opportunity with the Olympic sport strength and conditioning program at Texas State University under Leo Seitz. He’s now currently the head Graduate Assistant for the Strength and Conditioning program under coach Seitz,  and is pursuing his degree in exercise and sport science.

Dylan leads the Strength and Olympic Weightlifting Program at CFA

A Message from Dylan:

Lifting, competing, sports, the weight room have all been in my life as long as I can remember. Through the process I have found a passion for coaching that far surpasses my love for even lifting! I didn’t achieve all what I dreamed of in Weightlifting but my love for it has allowed me to turn that passion into helping others achieve their dreams. Nothing is better than seeing someone else succeed because of my help. I want to help others. I want to see good posture/technique. I want to help create explosive athletes. I believe in it, I believe for it, and I know that it is so.

-Dylan

But let’s backtrack for a moment. When I originally fell in love hiking, it wasn’t for the stunning views or the deep feeling of tranquility that nature provides. To be honest, that came later. In the very beginning, it was all about the workout. And why not? The beauty of hiking is that you can make it as leisurely or as challenging as you’d like it to be – whether it’s a spur-of-the-moment stroll to the Greenbelt or a vigorous scramble up the side of a 12,000ft peak.

So we challenged ourselves – hiking over 150 miles in 10 days. We climbed the frosty, jagged peaks of Wyoming, we rafted down the crystal clear, glacial-fed lakes of Montana, and we trekked through the dense rain forests of Washington. We spent more time with the bears and the moose than we did in any town and spent more time sleeping in hammocks than in any bed.

The workout was great, and though you can’t find those views in a gym I’ve found myself thankful for practicing functional fitness in the past three years. To me, CrossFit is not the “be-all and end-all” of fitness as much as it is a compliment to my life. Using functional fitness as a tool, I’ve been able to explore more of the countryside than I ever thought possible and snowboard down peaks I never thought my legs could withstand. My lungs breath deeper when the air is thin and my body pushes farther when I’m taking the next step seems impossible.

Whether CrossFit is your mecca, or it is a compliment to your health – I urge you to get outside and use your fitness. You see, getting outside is everything to me. It’s my church, it’s my therapy, and – much like working out – it’s a challenge. I’m not sure where the next adventure will take me (I’ve been dreaming of Machu Picchu & Mt.Kilimanjaro lately), but I will be looking for you when I’m out there.”