We are all guilty of sitting way too much, whether it is watching TV, working, eating, commuting, or just lounging around. The latest statistics show that 86% of Americans sit ALL day at work! Recent research studying the damaging effects of excessive sitting suggests that health disparities such as musculoskeletal injuries, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes will exponentially increase. As we sit for long periods of time, our body’s physiological and metabolic systems are not functioning properly. For example, the metabolism slows, blood flow and respiration is restricted, hormonal systems become off-balance, and the hips become ‘tight’. However, taking several short breaks throughout the work day just to stand and stretch can reduce the above mentioned risk factors! How does this relate to your performance at the gym?
Yes, those hips! Tight hips and inactive glutes (from excessive sitting) can hamper physical performance in a variety of activities, such as sprinting, squatting, and deadlifting. If you want to perform at your best, you need to make sure that your hips stay limber and that your butt muscles are firing and active. Below are some tips and exercises you can perform at home or work.
Stretch out those hips on that work break with these exercises! (hold stretches for 60-90secs)
These are just a few exercises to get you started on the right track. If you can forsake yourself looking weird at work, I recommend foam rolling during those sitting breaks also. It’s okay to be THAT guy/girl at the office! Stay Strong and CFA On!
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 May Athlete of the Month is Isaiah Rosario! Isaiah came to us from Connecticut last summer. He joined with some experience under his belt and we’ve loved watching him continue to grow with us. Isaiah is normally a morning guy {no, not chicken o’clock}. He frequents the 7:30 & 8:30 am classes, but also joins the noon crew on occasion. Come join him for a WOD and muster up a little friendly competition. We guarantee he’ll push you. Congratulations Isaiah! We are thrilled to have you as this month’s Athlete of the Month.
State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Isaiah
Words to live by?
Work Hard, Stay Humble
What is your fitness background?
Played Football, baseball and ran track throughout my high school years.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
On and off for about 2 years.
Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
My first day at Crossfit was amazing. It reminded me of all the brutal football and track practices that I went through in high school. There is just something about pushing yourself to the limit and embracing the suck with everyone else in class. I honestly still get the same feeling I had since day one.
What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
EACH and EVERY person! When I first moved back to Austin I was nervous about starting over at a new box because I had built so many relationships at my previous box in Connecticut. But once I walked in on day 1, I knew this was the place for me.
Current Training Goals/PRs?
Continue to get better each and everyday
What is your cheat meal go to?
Whataburger, sweet tea and breakfast tacos or my mom’s Mexican food when she’s in town
Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
I would probably say that I was proud of myself the first time I ever cleaned 225. It was during my first competition at my old box and that was a weight I had wanted to hit for a long time.
If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
I’d call it Sweetness named after Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Walter Payton. The WOD would consist of thrusters (95) and hill sprints. This is how it would work:
20 thrusters, 5 hill sprints (up and back down is 1)
19 and 5
18 and 5
etc…till you get to 1
***Beer and breakfast tacos would meet you at the end of the wod!
What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
-I love trying new foods
-I love to cook
-I love binge-watching shows
-I love listening to live music (especially country)
-I like meeting new people
Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I’m the first one in family to graduate from college
Longhorns or Aggies?
LONGHORNS! Sorry Wes but we all know who really runs this state! Hook ‘Em
Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
Thank you to all the coaches and the rest of my fellow crossfitters at CFA. You guys have made my time here unforgettable and I love suffering with ya’ll day after day. I’m honored and humbled that I was picked for Athlete of the Month.
“…and the preacher said that dog even bowed his head to pray,” an excerpt from a story about my great grandmother and her dog that went to church with her every Sunday. An unspoken connection with animals has been passed down my family line. I have had the pleasure of animals in my life since the day I was born and haven’t gone one day since without. I can’t imagine a day without their unconditional love and companionship.
Veterinary school was not my chosen path but it definitely taught me more than I could have ever imagined. As a veterinarian, I enjoy the good days but the bad days can be almost unbearable. The first bad day was one month after starting my first job as an official doctor. I walked into an exam room and saw a fragile crouched elderly woman sitting on the bench, her fluffy red companion at her side. MaryAnn had brought her sweet dog, Ginger, in because she was not acting normal. Bloodwork showed that Ginger was in liver failure. When I broke the news to MaryAnn, the tears immediately started falling. I had single handedly broken this gentle woman’s heart, which in turn broke mine.
MaryAnn had lost her husband years prior. Ginger was her only companion so she decided to do everything in her power to prolong Ginger’s life and keep her comfortable. Thousands of dollars and five weeks later, Ginger passed away. MaryAnn knew it was inevitable but five weeks was just enough time for her to say good-bye to her beloved companion. Needless to say, MaryAnn was devastated. Once waking up to a sweet furry face every day, she now had to go through life alone.
I began having lunch daily with MaryAnn at her home. Never having a daughter of her own, we quickly became very close. I started bringing my own dog, Remington, to our lunch dates. Remi and MaryAnn hit it off immediately. Eventually, I started dropping Remi off before work and picking her up afterwards. MaryAnn and Remi’s relationship flourished during the next two years until I was faced with an international relocation. I offered to find MaryAnn a compatible pet of her own but she consistently denied my offer, stating that she was not sure she could care for a pet appropriately. Even more concerning to her was what would happen to her new companion if she could no longer care for or keep the pet. It broke my heart to, yet again, be responsible for the flurry of emotions MaryAnn was left to deal with; sadness, loneliness, emptiness and hopelessness.
I have since moved back to the states and set up a new home in Austin. I have visited MaryAnn since returning and she still denies my offer to find her a companion. She is lonely and empty. I want nothing more than to help fill those holes. The golden years should be a time of happiness, reflection and peace but all too often, the elderly get neglected due to the busy schedule of our own lives. My dream is to change that for as many senior citizens as possible. I want to make the last years of their lives ones filled with love, smiles, warmth and unconditional love. What better way to do this than to provide a constant companion?
I founded GingerCare in 2014 to fulfill this dream. I will be finding clients, senior citizens, and interviewing them to find out what kind of companion they want and will fit best into their life. I will then adopt and give them this companion, all the while taking care of all pet related costs, including food, toys, litter, and medical care. I will check in on them regularly and will always be on call if they ever need anything. If something were to happen to the client and they could no longer keep their companion, then the pet comes back to GingerCare where it will be placed in a new loving home. Everyone deserves unconditional love and companionship, especially during their golden years. I dream of a day where I can spend my time providing that joy to people’s lives.
-Linzi Newth
Join us this Saturday {May 9} for our Spring Cleaning Competition benefiting GingerCare. Proceeds from registrations along with Donations will be going to Linzi and her non-profit to aid in her efforts.
The last day to register for Spring Cleaning is Thursday, May 7. Find our more about Spring Cleaning {Here}
Folks we are officially half way through this cycle as of the today. Well done to all our athletes for putting in a ton of effort and hard work over the past 3 weeks, and being willing to “grind” through things that may feel a bit tedious or boring. Doing the not so “sexy” work is how we continue to progress over the long haul. With that said, over the next 3 weeks sexy is back and we get to compete and have a ton of fun in the gym. We’ll still make time to practice our skills over the next 3 weeks, while we challenge ourselves to push past our limits both mentally and physically.
Once again a quick review on how we run our training cycles:
Week 1: Test Week
Week 2-7: Training
Week 8: Retest Week
Weeks 9 & 10: Transition weeks
We break our training weeks into two phases, a 3 week Base Phase which we just finished, and 3 week Peak Phase which begins on Monday.
In the peak phase my goals are:
Work Olympic and strength lifts in the 85% range to prepare for the final strength tests
Improve efficiency in specific test movements
Work moderate range conditioning efforts (8-12 minutes) via traditional CrossFit “Metcons” and mix modality aerobic power intervals
The schedule for the peak phase is less structured than the base phase, but you will still see either a strength lift of olympic lift or both on Monday’s and Wednesdays. We will continue work static gymnastics position as extra credit, and our conditioning work will be different depending on the day.
One thing to do now is to reflect. Go back and look at the test week, and remind yourself what you’re working for. If there is something in those tests that you know is a major weakness talk to your coach and let them help you start moving towards improvement. That might mean taking the time to go to Oly class, working one on one with a coach on a gymnastic movement, spending some extra time improving your movement with mobility work, or simply showing up more consistently. We give you the big plan to move the whole community forward, but you get to decide what to attack to make YOU better.
ALWAYS WAITING for the “perfect time” to get started on new projects? To learn a new skill? To eat better? To exercise more?
If so, here’s something to think about.
When I get a different job.
When things are less busy.
When I find a workout partner.
When I find the right equipment.
When I feel less awkward in the gym.
When I lose 20 lbs.
When I get the right workout routine.
When my fridge is full of the right foods.
Tomorrow. Next week. Never.
There is no perfect time. There never will be. However, there is a perfect moment. There is actually always a perfect moment.
That perfect moment is now. Here. Today. The living, breathing sliver of time that you have in this precise second. Because that is all you ever have: right now.
Seize your moment. Join us for The Prep starting Monday, May 4.
Designed to introduce new clients to the fundamentals and essential movements often seen in our group classes, The Prep is a course that teaches proper movement, recovery, mobility strategies, and a crash course on nutrition & lifestyle. This beginners program ultimately gives our clients the tools to make their time at CrossFit Austin life changing. {Learn More}
If you’ve spoken with Aaron Davis, you’ll know for programming purposes, he separates his athletes (after testing) into two categories:
Power athletes: Hard chargers. Strong, fast and can usually handle high amounts of pain. They feel most comfortable leading early and trying to hang on late. Weakness is pacing and fatigue towards the end of competitions/workouts. They lack patience.
Stayer athletes: Endurance minded, strategic and has moderate pain thresholds. Most comfortable in even paces and knowing what to expect. Weakness is playing it safe.
I’m a ‘stayer.’ Those I train with have labeled me ‘Rain Woman.’ I number crunch, come up with splits based on rep schemes/my abilities, and strategize as soon as a workout is released. I pace myself at the beginning of a workout and ramp up as it progresses. Sometimes I play it too safe, compromising my overall time/results.
I didn’t realize how hard wired I was as a stayer until I met with my supervisor last week. I found myself using Aaron’s definition of a ‘stayer’ to define my work ethic. While it has worked for me and gave my supervisor some perspective, I could tell he wanted me to take on some traits of the power athlete. Not play it so safe and lead early.
Cue introspective thinking, past conversations with Aaron, and being reminded of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ (random). The stayer athlete (me) is like the third pig. This pig builds his house on a foundation and out of bricks. He’s strategic and has a plan. It may take longer to build but it’ll sustain. The power athlete is like the first pig. He builds his house out of straw. He does this quickly and without a plan. He comes out fast and strong while throwing caution to the wind (get it? Wind? 😉 ).
The traditional moral of the story states the third pig as the overall winner. But for our purposes, both pigs come out on top. The task was to build a house and they achieved that. However, both have their drawbacks. The ‘stayer pig’ took much more time to complete the project. Yes, it will last longer but if he keeps this mindset for every task (or workout) assigned to him, the time spent being strategic, sometimes costs him valuable time in producing results. The ‘power pig’ took less time and even if his house gets ruined, it doesn’t affect him. He’ll continue to fight/hang on until the job is done or redone.
However, if this is the only way he operates, he sets himself up for quicker fatigue, burn out, and fewer results. Take this blog in whatever way you perceive it but can you classify yourself as one of these athletes? In the gym and/or life? If so, some of us stayers can afford not to be so strategic/safe. In return, producing results faster than we’re used to seeing. While the ‘power pigs’ could afford slowing down a bit and having the patience/plan for more substantial gains. Maybe we can emerge as the second pig and houses made of sticks will be the perfect plan? 😉
Changing it up from last time and hitting my favorite food spots in the ol’ ATX in this blog post because you have to be able to go out with your friends and family and enjoy yourself and not stay cooped up in your kitchen and cook the same chicken and broccoli for every meal . You need to go out and experience new food which could spark some interest in trying to make that food at home, thus expanding your recipe book from two items to three items.
Numero uno: Independence Fine Foods (Manchaca & Slaughter)
This lovely little spot is on my way to the gym every day so it reels me in when I really need something to eat. At breakfast you cannot go wrong with a gluten free sweet potato waffle which will rock your world and it goes great with a nice cappuccino for those coffee lovers out there. At lunch they have different selections which could range from pork tenderloin to chicken with plenty of sides which will make your mouth water. Dinner is special every night, but they usually roast something and it will be out on the carving block which they cut right in front of you and pair with two delicious sides.
Numero dos: Picnik (South Lamar)
If haven’t heard of this place you’re living in a hole. Home of butter coffee which is known for leaving you full of healthy fat and caffeinated for the day. They also have wonder meals you can pick up for the day which are paleo.
Numero tres: Bouldin Creek Café (S. First)
Even though they do not serve meat on their menus they make some delicious food packed with fresh veggies and interesting combos which can make any omnivore happy.
Numero cuatro: District Kitchen (West Slaughter)
A quick read over this menu will have you thinking 2 things. 1st everything sounds delicious and 2nd more than 50% of the menu is gluten-free, vegan or paleo. That’s all I have to say about that.
Numero cinco: Bananarchy (West Live Oak)
Frozen bananas covered with some yummy toppings could only mean happiness for your tummy. If you are craving something sweet why not make it something we eat for extra potassium. Joe Banana is a must have. You’ll get your coffee fix for sure.
So onward, Omnivores! Go out and eat well.
Do you you have a favorite spot to chow down in Austin? Share your knowledge!
Linzi Newth, Founder of the new Non-Profit Organization, GingerCare needs some help getting her program off the ground. She’s been an awesome member of CrossFit Austin since 2012 and we are very excited to be donating proceeds from theSpring Cleaning Competition to her cause.
GingerCare specializes in matching homeless pets with the elderly in a mutually beneficial relationship that allows for stimulation and companionship amongst both, all while providing the necessary medical care for the pet. This is to include regular visits by a veterinarian or technician whom helps to assist and educate the client in caring for their pet. When the client can no longer properly care for the animal, GingerCare aids in the intake process in order to prepare the pet for a new home.
***We also have raffle tickets available! Enter for a chance to win an awesome prize pack for your furry friend! $5 per ticket – See a coach for details!
Join us on Saturday, May 9th from 9 am – 12 pm! Details and Registration >>>>HERE
Last day to register with your t-shirt size guaranteed is Monday, April 27th by 9:00 am! Spread the word and let’s pack the house!
Join us this weekend {4.25} for an afternoon of bowling, snacks, and a little friendly competition! Hosted by Coaches Tim, Mark, and Ben at Evo Entertainment just a hop, skip, and a jump down the road from CFA.
