Evansville CrossFit Blog

April Member Spotlight - Kaylon

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:03:34 GMT

coach kaylon joins the coaching staff at ec!

Meet Kaylon , our newest coach and a member of the Evansville CrossFit family!

By day, he's a Union Ironworker and General Contractor. By the time he hits the gym, he's building strength as an athlete, pushing limits, and inspiring everyone around him.

Since joining us in May 2025, Kaylon has leveled up his overall strength and work capacity, mastered the balance between heavy strength training & conditioning and discovered his passion for coaching others.

On his fitness journey, Kaylon says: " I focus on discipline more than motivation. Showing up consistently and pushing a little harder every day adds up over time. I treat training like a non-negotiable part of my day. If it’s important to you, you make the time. I have found that working out at EC provides me with more discipline, more energy, and a stronger mindset that carries over into work, life and business ."

But here's what makes Kaylon truly special—his genuine passion for coaching. He's driven by one mission: helping people realize they're capable of MORE than they think. Whether it's breaking through mental barriers, hitting that lift you thought was impossible, or discovering your inner strength, Kaylon is here to guide you there.

“ A lot of people walk into the gym doubting themselves or feeling intimidated, and being able to help them break through those mental barriers is something I love. Watching someone hit a lift they never thought they could do, learn a new movement, or push through a tough workout and realize they’re stronger than they believed is one of the most rewarding things about being in this environment. For me, coaching isn’t just about fitness. It’s about helping people grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. The gym has a way of teaching discipline, resilience, and confidence, and those things carry over into every part of life. Being able to guide people through that process and help them unlock their potential is what drives my passion for coaching .”

His advice to you: " Just start. You don't have to be in shape to begin, you just have to show up and be willing to work. Any movement can be scaled to your fitness level, but the one movement that can't be scaled is showing up ."

What Kaylon has to say about the EC community:

Training around people who work hard makes a big difference. The energy in the gym pushes you to do more than you would on your own. The other members will check on you to make sure you're doing okay. It's an amazing supportive community.

His favorite thing about working out at EC:

The mix of strength, conditioning, the friendly competitive drive and the supportive atmosphere. It keeps training fun and challenging!

Welcome to the team, Kaylon! We're pumped to have you leading our community.

Ready to start YOUR fitness journey? Come train with us and experience the Evansville CrossFit difference!

I don't have time to workout!

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:59:38 GMT

Let us help you find the time!

“I don’t have time to work out!”

Sound familiar? We all say it.

It seems like our workout routine is the first thing to go—even though it was the first resolution we made at the beginning of the new year. We buy all the equipment for our garage or home gym. That new treadmill that slowly becomes a clothing hanger. We spend money and time getting it all set up, just to realize we don't know what to do exactly and can't find the motivation to workout alone.

Here's the thing: It's not about time. It's about priorities.

The Reality Check: Your 24 Hours

Let's do some math. You have 1,440 minutes in a day. If you sleep 8 hours (480 minutes), you have 960 minutes left. That's a lot of time.

Yet somehow, when it comes to the gym, something gets in the way.

So I'm asking you: What is eating up your time?

Is it social media? (The average person spends 2+ hours daily)

Is it work overload?

Is it Netflix binges?

Is it saying "yes" to everyone else's priorities but "no" to yours?

Is it poor planning?

You wake up with good intentions. But then your day gets loaded with meetings, errands, family obligations, and unexpected tasks. By the time you get a chance to workout later in the day, you're exhausted. The gym becomes something you'll do tomorrow, or next week, or when things calm down.

Spoiler alert: Things never calm down. Life is always busy.

The gym keeps sliding down your to-do list, until one day you realize you haven't been in weeks.

Let's Reframe This

What if instead of asking "How do I find an hour?" you asked "What do I need to stop doing to make room for an hour?"

That's the real question.

Here's what I know about people who show up consistently:

- They schedule their workout like a business meeting (non-negotiable)

- They identify time-wasters and cut them ruthlessly

- They realize that fitness isn't a luxury—it's maintenance for their body and mind

- They understand that one hour at the gym saves them time by boosting energy, focus, and mental health

Where Can You Find (or Make) That Hour?

Morning: Could you wake up 45 minutes earlier? (Yes, it sucks at first. Then it becomes your favorite part of the day.)

Lunch Break: A quick 45-minute session beats scrolling on your phone anyway.

Evening: Cut one TV show, one social media scroll session, one unnecessary errand.

Multitask: Combine gym time with podcasts, audiobooks, or just mental space away from screens.

Weekend: Even one session a week is better than zero.

Here's My Offer

I'm not going to guilt you. I'm not going to shame you. But I will help you .

If you're stuck in avoidance mode, let's solve it together. Let's have a real conversation about :

What's actually stopping you

What your schedule really looks like

What we can adjust to make fitness fit your life

Which time slot makes the most sense for you

The truth? One hour is not a lot of time. But it's enough to change your body, clear your mind, and build momentum.

A Challenge For You:

This week, track where your time actually goes. Not where you think it goes—where it really goes. Then ask yourself:

"Is this the life I want? Are these my priorities?"

If fitness matters to you (and I think it does, or you wouldn't be reading this), then it's time to act like it.

Let's figure this out together. I want to help. Let’s take a few minutes to discuss ways we can help you at Evansville CrossFit. It goes beyond the workout of the day. It involves a conversation about your personal goals. Fitness, nutrition, time management.

You know where to find me.

Sharon Gonzales

Evansville CrossFit

1230 Heinlein Road

Evansville, IN 47725

(812) 250-8466

Instagram - @evansvillecrossfit

Facebook - Evansville CrossFit

P.S. — Seriously, reach out. Even just a 15-minute conversation can unlock the solution you've been looking for.

January Member Spotlight

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:02:00 GMT

Member Spotlight - Braylee and Ellis

Member Spotlight: Braylee & Ellis

Stronger Together — Inside and Outside the Gym

One of the most impactful things we see at Evansville CrossFit is what happens when people stop trying to do hard things alone. This month’s Member Spotlight features Braylee and Ellis, two nurses whose friendship, accountability, and commitment to showing up have fueled both their fitness progress and personal growth.

Braylee’s Story

Braylee joined Evansville CrossFit in August 2024 after moving to Indiana and looking for a new hobby—and new friends. What started as something unfamiliar quickly became a place of confidence, growth, and belonging.

Since joining, Braylee has made PRs and performed lifts she never thought were possible. One of the most important lessons she’s learned is that slowing down and scaling is not failure—it’s often the key to long-term progress.

As a nurse working long, exhausting hours, Braylee treats the gym as something to look forward to—an hour on her days off that’s just for her. The motivation comes from coaches who genuinely care and workout partners who make training fun and encouraging.

Trying CrossFit was a leap outside Braylee’s comfort zone, but it sparked confidence that extends beyond the gym—creating motivation to try new things in other areas of life as well.

Ellis’ Story

Ellis officially joined Evansville CrossFit in July 2025 after a few drop-ins, balancing a demanding schedule as an ICU nurse, working weekend night shifts, and pursuing a second bachelor’s degree.

Despite limited time and a constantly changing schedule, Ellis has already hit new personal records in the deadlift, clean & jerk, and snatch.

The biggest challenge wasn’t physical—it was consistency. Long shifts, school responsibilities, and everyday life made it easy to find excuses. That’s where Braylee made the difference.

Ellis intentionally fits fitness into life by blocking out 3–4 hours per week, sometimes training before night shifts, sometimes squeezing in a class between schoolwork and evenings, and occasionally doubling up on classes when schedules are packed.

Beyond physical strength, Ellis has noticed a significant improvement in mental health. Between the emotional demands of ICU work, school stress, and an irregular sleep schedule, the support of coaches and the EC community helped Ellis through a difficult season—often without them even realizing it.

Stronger Together

What makes Ellis and Braylee’s story special isn’t just their individual progress—it’s the way they show up for each other.

From accountability texts and shared classes to encouragement during tough workouts, they represent what Evansville CrossFit is built on: community, consistency, and support.

Their Advice for New Members

Ellis: Just start. No matter where you begin, you can grow with the help of the coaches here. Everything is scalable, and they’ll help you reach your goals.

Braylee:

You don’t have to be perfect—just committed.

Member Spotlight Robbie

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:36:00 GMT

October Member Spotlight - Robbie

Meet Robbie — our October Spotlight Member!

Outside the gym : Robbie is a District Director of Audit Operations for the State of Indiana. When he’s not at the gym, you’ll find him golfing, playing pickleball or kickball, and hanging out with friends.

When Did You Start at Evansville CrossFit? : February 2025

— After talking with a friend about wanting to try CrossFit. I loved the idea of combining weightlifting with cardio.

Goals Already Crushed : Robbie has lost 15 pounds and ran a 5:50 mile this summer!

Biggest Challenge : Learning technique and letting go of the mindset that lifting heavier always means better. With coaching and scaling guidance, his form and strength have improved tremendously.

What Is Your Motivation? : “Getting to know people and not having to plan workouts keeps me motivated. The community and class schedule make it easy to stay consistent.”

What Advice Would You Give To Someone Interested in CrossFit? :

"Everyone is friendly and motivating — it makes showing up easy.”

“Give it a try! It might feel intimidating at first, but the coaches and members help make it enjoyable.”

We’re so proud of your hard work and progress, Robbie!

Thanks for bringing such great energy to the EC community!

Member Spotlight - Cindy

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:47:00 GMT

Member Spotlight - September

Member Spotlight: – Meet Cindy

September 2025

This month, we’re highlighting a true example of what long-term commitment and community strength look like. Meet Cindy, a registered nurse and a consistent presence at Evansville CrossFit.

What She Does Outside the Gym

When she’s not crushing workouts, Cindy works as an RN in the Newborn Nursery at The Women’s Hospital.

How It All Started

“My first time at EC was during a Bring a Friend workout in 2019 — and I was hooked from that moment on.”

Fitness Wins So Far

Since that first class, Cindy has accomplished some seriously impressive goals:

✅ 250# Deadlift

✅ 125# Bench Press

✅ Very close to her first strict pull-up!

Staying Motivated

“For me, motivation is easy with CrossFit. Nothing makes me feel better or stronger than working out.”

“If something is important to you, it becomes a priority. If you get off track — just show back up. You’ll gain it back quickly.”

Advice to New Members

“Scale everything in the beginning and stay consistent. And listen to your coaches!”

It’s not about doing it all — it’s about showing up, giving your best, and letting the progress build.

How the EC Community Supports Her

“I’m 62 and not slowing down. I love the programmed workouts, and I learn something from the coaches every week.”

Whether it’s encouragement, education, or connection — the EC community fuels her journey.

Favorite Thing About EC

“I love hitting strength goals… and laying on the mat after a killer cardio session, knowing how much good it’s doing for my health.

And the friendships at EC? They’re unmatched.”

Life Beyond the Gym

Even with a demanding schedule, Cindy says one of the biggest benefits she’s noticed is her energy.

“Despite working 12-hour shifts, I have amazing energy. CrossFit helps me feel strong, positive, and ready to take on anything.”

Final Words from Cindy

“Be consistent. Don’t get discouraged if you feel like you can’t keep up. Progress comes with time.”

Thank you, Cindy, for being such a strong and steady light in our EC family. Your dedication is a reminder that consistency, community, and heart are the real foundations of fitness.

Member Spotlight - Elaine

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:50:00 GMT

Meet Elaine! Our August Member Spotlight

Member Spotlight: Elaine

August 2025

This month, we’re proud to feature Elaine — a retired physical therapist who has made her health and fitness a priority. She brings positivity, dedication, and a true love for movement into every class, and her story is a perfect example of how it’s never too late to set new goals and crush them.

�55356;�57151; Life Outside the Gym

Since retiring in 2024, Elaine has embraced everything active and outdoors. She spends time vacationing with her two sons and their families, hiking, kayaking, gardening, and enjoying time with friends. She’s the kind of person who’s always up for an adventure — and always up for a workout.

�55357;�56960; Getting Started at EC

Elaine joined Evansville CrossFit in April 2025, driven by a desire to:

Improve her endurance

Build strength

Lose weight

�55356;�57263; Fitness Milestones

In just a few months, Elaine has already seen fantastic progress:

✅ She can now run a full mile without stopping

✅ She’s lost 6 pounds

✅ And, most importantly, she feels more energized every week

�55357;�56613; Overcoming Challenges

Elaine shared that her biggest hurdle has been endurance:

“Aerobic activity like running, rowing, or even warming up was really hard at first. My breathing capacity just wasn’t there yet.”

But she’s pushed through with consistency, patience, and a positive attitude — and it’s paying off.

�55357;�56490; Staying Motivated

“Motivation hasn’t been a problem for me. I enjoy physical activity and love the sense of accomplishment after a workout.”

Elaine says the class environment makes a big difference:

“Everyone becomes a cheerleader. I’ve never finished a class without hearing words of encouragement or getting a couple of fist bumps.”

�55357;�56395; Advice for Newcomers

“Don’t let intimidation keep you from joining. Yes, you’ll see some really fit, high-performing athletes — admire their skills, but don’t compare. You’re on your own journey.”

Your only competition is yourself.

�55358;�56605; The Power of the EC Community

Elaine says the community support has been key:

“People stop their own workouts to cheer others on when they’re hitting a PR. The support here is just incredible.”

That encouragement fuels her drive to keep showing up and keep getting stronger.

�55357;�56541; Favorite Thing About CrossFit

“The workouts are planned for you. You just show up, and the coach explains everything. The movements are broken down by difficulty, so you’re always doing what fits your level best.”

For Elaine, it’s not just effective — it’s efficient and empowering.

⏰ Making Fitness a Priority

Elaine doesn’t let her schedule get in the way:

“I don’t book appointments or other plans during my class time. It’s my reason to get up and get going for the day.”

Consistency isn’t just a goal — it’s part of her lifestyle.

�55356;�57119; Life Beyond the Gym

Since starting CrossFit, Elaine says she feels the impact everywhere:

“I have more energy and I just feel better overall.”

From mornings on the river to afternoons in the garden — that post-workout energy carries into everything she loves.

Thank you, Elaine, for bringing your energy, wisdom, and encouragement to the EC community! Your story is a reminder that fitness is a lifelong journey, and it’s always the right time to start.

Member Spotlight - Sarah

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 20:29:00 GMT

July Member Spotlight - Sarah

This month, we're excited to introduce Sarah — a member of our EC community who’s proof that getting started is the hardest part... but also the most rewarding.

When she’s not crushing workouts, Sarah loves to teach, read, spend time in nature, study, cook, and even color — a reminder that wellness is about balance in and outside the gym.

�55357;�56485; Why She Joined

“I joined in May 2025. My wonderful partner, who has done CrossFit before, had tried a few times to get us back into it — but I was scared and timid.

We’d heard about Evansville CrossFit from a past member who raved about the environment. When we came to check it out, we loved the vibe. It felt so welcoming and non-judgmental, and I knew it was time to give it a try.”

�55356;�57291;️‍♀️ Crushing Fitness Goals

Sarah has made some serious progress in just a few short months:

✅ Took on Murph in her first week

✅ PRs in front squat, box jumps, bench press, and broad jumps

✅ Improved mile time & endurance

✅ Boosted confidence and walks out of most classes feeling empowered

�55357;�56490; Overcoming Challenges

“One of my biggest hurdles has been confidence. CrossFit comes with a lot of unfamiliar movements. It can feel overwhelming at first — and I’ve even had to relearn some things I was doing incorrectly from another gym.

But learning, growing, and pushing through that has made me stronger.”

�55357;�56613; What Keeps Her Motivated

“Having a workout buddy helps. But more than that — making connections at EC has made a huge difference. I’ve exchanged phone numbers with people, added them on Facebook... It really feels like we’re all in this together.”

�55357;�56481; Advice for New Members

“It looks harder than it is — don’t get frightened away. It’s the most empowering feeling ever. If you can commit to 3–4 days a week, you’ll see progress fast. And you’ll want to keep coming!”

Also, she reminds us: Nutrition Matters .

“If you’re giving your all at CrossFit and still not seeing results — look at what you’re eating. I’m able to thrive because of the way I fuel my body.”

�55357;�56431;‍♀️ The Power of the EC Community

“The community is why I stay consistent. Between get-togethers after Murph, sand volleyball and pickleball games, or post-class conversations, there’s always an opportunity to connect.

If you’re someone who loves a social vibe, EC has it.”

�55356;�57286; Favorite Thing About EC

“Right now — it’s the Friday Hero Workouts. I’m a big fan of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and these workouts give me both. Every Friday this summer you get a chance to win a prize. I am able to push myself every Friday to do workouts I never would have thought I could've done a few months ago at a traditional gym. And at the end of the summer there will be a drawing for someone to win a grand prize if they completed all of the Friday Hero workouts. There are also monthly stickers given to members who attend at least 12 classes.

⏳ Fitting Fitness Into a Busy Life

“CrossFit has saved me time. I used to spend over two hours at a traditional gym and walk away with less intensity, fewer calories burned, and less satisfaction.

Now, in just one hour, I leave completely exhilarated (and exhausted) — but in the best way.”

�55356;�57119; Life Outside the Gym

“The dopamine and serotonin after a workout? Real.

I’m more positive. I text people encouraging things. I smile more. I sing in my car. I feel like I can accomplish anything after a class. It truly sets my day up for success.”

�55357;�56492; Final Thoughts

“At first, the cost scared me. Spending 4–5x more than a regular gym felt risky. But the changes I started seeing — physically and mentally — made it completely worth it.

Everyone has something ‘expensive’ they prioritize in life. If you make CrossFit your non-negotiable, it will pay off.”

Sarah — thank you for being such a bold, bright light in the EC community! Your story is proof that confidence, consistency, and community can truly transform your life — inside and out.

24.2 Closes Soon!

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 18:30:00 GMT

Hello to my High Flyers, Speedy Rowers and Heavy Lifters! Good work on 24.2 Last Week!

Nice work showing up and showing out last Friday for Friday Night Lights! The bars were set, the monitors were turned on and the ropes were flying! You all should be proud of what you did last week. That workout was no joke and being able to stick to it for 20:00 is very impressive!

Some congratulations are in order for athletes hitting PR’s and outperforming themselves! Tyler coming through and stringing Double Unders together for the first time ever and Holly re-doing 24.2 this morning and CRUSHING her first score! I know that there are others of you out there hungry for some PR’s and I am very willing to bet that this upcoming week is going to give us a chance to see if we got something special in the tank.

If you haven’t yet submitted your score you have until 7pm tonight to do so, so make sure to get on that! If you want to re-do it and be like Holly that’s great! Just know that you have to have completed the workout and had it judged then re-submit your score before 7pm as well.

Looking ahead to this next Friday we have 24.3. 24.3 will be the final Open workout of the season which means our final Friday Night Lights of the season. This final workout is sure to be a doozy, and a fun one at that. To add on to the excitement of finishing the Open we have some plans for celebration to occur during and after Friday Night Lights so you will want to make sure to stick around and celebrate with everyone!

Good luck to the athletes who are giving 24.2 a shot today or re-doing it and fantastic job to everyone who got after it this past weekend! I look forward to seeing your names on the leaderboard!

Friday Night Lights Pt.2

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 21:00:00 GMT

24.2 was announced yesterday and we’ve had a couple athletes already take a crack at it! So just like last week I’ll give you the WOD here and some pointers, tips & tricks for success on this one!

Let's all hang out and get after tonights WOD! Last week was great, let's build on the hype!

First, the WOD:

As Many Rounds and Reps As Possible in 20 Minutes of: 300m Row 10 Deadlifts 50 Double-Unders ♂ 185 lb (83 kg) ♀ 125 lb (56 kg)

Scaled athletes will perform Single-Unders (still 50 reps) and barbell weights are: ♂ 135 lb (61 kg) ♀ 95 lb (43 kg)

Finally for our Foundation athletes, you will perform either Single-Unders OR Jumping Jacks and the barbell weights are: ♂ 75 lb (34 kg)* ♀ 55 lb (25 kg)* *The load is a suggested starting point. If you are completing all the workouts in the Foundations division, you are free to decrease or increase the load as your skill level allows

Now that you know what the workout is and the different variations for specific divisions, some important things I want to make sure you know.

Let’s start off with the standards that are easy to miss but crucial we follow. First, athletes are allowed to be seated and strapped into the rower BUT are not allowed to touch the handle (also known as the “paddle”) before the call “GO” to begin the workout. Second, no bouncing the Deadlift bar! This should be pretty straightforward but still happens too often. Also make sure to hit full extension at the top of the Deadlift. Don’t be that person who tries to skirt by and cut corners, your judge should (and will) no rep you and a single no rep on these Deadlifts will be a waste.

Scoring is also important to know. Every 10m on the rower counts as a rep. On top of that if the athlete is rowing and time expires the athlete must immediately stop pulling the paddle. The monitor will continue to count meters and once the monitor has come to a rest, the distance the monitor is showing will be what counts. Along with that the score will be rounded DOWN. So if you are like me and you finish at 179m on the rower, you unfortunately get 17 reps because it rounds down.

Now on to our tips and tricks!

First, safety and efficiency! The combo of Rowing and Deadlifts can be a bit brutal if you are not used to it. Make sure on the Row we find a comfortable pace. Coming out hot on the Rower to only gain a second or two is not worth it. It will be incredibly difficult to make much time up on a 300m Row but it is incredibly easy to go too hard and lose time taking breaks and having extra long transitions because of going too hard on the Rower.

Deadlifts must be done safely! Rounding the back and losing midline stability will only compound on the fatigue. Keeping everything stacked and driving the floor away using your legs will seem challenging, but lifting with your back and losing that neutral spine we strive for not only increases our risk of injury exponentially but also forces us to use musculature that we shouldn’t have to use while normally Deadlifting. Because of this, our body will have to work harder to move the weight which has its own massive downstream effects on how we perform.

The Double-Under needs to be relaxed. If you are super confident with dubs then go unbroken. But check yourself here. You may be getting 6+ rounds which ends up being 300+ DU’s in sets of 50 with Rowing and Deadlifting in the mix. If you know high volume DU’s get messy as you get tired then plan to take tactical breaks to keep the heart rate down and your breathing in check.

Finally, transitions. Each working component of this workout is relatively short. You will probably be on Rowing for ~1:00-1:20 (depending on your output), the Deadlifts should take you maybe 0:30 and if you are efficient on the DU’s it should be 0:45-1:00. In total that could be around 2:15 (which is moving pretty dang fast) to 2:50 (which is much more reasonable). But that is only working time. Factor in having to get off and on the Rower, walk over to your Deadlift bar and pick up the rope to start moving it can easily add 0:30, possibly even up to 1:00 if you are really struggling! To have major success on this workout we need to keep our transitions quick but smooth. Don’t rush from place to place but don’t stand around waiting until you feel cool, calm and collected. There needs to be a tad bit of urgency, but only a fraction.

The last thing I want to say. Friday Night Lights is happening again and you remember what it was like last week! This week I believe we have learned from some things that occurred last week to make this week run even better and I am confident that for the athletes who will be here tonight competing will notice and feel the difference between last week and this. The Open is a super cool thing and gives you athletes a chance to feel what it’s like to compete (whether or not that is why you are doing the Open) and it makes things all the more exciting! Like I have been saying, bring your friends and family down to watch and cheer on everyone while they do this workout! The more the merrier (plus they can help with resetting the rowing monitors!!!).

Our first heat is currently slated to go at 4:35 tonight so if you want to get it done and out of the way first, make sure to get to the gym early and get yourself warmed up and ready to go! Everything is dang near already set-up for you, all you have to do is show up and get ready to GET AFTER IT!!!

Good luck out there athletes! YOU ARE GOING TO CRUSH IT!

CrossFit Open 24.2 Announcement TOMORROW!!!

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:46:00 GMT

24.1 is officially done. Scores have been submitted, the leaderboard is getting its final score validations and now it’s time to turn our attention to tomorrow’s announcement of 24.2!

24.1 Friday Night Lights had a good turnout, let's see if we can beat it this Friday for 24.2!

TDC (The Dave Castro for those who don’t know) used to be the director of the CrossFit Games way back in the day. Some things happened and now that role has shifted over to Adrian Bozman. Castro is still very much involved in the CrossFit Games, the Open and all the other components surrounding the competitive season just to a lesser degree.

Throughout the evolutions of the CrossFit Open there has always been a sense of mystery. We don’t know what the workout is going to be until the announcement. We can take guesses but it really is just that, a guess! We have no real idea what could be headed our way.

To add to the mystery, TDC has always given us some very obscure “hints” as to what the workout will be. Sometimes after the workout has been announced, people will make connections between his “hint” and the workout. Most of the time, they don’t make sense. If we look at 24.1, nobody has a clue what the connection was. According to Castro the hint was “very clear” but ask anybody else and there still seems to be confusion. 24.2 doesn’t seem to be any different.

And that is a good thing! If we actually knew what the workout was ahead of the announcement that would take the mystery out of it. The mystery is part of what makes the Open the Open.

With that said, it is always fun to try and theory-craft what the hint means and even more so to see what people think he means. Go check out Castro’s IG and go to the comment section and I promise you you will get some good laughs. You will also see some legitimate guesses (that are usually wrong) but still solid guesses nonetheless.

Anybody have any guesses on what this could possibly mean?

For those of you who want to know what the workout is as soon as possible the CrossFit Games will be livestreaming the announcement on Youtube. You can also find plenty of CrossFit Content Creators re-broadcasting it live if you prefer to watch it that way. Whatever the case is, if you want to watch the announcement then tomorrow at 2pm CT is when it goes down.

That’s all I have for you wonderful individuals! Let’s get ready for another banger of a workout in 24.2 and let’s get all of everybody down to Evansville CrossFit on Friday Night to take part in Friday Night Lights Pt.2!

24.1 In The Books

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:41:00 GMT

(Almost)

Take a look at all these amazing athletes and people ready to hang out and watch some awesome fitness! Thank you to everyone who came and supported!

Technically we still have until 7:00pm CT to submit our scores so if you are wanting to take another crack at getting it done and improving your score, you still have time!

With that also being said, if you aren’t signed up for the Open yet you still have time as well! The deadline for signing up for the Open closes at the same time score submissions for 24.1 closes. If you have done 24.1, you’ve already done the hard part! Why not sign up for the Open?!?!

Last Friday we had our first Friday Night Lights of 2024 and I want to say thank you to everybody who came through and participated! Whether that was cheering on your friends, doing the actual workout and also judging! Because of you and your cooperation the event went off nice and smooth and I can’t thank you enough for that! I know it was a fun time and I am very much looking forward to this upcoming week’s workout and how that is going to look for Friday Night Lights.

Now some things I want to say. This year there are a lot of you EC crew who are doing the Open for the FIRST TIME!!!! That’s a biiiiiig step in your fitness journey and takes a bit of courage to do something like that! I am incredibly proud of you all for taking that risk and then throwing down this weekend. I know 24.1 was a doozy (I mean 90 Burpees… rough), but you still did it and you pushed through! Maybe you didn’t complete the workout in the 15:00 time domain but you kept going! There were probably times where you wanted to quit but you didn’t, you kept going. Even if it wasn't a world record pace, you kept going. For some of you, you probably went faster than you ever expected you were going to! And for others you might have gotten crushed by it more than you planned. What can I say, that’s the Open for you!

I hope that everyone who ended up doing this weekend takes something away from it. The Open is a tool to gauge our fitness and also measures where our limits are. This workout tested our mental strength and ability to maintain high intensity across relatively large volumes of movement at a time. I strongly encourage you to take one good thing from this workout (like something you are proud you did) and then one thing you could improve on for your workouts for the next year (like learning how to minimize transition times from movement to movement). Doing these things makes the Open even more beneficial for your overall health and fitness and makes the Open mean more than just another workout!

Stay tuned because the Open isn’t over yet, it just started! We have two more weeks left to make the most of it, so let’s get out there and CRUSH IT!!!

Baby's First Friday Night Lights

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 18:50:00 GMT

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD DAY EVANSVILLE CROSSFIT! TODAY IS GOING TO BE THE DAY OF LEGENDS!

Friday Night Lights begins TONIGHT! I know I have been hyping it up and I think it’s fair why! It is currently 11:51 am as I write this and we already have had a handful of athletes take their shot at CrossFit Open Workout 24.1 and we have seen some AMAZING things! Before we get into all the doo-dads of 24.1 there are some housekeeping things I need to take care of.

Join us this afternoon for our first Friday Night Lights of 2024! We are going to begin our first heat around 4:45 and look to move through the remaining heats one by one after that. Please please PLEASE show up well ahead of the time you plan to workout. We will roughly run heats every 20 or so minutes. With that, there will be a warm-up and warm-up stations set for athletes to do whatever they need to do ahead of time. We also will need athletes to judge other athletes so factor that into your planned warm-up. The Open is all about community so if someone needs a judge or a friend to help them out you better raise your hand and volunteer. Don’t leave your teammates in the dust when they need you!!! Not only that, but helping out your friends helps us run things more smoothly and when things run smoothly everything is EXPONENTIALLY more enjoyable and fun!

So what else do I need you to do? I’m glad you asked! I need you to bring your friends, bring your family (and bring some snacks as well) so we can turn this into a big celebration! This isn’t just a normal workout. This is an opportunity to show yourself, show your loved ones, and show everybody around the world what you are capable of. The Open is about pushing yourself and finding that there is so much more in you than you know! The success stories of the Open around the world are inspiring and I have witnessed more than my fair share of them firsthand. Come to Friday Night Lights, sign up for the Open and put your toe on the starting line with thousands of people worldwide and you will find some success stories for yourself over the course of these three weeks, I promise you!!! Now onto the stuff you really came here for:

24.1 is…

21 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 1)
21 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell
21 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 2)
21 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell
15 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 1)
15 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell
15 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 2)
15 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell
9 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 1)
9 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell
9 Dumbbell Snatches (Arm 2)
9 Lateral Burpees Over the Dumbbell

–15:00 Time Cap–
*Rx Dumbbell Weight - 50# for men & 35# for women *Scaled Dumbbell Weight - 35# for men & 20# for women *Foundations Dumbbell W eight - 25# for men & 15# for women → Also the Lateral Burpee Over the Dumbbell is changed to normal Burpees where the athlete only needs to stand tall to finish the rep (athlete is not required to jump over the Dumbbell)

Quite the doozy of a workout if you ask me! Having done it already and watched some athletes do it I can tell you it is a bit of a sneaky one so let me give you my tips and tricks for how to approach this.

First, if you are an athlete (regardless of your division: Rx, Scaled, Foundations) where DB Snatches are not a concern, you should aim to hang on to the DB and do each set unbroken. I found that the second set of 21 and the set of 15 (specifically the second set as well) was a bit tough to hang on. I wanted to put it down because I was tired but I knew that I could hang on and that everything would be alright. If you know the DB Snatches will be a challenge then I strongly encourage breaking the Round of 21 down into 2 or 3 sets to stay fresh. At the end of the day, this workout is more about the Burpees than the Snatches, so doing whatever we can on the Snatches to maintain a good pace on the Burpees is crucial.

Second, the Burpees. This is the part that is truly sneaky. At the beginning you are going to want to come out guns blazing even if you plan on going in low and slow. I started my Burpees and was moving at a good pace but around 10-15 I started to notice I was getting more gassed than I wanted to be so I tried to slow down a teensy bit. If you are an athlete where Burpees are no sweat, then stay low and go quick but make sure you are jumping over the DB’s. Any No-Rep because you didn’t jump is a costly mistake and will lose you precious seconds. I had to No-Rep a couple of athletes at 9 am this morning because the jump wasn’t to standard which ate into their time more than I expected. If Burpees are your nemesis then take them at a pace you know you can hold steady for a little while. After you finish your Snatches, take an extra breath or two before you get down to the ground. A very important tip is to make the jump over the Dumbbell quick - try not to stand up tall, take some breaths and then jump - instead jump over the Dumbbell then take your breath or two before you get back down to the ground. Doing so will save you fractions of a second which adds up over the course of 90 Burpees.

Third, don’t let this workout intimidate or psych you out. This workout is no harder than any other workout you do. Just like all the other WODs you do, you go at the fastest pace you can manage. All this workout is about is finding how hard you can push and how well you can manage that discomfort. Will it be easy? No. Will it be doable? Absolutely. On the call of “3…2…1…GO!!!” it’s your time to shine! We have been training for this (whether you know it or not) since last year and now it’s time to show off what you can do!

"CrossFit Seminar Staff member Denise Thomas (CF-L4), U.S. South East Affiliate Rep and CrossFit Simpsonville affiliate owner Gordon Lake (CF-L2), and Dr. Jason Garrett from Airrosti join host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to share tips and tricks for getting through CrossFit Open Workout 24.1 and having a successful kick-off to another year of the Open."

Finally, SIGN UP FOR THE OPEN!!! That is if you haven’t already yet done so. You have until Monday to sign up so it isn’t quite closed yet, but if you are coming to Friday Night Lights and are going to do the Workout, why not! It’s only $20 and the Open happens every year! It’s one of, if not the best and most consistent way, of tracking your fitness over time. Signing up for the Open is your annual Turkey Trot 5k run but for CrossFit. It only makes sense to sign up!

Aging Athletes - Why CrossFit is a MUST

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 21:59:00 GMT

As we age, there are some things that are inevitable. Among many the common belief is that as we age our ability to perform work diminishes. And when that happens we are alright with it. Well I say screw that!!!

Some things are inevitable and there’s nothing we can do to avoid it, eventually time does catch up to us but there are things we can do to push back and delay the onset of those things as much as possible. This can range from cardiovascular disease to muscle and bone density losses or even mental health decline, to name a few.

There are a lot of myths in regard to the aging athlete. What they can and cannot do, or what they should be allowed or not allowed to do. Before that, I want to make it clear who is an “aging athlete”. I also want you to know that I am pulling information directly from the CrossFit Masters Training Guide which they use as a teaching guide for the CrossFit Education Course “Coaching the Aging Athlete”. An “aging athlete” is anyone 40 years of age and older. Understang that the 40 year old athlete isn’t going to be grouped up in the same category as a 85 year old athlete. At certain ages we see differing rates of things like sudden death from cardiac arrest (for example the difference in 55 year old individuals is statistically more significant than in 40 year old individuals). The opposite could be true though. For example a 65 year old athlete who has been doing CrossFit for 10 years is probably going to be healthier and fitter than a 45 year old individual who just started doing CrossFit yesterday (most likely). It’s a spectrum. One that isn’t very clear on paper but in person it can be easily seen.

The first myth CrossFit mentions is that “Older Athletes Cannot Get Stronger or Improve Their Physical Capacity”. Many claim that as you get older, you get weaker. We know this isn’t true. We know that when we put our body through difficult work (regardless of age) our body adapts and attempts to become more capable. This myth also implies that it doesn’t matter what you do, you will just get weaker. Take a look at the CrossFit Games Masters division and tell me that they have gotten weaker since starting CrossFit. Those are some super fit and strong athletes who only seem to be getting fitter.

Our second myth is “Older Athletes Should Not Train at Intensity”. This is blatantly and outrightly false. Intensity is relative. My intensity is not and will not be the same as Games athletes, grandma and grandpa’s intensity will not be the same as me. But when we all do the WOD, we are all gonna feel like we pushed at the same levels of intensity that we can manage. If that doesn’t make sense maybe this will - my intensity level 8 will be slower than a Games athlete’s level 8 but faster than grandma’s level 8, but we are all going at level 8. That is relative intensity. Not to mention that intensity is the driving factor behind what makes CrossFit so effective. As CrossFit says “Intensity is important within our program because it is the independent variable most commonly associated with maximizing the rate of return on favorable adaptation.” This essentially means that the more intensity we put forth, the more significant our fitness gains are. REGARDLESS of our age. Humans are adaptable creatures. The more appropriate stress we put on ourselves the more favorable outcomes we receive.

The third and fourth myths are that “Older Athletes Need a Segmented Program That is Simpler and Has Reduced Skill Demand (i.e Avoid Complex Gymnastics and Weightlifting)” and that “Older Athletes Can’t Train Hard Because They Have Diminished Ability to Recover”.

Aging athletes do not need a segmented program just as much as a young, spry 22 year old athlete doesn’t need a segmented program. As a matter of fact, aging athletes probably need MORE practice and work on complex gymnastics and weightlifting. This is one of my favorite things about practicing and learning complex gymnastics and weightlifting movements, and learning how to do them right. As we age, it becomes harder to learn these new skills and that is EXACTLY the reason why aging athletes need to do them. Will the aging athlete ever get a Ring Muscle-up? Maybe, but maybe not.

Quick story Time! I have taught Ring Muscle-ups and the progressions for it for years across my coaching career. One day (this was around a year and a half ago as of writing this) one of the older ladies at the gym asked me “why am I doing this? I’m not gonna do a Ring Muscle-up and I don’t care about doing this.” (what she wanted to do instead was a combination of some Banded Pull-ups and Push-ups instead - viable) I had to take a second and think. “Why am I telling her to do this? What does she gain from it? She isn’t going to do a Ring Muscle-up, the progression doesn’t necessarily build strength like practicing Strict Pull-ups and Dips.” I agreed with her and let her do what she wanted, but something didn't sit right. Later, I went through the training guide and journal articles searching for answers. Eventually I found an appropriate answer. By practicing these skills, she is gonna be able to maintain the neurological ability to learn new skills or maintain her ability to perform current skills at a high level as she ages. She is going to be able to move her shoulders through ranges of motion to keep her upper body stronger and more stable. She is going to get better at that movement and over time be able to increase her intensity of said movement. I told her those things and I could see the gears turn in her head and a twinkle in her eye as she realized what that meant. She knew that she had a choice - to “use it or lose it” - she decided that she wanted to use it. I would love to say that she is now doing Ring Muscle-ups, but that isn’t her goal. Nonetheless, she has told me multiple times since then how she is more willing to practice new skills and progressions because of how it will keep her mind and body young. To top it off, she told me something that really hasn’t ever left my mind. She said that she is afraid of losing the ability to do stuff as she gets older. I told her that doing CrossFit and constantly practicing and improving new skills helps avoid that.

Looking at the recovery myth, research isn’t very clear on if that actually happens. Research has shown that athletes who train regularly do have diminished recovery in ages over 70 years but that that is also consistent with a decline in VO2 max. If we change our focus to sedentary individuals then that degradation of recovery begins much earlier which suggests that it isn’t age that affects recovery but fitness levels and lifestyle factors. The lifestyle factor is a huge component. All individuals need to focus on recovery and methods to improve recovery. As aging occurs it is easy to forget that lifestyle factors affect recovery. Poor eating and sleeping habits, inadequate time spent de-stressing, etc. which can all lead to poor recovery. Yes as aging occurs there is eventually metabolic decline that affects recovery, but it is rarely the limiter. Instead, really focus on what practices are being done to aid recovery! If all those things are dialed in (i.e. very good nutrition practices, proper amount of actual sleep, hydration, mobilization, etc.) then we can begin to look at other components of the programming to address poor recovery.

One last thing. Things do begin to slow down as we age and we all accept that as natural. The problem isn’t that it doesn’t happen though. The problem is when it happens (most often at too young of an age) we accept that as the norm. For aging athletes, it takes much much much longer for the effects of aging to take place. CrossFit helps push back against those plagues and allows individuals to live longer, healthier and happier lives.

Friday Night Lights - T-Minus 168...

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 20:50:00 GMT

Hours until the 2024 Evansville CrossFit Friday Night Lights is LIVE

The time is drawing nearer by the second! If you haven’t been paying much attention to the latest hype, the Open is *ALMOST* hare, and with it comes Friday Night Lights! I’m sure you don’t want to hear me ramble on about why the Open is important and that you should do it. BUT I will do a little bit of rambling here again.

I heard Chase Ingram (big name in the realm of CrossFit Media) put the Open in terms that I couldn’t have put any better. He said something along the lines of “signing up for the Open is like signing up for the yearly 5k Fun Run, but it is the yearly 5K Fun Run of Fitness” and I don’t think it could be said any better. If you love running you know that signing up for a 5K isn’t anything serious and that you don’t really need to do any specific training for it (unlike a half marathon or something longer). You sign up because it’s fun, it’s a little bit of a challenge and makes something maybe not so fun more entertaining because you have some skin in the game.

Adrian Bozman, the director of the CrossFit Games, also said to “sign up for the Open, put your toe on the starting line right next to thousands of people, and do something new and exciting.” When I heard both of those guys talk about the Open in that manner my mind was blown. So simple, yet so elegantly put. The Open isn’t anything crazy, it is about something fun and challenging that you are doing with everybody else. Why not sign up for the Open? It’s $20, it will test your fitness and over the course of doing CrossFit for years and consistently doing the Open year after year, you will see a trend in your fitness! Not doing the Open is fine, but the fact that it tracks and allows you to compare your fitness across the globe across the span of your CrossFit Career you will be able to truly see how fit you have become as time goes on!

Friday Night Lights highlights that. Friday Night Lights will take everyone who puts their toe on the starting line, those who have signed up for the “5K Fun Run of Fitness” and throw them through a gauntlet of workouts. Friday Night Lights takes the fun of having a class workout with all your friends and elevates it beyond levels normally seen within the class. It gives you an opportunity to show friends and family the things you can do and the things you have accomplished across your time at Evansville CrossFit.

If you haven’t yet signed up for the Open, DO IT HERE !!!! If you are going to be participating in Friday Night Lights, please help make our job easier by locking in a time slot to workout HERE (we don’t know what the WOD is yet so times are not set in stone). With that, I plan on getting a physical copy of this sign-up sheet posted up in the gym as well.

Get ready for a wild time! Get your fitness friends together, get matching outfits and wear goofy costumes (you don’t have to workout in them though), workout, judge and watch the festivities that are the CrossFit Open Friday Night Lights! I look forward to seeing you all there!

The "EC Gauntlet"

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:22:00 GMT

Clear your schedule on June 22nd, 2024 because we are bringing the spirit of competition to EC with the:

On that day, we will be hosting the EC Gauntlet. The EC Gauntlet is going to be a local competition open to teams of males and females from as far as they want to travel to partake in this event.

This event will test ALL of the 10 General Physical Skills of CrossFit: Strength, Power, Speed, Agility, Accuracy, Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance, Stamina, Flexibility, Balance and Coordination with a series of workouts to determine who is the fittest pair of Men and Women who are ready to throw down!

This event isn’t just for athletes who workout at the Rx level. No, not even close! This event is open to people of ALL skill levels! We will have 3 separate divisions that will allow any and all individuals to participate. Each workout is programmed to find the fittest team in each category with fair and balanced workouts.

Spread the word with your CrossFit friends who are around the area! These workouts aren’t going to be any boring old class WOD-type of workouts (even though those aren’t actually boring!) but instead going to be crazy fun and challenging workouts programmed by the LEGENDARY MAN OF CROSSFIT - RICH FRONING! Now, if you don’t know who Rich Froning is I strongly suggest you do some googling and maybe go watch the CrossFit Documentary Froning: The Fittest Man in History . You will realize that this isn’t an opportunity that many get the chance to do!

The competition is still a ways away so there is plenty of time to get ready. But there are some things that are important to know for this competition!

First, this will be a partner competition. Teams will be Male & Male or Female & Female. There will be 3 divisions: Rx, Intermediate and Scaled. And as we draw nearer to the competition date we will begin to share recommended movement standards and eventually individual events so you can practice and establish what you think the most effective way of tackling the tests will be!

This doesn’t conclude the end of what we have in store for the competition and as we get closer to the 22nd we will continue to share more information. But for the time being, go follow our competition page on instagram (@evansvillecrossfitgauntlet) where we will share more information.

Good luck and have fun athletes! We look forward to seeing you there!!

Friday Night Lights

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:10:00 GMT

Dive into what FNLs is, why we are doing it, the goal of FNLs and how it will be run

First, what is FNLs? FNLs is a in-house competition-adjacent event.I say competition-adjacent because it will be in the format of a competition. There will be groups of athletes performing the WOD at specific times with judges scoring their workouts and enforcing movement standards. I say adjacent because there aren’t going to be “winners” or “losers” and there aren’t going to be multiple workouts that single day to establish who is the “fittest”. It’s a competition because each athlete will perform the WOD in a certain category (Rx, Scaled, Foundations, Masters, etc.). And it’s adjacent because it is just another WOD. FNLs is meant to bring the energy that a competition brings into the affiliate and to give athletes who haven’t experienced the thrill of a real competition a taste of what it feels like. It pushes people in ways that are extremely difficult to replicate in the day-to-day WOD that we perform in class all the time. Not only those things but it also gives us a chance to watch and cheer on our friends while they workout from start to finish and then gives them a chance to do the same for us. It gives us as an affiliate to do something we don’t normally do and to try and make it something fun, something that we will talk about for the rest of the year and give us something to look forward to next year.

Why are we doing FNLs? The reasons stated above clearly outline why. It gives us a chance to do something new and different. It gives athletes a chance to experience the thrill of competition. It pushes athletes to try something new and do something challenging. It takes the experience of the daily WOD you do in class and 10x the experience. Higher high’s, lower lows, a little bit more anxiety and a lot more adrenaline. A chance to put ourselves in an uncomfortable position and then utilize that to do some incredibly powerful things. I know some of that sounds scary, “lower lows? I don’t want to do something that has lower lows.” and that is fair, but without the risk of having lower lows you won’t be pushing as hard AND when you succeed it will feel like a much bigger accomplishment because of the higher risk involved. It’s a matter of perspective and, like with trying new stuff, there is always a risk. Remember when you first tried CrossFit? I bet you were really nervous and scared but you kept going and now it’s like no big deal. What if I told you you could get another taste of that. Knowing now that you are going to be alright, happy and proud to have done what you did. Would you do it again? Absolutely.

What are the goals? Really the goals are whatever you want the Open to be. You want it to test where your fitness compares to years past? That’s what it is. You want it to be a celebration where we do a little WOD? That’s what it is. You want it to be a viewing party watching people workout? That’s what it is. And it could be anything else you want it to be. My goals for the Open this year for Evansville CrossFit is to get ALL of you in the gym in the afternoon, grinding in some intense WOD’s, breaking records and cheering on friends and family while they workout. My goal is to have you all beyond hyped for the upcoming week of the Open and to make you want to spread the word of the Open to your friends. I want you to be so excited about it that you drag people along with you to the gym to watch you workout and that you won’t take no for an answer.

Finally, how will FNLs be run? This is quite important if we want this thing to be smooth sailing. Unfortunately since we won’t know the WOD until Thursday afternoon the day before FNLs it is not possible to have a perfect layout for how to run it. But there are some things that can make it run smoother. First, once the WOD is released I will test it immediately and get a feeling for what it is. I will come up with a Warm-up and have it posted in Wodify so everyone can see how I encourage athletes to prepare for it. When FNLs rolls around there will be heats of athletes going at certain times with each athlete having a judge (don’t forget to sign-up for a heat or a judging slot HERE ). While those athletes are working out there will be a “warm-up area” where athletes in the upcoming heat will get a chance to warm-up and lock-in their game plan for the WOD. During that time I will be announcing heats, times and double-checking with athletes that they have judges and judges that they have athletes. I will make sure that each individual understands the WOD and the movement standards so on the call of “3…2…1…GO!” Everybody knows exactly what is expected.

This could be a great thing. FNLs is supposed to be something that you all are looking forward to doing and something that you will be talking about forever. I have heard stories from some of you along the lines of “we used to do FNLs and man was that fun” or “I remember doing the Open a handful of years back and that was a cool thing to do.” Well I’m here to tell you to do it again and to bring back FNLs to the full glory it deserves!!!

Need more of a reason why to come participate in FNLs? Go read What Friday Night Lights Can Really Be and watch the videos from some gyms highlighting the incredible experiences it brings with it!

Strength + MetCon Isn't Good Enough

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 19:25:00 GMT

Don’t hear me wrong. I am not saying it isn’t good. I am saying it is not good enough, there’s a difference.

Recently, I covered Defining World Class Fitness and Its Application . Today I will dive into more specific programming methods. Specifically Strength + MetCon and why it isn’t “good enough.”

Why do I say this? The answer, albeit simple to say, isn’t as cut-and-dry as I wish it was. To understand why we need to understand the methodology. The methodology is the reason why CrossFit works.

Essentially, Greg Glassman created many standards to determine fitness. Three big ones are the 10 General Physical Skills, the “view that fitness is about performing well at any and every task imaginable” and that the individual requires competency to perform and train within each of the three energy pathways. There are far too many others to note and for simplicity's sake we will call these the most important.

So how does that tie-in with Strength + MetCon and why that isn’t good enough? If we do the same thing every day we are failing to follow Glassman’s second standard. We can train incredibly effectively in one domain (Strength followed by MetCon), but lack in the reverse (MetCon followed by Strength) or are unable to perform to our max capacity if we do a Strength or MetCon only day.

If we don’t always do Strength first we are inherently training not only your body, but also your mind, for long-term success. When we do a Strength component after a MetCon we are training ourselves to lift heavy stuff no matter how tired we are. Let’s imagine two different scenarios:

Scenario 1 - you are running away from an attacker only to have them catch up to you. You only train strength first, never after a MetCon so you aren’t prepared to move heavy loads when exhausted. What happens when they catch you and are able to overpower you?

Scenario 2 - You include heavy lifting after a brutal MetCon. Same thing happens, they catch up to you, but now you are prepared to move heavy loads (like another person) to fend off the attack. Your mind and body has already done this sort of stuff before so you can handle the pressure.

These are wildly extreme scenarios that I truly hope NEVER happens to anyone, but it is a powerful and clear reason why breaking up the training routine is important. We become more prepared for crazy and weird scenarios.

Strength + MetCon is good. MetCon + Strength is good. Strength only is good. MetCon only is good. All of it is good (even other things I didn’t mention). None of them are better than the other and overfilling one bucket may lead to injury and burnout. That leads to avoidance further increasing our deficiencies in our overall fitness. Remember, we need to be able to do every task imaginable and do it well!

Strength work is fun, I know that. It is also beneficial and necessary. But doing strength work all the time does not mean improvement. There are multiple ways to build strength and muscle if that is what you truly crave. There have been A TON of studies showing how different methods of training for strength adaptations can be successful. One thing in common is the concept of effort (or intensity) output. It doesn’t matter if you do low weight - high rep or low rep - high weight. What matters is how many reps you do at and around max intensity levels. This means that if I want to get stronger in the Deadlift I can either do a couple of reps at a time near my 1RM or I could do a lot more reps at 50% of my 1RM. What matters is that I do enough reps to receive the same overall stimulus.

So even if there isn’t a specific strength component that day you can still get stronger by hanging on to the barbell for another 5 reps, or by trying to do another 3 push-ups or cranking out an extra rep of Toes-to-Bar before you take a break. Is that going to be hard? Absolutely. Will it be fun? Not always. But you will get stronger without a Strength Component if approached with the right mindset.

You joined CrossFit for your own reasons but at the heart of it all, improved fitness is the ultimate goal. Keeping things constantly varied is going to progress you closer to your end goal while maintaining well-rounded and healthy training habits. Following a routine eventually stagnates the process.

Speaking of being prepared for the unknown and changing up the training routine, don’t forget the Open is just around the corner! Officially, it begins on February 29th, 2024. That means we will be hosting Friday Night Lights on March 1st! SIGN-UP for a heat to workout or judge and get the 2024 Evansville CrossFit T-Shirt! Heck, just come to Friday Night Lights and cheer on friends and family and help make this event SPECTACULAR and you get a Shirt (I think I’ve beat that dead horse enough but still gotta cover those bases). If you can’t make it to any of the Friday Night Lights we still got you covered so don’t worry. Also don’t forget to sign up for the Open HERE . This will help us help CrossFit become even better! Bring your friends and family, show them what CrossFit is all about! Don’t forget to bring food and beverages for the Post-Open Celebration/Party! That’s where things get real fun, but only if you show up!!!!

What Friday Night Lights Can Really Be

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:06:00 GMT

I don't plan on stopping talking about Friday Night Lights anytime soon!

Done right, it can be one of the most exciting things to ever happen within a CrossFit Box.

Have you ever been to a local competition before to watch and cheer on your friends when they do a workout? Well imagine that, but imagine being able to do that for ALL of your CrossFit friends who you sweat and grind and compete with day after day!!!

The Open is only a few short weeks away and to really get you all aware of what Friday Night Lights *COULD BE* I am going to share some videos from Youtube of Boxes doing their own versions of Friday Night Lights.

What you are gonna see is a lot of people working out and friends cheering them on. Crazy outfits and people hitting PR’s. You will see people trying their hardest to do something challenging and the rewarding feeling they get when they finish their Workout. Take the time to watch these videos because I promise that after watching these things you will be CRAVING for some intense Friday Night Lights action. The one catch - I NEED you to be there for it! I can only do so much myself, it comes down to you, the dedicated life and blood of Evansville CrossFit, to turn this dream of mine into a reality! Please help me!!!

These are only a few examples of what Friday Night Lights can really be. As you can see it isn’t only about working out.

Yeah yeah that is what the Open is “3 workouts over a 3 week period to begin the process of finding the fittest athlete” but you can see that gyms turn it into a big celebration.

A party, a hang out with friends and an environment that fosters support while we try something new and scary.

(Our 2024 Evansville CrossFit Open T-shirts have arrived!!! What do they look like?!?! I guess you will have to come to Friday Night Lights to find out)

With your help by showing up on Friday Night we can have our own special Friday Night Lights and turn it into an event that you will not forget!

So, are you ready to do this thing? I know I am!

To help us get hyped and get prepared for this, sign up to do 24.1 during Friday Night Lights HERE and get access to our 2024 EC CrossFit Open T-Shirt!! If you only want to judge and not do the workout you can sign up to judge on the same sign-up sheet. With that you will also get access to the T-Shirt And don’t worry, if you can’t make it the first week there are still two other weeks to do it! So don’t feel like you are missing out if you miss this one (even though you kinda are) because there are still other chances waiting for you!

Haven’t signed up for the Open yet? Go HERE and follow the buttons to sign up for the 2024 CrossFit Open!

The Aging Athlete and How CrossFit Reverses the Plagues of Age

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 20:28:00 GMT

We all age, that is bound to happen.

If there is some magic way to keep my mind and body at 27 years old, but still age normally and die at the right time, then sign me up (I don’t want to live forever!). Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case.

No, instead I will age just like everyone else… Well, probably not (Heads-up: you can too)

I say probably not because I do CrossFit. I have done CrossFit and I will continue to do CrossFit for as long as I can. Currently, I do CrossFit at a pretty intense level. My goals aren’t to go to the CrossFit Games, but my goals are to get in the best shape I can and that means pushing myself HARD. Will that always happen? No. But I intend to make improvements in every workout. And that will always be the case for as long as I do CrossFit.

Event ually, age will start to cause some decline, I expect that. But it won’t be drastic and it will take a long time for those effects to really take place. That is because I do CrossFit. I do cardio: I run, bike, row and ski (I should also swim but I don’t… oops). I practice gymnastics: I get inverted, I press and pull my body weight, I spin and balance. I also lift weights: Snatch, Clean & Jerk, squat, press and deadlift. I do that often and I vary how I do it. I keep things constantly varied and attempt to do all of it at a high intensity. I follow the methodology that makes CrossFit as effective as it is.

I share this story, this insight, because you need to know my approach to this subject.

Aging happens. It happens to every person for every second of every day, until we die. And there is no escaping it. Sounds pretty dark. But there is a way to slow it down, even reverse it (to a degree). That way is through exercise and healthy life habits. Anybody can do it and it doesn’t have to be done with CrossFit. But there is no better way than CrossFit to slow and reverse the aging process.

That is because CrossFit forces a person to do everything they need to improve fitness. By lifting weights we increase strength, power, muscle mass and bone density. By doing cardio we improve our cardiovascular system and by doing gymnastics we improve our balance, flexibility, coordination and agility. When we get stronger and improve balance we can support ourselves for longer. If we fall, we have lower chances of injury and breaking bones. Did you know that the leading cause of injury for adults aged 65 or older is falling , and that f alls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older, and the fall death rate is increasing. If we lift weights and fall, having higher muscle mass provides more padding for our bones and having greater bone density lessens the risk of breaking bones which both lessens the chances of dying from injuries. If we practice gymnastics, the odds of falling decrease significantly.

For individuals 75 years of age or higher, the leading cause of death is heart disease according to Stanford Medicine Ethnogeriatrics. CrossFit works the cardiovascular system by doing high intensity workouts. These shorter, high intensity workouts burn a lot of calories due to EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) . EPOC burns more calories post-work and continues to burn calories for a longer period of time compared to long, low intensity workouts. Over time that will lead to an improved cardiovascular system, decreased body fat and plenty of other favorable outcomes. Thus putting a halt to cardiovascular-related incidents and deaths.

To most of us, that doesn’t seem all that important because it isn’t staring us right in the face. But it will someday and when that happens it’s probably best to be prepared. Be prepared by doing CrossFit. Do it often and do it at high intensities and reap the benefits of what CrossFit has shown to do repeatedly for years across a MASSIVE sample size.

Read the journal article that was posted on CrossFit.com appropriately titled How To Thrive Past 75: Maintaining Health And Quality Of Life With Age and try to tell me that CrossFit isn’t just as much for your parents, grandparents, friends and family as it is for me, or you or you CrossFit buddies. If anything, it is MORE important for them than it is for us. Odds are CrossFit can change their lives for the better, and who wouldn’t want to help their loved ones live a better life?

Consistency = Results

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:41:00 GMT

Many of you probably already know this.

But I feel that this is an incredibly powerful topic that we sometimes lose sight of. The longer you have been doing this the more you tend to lean in one direction. Those directions being either you are incredibly consistent in coming into the gym and working out, or the other direction where that consistency is spotty at best. Why do I say this, generally newer athletes are chomping at the bit to get going . They want to come in and keep doing it because it’s fun and new. They see the results of them consistently coming in relatively often. New PR’s, learning new skills, getting leaner, stronger and faster. But the longer you do CrossFit consistently the longer it takes to get those PR’s, lose or gain weight (depending on your goals), etc. I know this because I have been there. But one fact remains even through all that turmoil.

It doesn’t actually matter all that much what you do. What matters is how often you do it.
I have done CrossFit for over 10 years. I have seen plenty of individuals come and go, I’ve worked with countless people during my career. I have witnessed things you can’t imagine and I have seen improvements that you may think impossible. And across that time there is one thing that is the same. Consistency (or lack thereof) determines what and how an individual improves.
The people who come into the gym 3, 4, or even 5 days a week for 80-90% of the year who continue to do that for years get better. End of story. But let’s math it out.
There are 52.1429 weeks in a year (52 weeks), if an individual comes in an average of 4 times a week for 90% of those weeks that means they are coming in 4 days/week for 46.8 weeks (47 weeks). That means that they performed 188 WOD’s that year. Compare that to someone who averages 2 days/week for 90% of the year - that ends up being 94 WOD’s. Let’s dig a little deeper.
2 days/week is 94 WOD’s. What are the odds that someone is going to see a ton of variance in 94 WOD’s across 365 days in a year? Not a lot to be honest. I have heard all the concerns you can think of and more over the course of my career, most of them relate to “it seems like the workouts aren’t helping me get ____ (fill that in with whatever you want”. When I hear that, my first thing I want to ask is “how many times have you been in the gym the past 6 months?” When the answer is only 2 days/week on average. Well it makes sense. Why? The pool of WOD’s that person sees is tiny! In 6 months that is approximately 47 WOD’s. Of course it seems like there isn’t much variance. It makes sense why it feels like no progress has occurred!!! In that few WOD’s in a year (again, 94) a person isn’t putting their body through nearly enough total work to make any changes or improvement. At best that athlete just maintains. Most likely, and unfortunately, that athlete regresses. Compare that to the athlete who averages 4 days/week and ends up doing 188 WOD’s in a year. Double the amount of the aforementioned athlete. Not only are they doing more work but they will also see a massive increase in WOD variance. They will see strength components, they will get the chance to practice and learn new gymnastics skills and they will get plenty of cardiovascular work in. They WILL improve. It is a fact and it has been shown consistently for as long as CrossFit has been around, I have seen it and I have lived it. Consistency is so important it even exists outside of CrossFit! For hundreds of years across hundreds of different sports and domains of literally anything consistency has been shown to make improvements. I know this blog is related to CrossFit but let’s look at some outside examples.

I know not everybody loves Tom Brady but nobody can deny that he is one of the greatest Quarterbacks to have played the game. That isn’t because of luck. Yes there are outside factors but he still had to do the work. He wasn’t granted a wish from a genie and just woke up to be “Tom Brady”. He spent thousands of hours practicing the fundamentals. Footwork and throwing drills, cardio, strength, balance and injury prevention. Even down to things like hydration, sleep and recovery. Everything he did was done in a consistent way to get him to be the best. Serena Williams. Tennis legend. Some may argue the best to have ever played. Want to know how she got there? Consistency. Practiced and trained, drilled and drilled and drilled to the point of exhaustion and then beyond. I don’t know Serena but I am willing to bet her knowledge, understanding and willingness to consistently practice the fundamentals helped get her to be the best.
Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan (I could name a lot more). All absolute legends in the realm of Basketball. What is one thing they all have in common, besides being insanely tall? They all practiced consistently and practiced with intention. With the goal of improvement, they consistently delivered results to their team because they consistently put the work in that allowed them to deliver.

We joined CrossFit for a reason. Most likely it was to either improve our fitness to be better at a specific sport or just to change our lifestyle and become a healthier, better, version of ourselves or even stave off the evils of aging. Regardless of the reason, there is one thing we need to do to get us where we want to be.
Be Consistent.

Consistency Before Intensity - CrossFit Journal Issue 34 - June 2005, by Scott Semple

Consistency Before Intensity is a quick read from way back in the early ages of CrossFit. There is a lot of information in a small article. Depending on what you are looking for you may see different things. What I want you to think about when reading this is “what if Scott was consistent in his WOD’s over the course of his introduction rather than going HAM and how would that consistency have affected his training and goals for climbing?”

To understand why consistency is so important in our world it is important to understand the methodology behind CrossFit. Check out Defining World Class Fitness and It's Application to get a deeper understanding and see why doing more will lead to more variance which inevitably leads to increased fitness! Once you have done that, go sign up for the 2024 CrossFit Open and set your standard of fitness. Then come to the gym consistently over the next year, sign up for the 2025 CrossFit Open and see how simply working out more consistently catapults you up the leaderboard! FINALLY after you have signed up for the Open, go read The 2024 Evansville CrossFit Open FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and get ready for some of the most fun you can ever have in the CrossFit Box!

The 2024 Evansville CrossFit Open FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 13:45:00 GMT

This year we are going to be hosting “Friday Night Lights”. No, I do not mean the TV Series that ran from 2006-2011 (shoutout IMDB). I am talking about turning the gym into an atmosphere that involves camaraderie, improvement, support and A TON of energy!

What does that even mean?
Do you remember back in the good old days when the “Big Game” was happening Friday night? You and all your friends would meet at their place, get dressed in your team’s colors, paint your faces (or bodies if you were super wild), pregame and go to parties? Then you would all ride to the stadium, or the coliseum or field to watch your team face off against the opponents under the bright lights? Well that’s what Friday Night Lights is, but instead of us getting ready to go watch our team, we are watching and supporting our friends as they perform under the bright lights! And guess what? After they are done the roles are reversed and now it’s their turn to watch you perform!
I know that may sound daunting. “Someone is gonna watch me work out? They are gonna judge me? I’m not good enough for that…” Well I say YOU ARE! Every one of you is beyond good enough to perform in Friday Night Lights! Every single one of you is good enough to come to CrossFit and do the WOD (almost) every day for weeks, even years, on end! Friday Night Lights is the same as that! Yes there is a little added pressure, but that is supposed to happen. That pressure may make you a little nervous and it might be scary, trust me, I’ve been there. But trust me, the added pressure, anxiousness and nerves helps you perform better. It does so because your nervous system kicks into overdrive, your adrenaline starts flowing a little more than normal and that amps you up. Add your friends and family on the sidelines cheering you on and instantly you get inspired to just send it!

I know this is how it works because I have been a part of 10 CrossFit Opens before. Either as a competitor (this year will be my 8th), judge, coordinator, team captain, coach. You name it, I’ve been it. That means I have seen people that have the same thoughts, fears, concerns, aversions and whatnot as you may have. I have seen the same excitement, hype, hope and so on as you have as well. And I have seen everything else in between. I have seen people break barriers and I have seen people fall short. I have broken barriers and I have fallen short. That stuff is supposed to happen. That is where we learn what we are made of. By taking that risk you are establishing your boundaries which gives you your goal(s) of what to break. And then you break it.
That is what Friday Night Lights is about. It’s not about the Open, it’s not about who is the fittest, it’s not even about failing. It’s about trying something new out, sticking your neck out there, hyping up your friends and hyping yourself up too! It’s about getting a little nervous and then kicking its ass and showing those nerves who’s boss. YOU ARE THE BOSS! GO GET IT!
That sounds pretty awesome right? I think it does or else I wouldn’t be telling you all this. So what comes next? You sign up for your WOD time!!!

What does this do? A couple of things, actually.
First, this locks in your spot for when you would like to workout and perform Open Workout (or Test) 24.1.
Second, if you sign up and come to workout during your assigned time, you get a free 2024 Evansville CrossFit Open T-Shirt! If you don’t workout but you sign-up to judge you also get a free shirt. Heck if you are an EC member and you come to cheer on friends and you get a shirt!!! I know this is different from what we have done in the past but I will save why for a later post. Just come to Friday Night Lights and let’s rock!!! PLEASE!!!!
Third, and most important, this will give us a chance to plan ahead for the heats and how to set-up the gym. If everything goes the way I want it to go it will be packed with people warming up, working out, hanging out and watching and knowing who is going to workout, when they are working out and how many stations need to be set up ahead of time will help expedite the process and minimize unnecessary downtime. Doing so will keep the event moving and keep people entertained which will keep the energy high and help everyone enjoy what the Open and FNLs is all about! So please, sign up for workout time as soon as you can so we can begin figuring out exactly what we need to do! Oh also, if you can find yourself a judge ahead of time just makes things even easier. Thank you!!

Alongside signing up for Friday Night Lights, consider signing up for the 2024 CrossFit Open (click image):

If you are unsure about signing up for the Open, take a few minutes to read our post

Defining World Class Fitness and It's Application

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:26:00 GMT

CrossFit is a training program that was created by Greg Glassman in 2000. Glassman created CrossFit because he saw a distinct deficiency in the world of health and fitness. People claiming who the fittest is without any way to provide data for it. In one of his first writings What Is Fitness he asks the question “What is fitness and who is fit?” He then goes on to say that “In 1997, Outside Magazine crowned triathlete Mark Allen ‘the fittest man on Earth.’ Let us just assume for a moment that this famous six-time winner of the IronMan Triathlon is the fittest of the fit. Then what title do we bestow on the decathlete Simon Poelman , who also possesses incredible endurance and stamina yet crushes Mr. Allen in any comparison that includes strength, power, speed and coordination?”

Think about that for a second. The fittest man on earth is a six-time winner of the IronMan Triathlon. But the decathlete who can do the same stuff as the triathlete, and more, does not fit the bill of the fittest. Why is that? It’s because back then there was never any data or evidence to support or refute who is “fit” and who is “unfit”. There were no standards. Glassman changed that when he introduced CrossFit to the world.
Through his teachings he created many standards to determine fitness. These standards all include measurable ways to establish fitness. Here I will talk about the three major standards. The first standard includes the 10 General Physical Skills . They are as follows:

His second standard is the “view that fitness is about performing well at any and every task imaginable.” This is incredibly important and guides any true CrossFit program you will ever see.
And his third standard is that the individual requires competency to perform and train within each of the three energy pathways known as: 1) the Phosphagen (also known as Phosphocreatine) pathway; 2) the Glycolytic (or Lactate) pathway; and 3) the Oxidative (or Aerobic) pathway. Where the first pathway governs high-power activity which is anything that lasts less than about 10 seconds (think max effort lift), the second pathway engulfs moderate-power activity which is anything lasting up to several minutes (400m-800m sprints or 1-mile sprints for the crazy fast) and the third pathway excels in the low-power, long duration, activities that last well above several minutes of activity (like running a 5k or half-marathon +). Looking at the graph below, notice how there is a period where they all overlap. It is important to understand that if one of the pathways is deficient, that will have an overall negative effect on an athletes output.

A big piece of what CrossFit is and why it works is largely thanks to his second standard where an individual must perform well at any and every task imaginable. If we change up the wording we can say it is the ability to be prepared for the unknown and unknowable. If you have been around CrossFit for as long as I have then you have heard that phrase. If you’ve taken your L1, L2 or spent a lot of time learning about CrossFit the odds are you have also heard it. This train of thought is what separates CrossFit from all other training methodologies out there (and, if you haven’t noticed, there have been a lot of CrossFit copycats that don’t have the same success as CrossFit and that’s because real CrossFit ACTUALLY WORKS).
With those standards in mind he was able to create ways to accurately measure data through tests such as Fran, Grace, Annie, etc. and repeat those tests over a period of time (notice how this is eerily similar to the scientific method - Greg had a background and family deep in the sciences). Through these tests and with the definitions he created he was able to easily point to how an individual is truly fit and not specialized within a sport. Specialization is necessary to be at the top of the game, but to be fit you cannot be specialized.
Fast forward some years and the CrossFit Games was born. Through that we got things such as the Open, Regionals, Semifinals, Quarterfinals, etc. and we can point to those as worldwide methods of testing, retesting and establishing our own fitness levels. And who would have guessed, the Open is just around the corner! If you didn’t get a chance to read What is the CrossFit Open, What Does It Mean To Me and Why You Need to Sign-up I highly recommend you to do so. It gives more reason and meaning to the Open and I strongly urge you to sign up and do it! If you believe in CrossFit and trust that Glassman created the most effective way of creating the fittest individuals then the Open is the best way to show you believe! I know I do!!!!

What is the CrossFit Open, What Does It Mean To Me and Why You Need to Sign-up

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:07:00 GMT

"The CrossFit Open is a three-week international competition where anyone — regardless of fitness level or ability — can compete in the biggest fitness competition in history. The 2024 Open will take place from Feb. 29-March 18 ."
That is the general introduction to the Open. But it is much deeper than that. I want to explain the Open in more detail, why it is important and then give you a little peek into what the Open means to me

The Open, like anything we do in CrossFit, is ultimately a challenge, a test. Every workout we do is designed to challenge you. It is designed to improve your fitness and make you a more capable athlete inside the CrossFit gym and outside in the real world.
The Open is an opportunity to show yourself what you have accomplished in the past year. It is a chance to showcase the gains you have made and to expose areas of weakness. It is an opportunity to stick your neck out and try something new! Even if you’ve done the Open before, every season brings something new and every year I have done it I have been humbled at least once. I surely plan for that to happen again!
Do you have to officially sign up for the Open and spend the $20 necessary to do so? No, I am not going to force you to. But I will strongly urge you and will do the best I can to compel you to do that. Why? Well there are a lot of reasons.
Why You NEED To Sign-up
First, you love CrossFit, right? If you didn’t you wouldn’t be a part of Evansville CrossFit. The only reason you walk into a CrossFit gym and do a WOD is because you love it. Tell any person that you do CrossFit and they will look at you, puzzled, and ask “Why? Isn't that really hard?” The answer is simple: yes, but it’s because you love doing it.
Second, signing up for the Open is like signing up for a half marathon. Most people wouldn’t run a half marathon just because yet a ton of people pay money to run one. They pay that money because it gives them something to work for. It holds them accountable knowing that they have invested real money into it. They end up finding a training regimen to help prepare so when it's game-time they can perform to the best of their abilities. The Open is the same thing except, guess what, you don’t have to find a training regimen because you are already doing that when you come into a class WOD.
Third, You want to support CrossFit. We as a gym and as a CrossFit community need to support CrossFit. Similar to that first point I made - we love CrossFit. If we want CrossFit to continue doing what they allow us to do and to continue to improve, we need to show our support and each $20 they receive from us goes into helping them grow. It seems silly and you might think that CrossFit makes enough money as-is and I am saddened to tell you that they don’t. I don’t want to get into the thick of it and we can talk about that at another time, but truly CrossFit needs our support and this is the easiest and best way to support the mothership called CrossFit HQ.
Alongside that point. Yes, you do pay Evansville CrossFit a monthly membership. But you aren’t paying us to make workouts, or for running a competition or just to line our pockets. You are paying us to provide you with a service of high-level coaching. Paying for the Open is paying CrossFit HQ to be able to continue to provide a service to us affiliates so we can continue to provide the service we give directly to you.
Finally, I believe this is the most important, it adds a little bit of pressure to your workouts and especially the Open Tests when we do them. It sparks something that helps you give an extra 1% in your workouts. That extra 1% will have profound effects on your overall health and fitness in the long-term. It will help you find levels you didn’t know you have and expose you to areas you need improvement in. It will help guide your training for the upcoming year and that training will make you a fitter individual.
Why Does It Matter?
“What if I don’t care much about being fitter?” If you truly believe that we need to have a 1-on-1 conversation and I will hold you to that. But being fitter does not just mean being faster or being able to lift more weight - yes that is a by-product but not the only thing. Being fitter means being healthier. Having a lower body fat percentage, increased muscle mass, increased bone density, lower levels of triglycerides and LDL’s and higher levels of HDL’s. You will have more energy and a better ability to support yourself as you age. You won’t need to be put in a nursing home because you can sit down and stand, get up off the floor and have the balance and coordination to stay standing. Right now, being fitter may not seem like that big of a deal but, trust me, as you get older and things start to slow down you will notice the difference between people who do CrossFit and those who do general activity and those who don’t do anything whatsoever.
You Really Should Sign-up
All that may seem like a reach just by signing up for the Open and spending that $20. And yes, it does. As I write it it almost sounds silly. But I know how important the Open is, I know what the long-term effects of doing the Open are and I know that it has gotten me to where I am today. Signing up for my first Open way back in 2014 was scary as shit. I still have my score from 14.1 tucked away in my CrossFit journal and looking back 10 years ago it is really really freaking cool to see where I was and where I am now. Back then it didn’t seem like that big of a deal but now, 10 years later, I cannot believe how much that changed my life.
Feel like signing up but haven’t yet? Follow this link to help you begin the process:
Sign-up for the 2024 C rossFit Open

If you have already signed up for the Open and are wanting to reserve your spot for your heat at Friday Night Lights, follow the link here → Heat Sheet Sign-up for 24.1 → and lock in your spot and time (times subject to change depending on length of Workout) and if you can, find yourself a judge to help make the process easier!