Family, community, friends, team mates, camaraderie, mentors, brotherhood, sisterhood, encouragement, suffering, laughing, bar slamming, torn callouses, sore everything...

Is the crazy growth in the sport of CrossFit over the last years due to the fact that crazy people have finally all come together in one place called a box? Maybe.

What is it about what we do at Synergy Strength Crossfit Saskatoon and CrossFit gyms around the world that keep so many coming back for more?

I'd like to know what you think because right now, you get to hear what I think.

Romans 12:10-11 (GNT)
10 Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another. 11 Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion.

I go back to the first time I walked into Synergy Strength and yes, met Chad Benko, the guy with the weird leg tattoo. He walked me through "CrossFit stuff" some of which I could do and others I could not. For example, a strict pull-up. Nope couldn't get one. But I will not forget that, while pulling till I was very red I'm sure, this group of people I didn't know were kind of yelling. And then I realised they were cheering for me to make that pull-up. That's odd, I thought...and very nice.

I came to love so many people at the gym so quickly. Why? There was so much respect for each other. We all showed up to go into a workout together knowing it was going to hurt. Something about doing it together made all that pain okay. And being told that you did great at the end of it all was so encouraging. And being able to pay that forward by cheering someone on to finish the workout or get cheered on to finish the workout was...well it was love.

#1 reason why CrossFit has taken off: it has people workout together causing an incredible amount of energy to be released that results into no one getting left behind. Everyone makes it. At the end of it all, that's a lot of love and respect in one building.


Philippians 2:3(GNT)
3 Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.

Everyday there is something to celebrate for someone in CrossFit: less bands, no bands, more push-ups, less pain, bringing a friend, a big or little PR. What's great is it really isn't "my PR". We all tell a coach, "You got me here. Thanks." or a team mate, "Thanks for pushing me." A win belongs to the group...it's never a one person show.

#2 reason CrossFit has taken off: it's an environment where we all achieve personal success. Knowing we didn't do it alone makes it very enticing because we start to realise and believe there's another PR not too far off in the future. 

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.

Greg Glassman might say something like this, "Tell me the fitness levels of the 5 people you spend the most time working out with, and I'll tell you your fitness level." We are the sum of the people we spend our time with. Hang out with people who take that step over the line, add a little more weight to the bar, aren't afraid to miss, in fact look forward to missing so they can get closer to making it, and soon you are doing the same.

I am inspired by the newbie who wants to try kipping pull-ups, wants to keep adding to the dead lift bar. That desire to find your limits and surpass them, is how we are designed. Somewhere along the way of life, we get lost because of things people say, things we read, etc. At Synergy Strength we have the most amazing coaches that encourage us to sharpen our edge...sharpen it everyday just a little. AND then we all start doing it for each other.

#3 reason why CrossFit has taken off: we were created to be the BEST version of the GRANDEST vision we have ever had about ourselves. CrossFit does this because we all work and see it to the end together. No one is left behind and in that we all become our BEST at the moment.

Now the word "community". 

"a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals"

What can I say? At this event, I went inside to get water and ice. The young gal serving me asked, "Are you guys like fitness people?" I smiled and said, "Yes, we like fitness." This journey back to the CrossFit Games is not mine. It belongs to all of us. I am only as good as the people I hang out with. And I really think I'm pretty badass. And the guy in this picture with me, does he know how to smile for the camera or what??? 

The smiles, the words of encouragement, the coaching, the joking, the hugs, the shared pain of Hell Week, allowing me to play my music mix, spending one of your weekend days to enjoy each others company while helping me get to CA? It all makes me lower my chin and give gratitude. 

AND remember please...as tough and confident as you think I look or act, and maybe you think I'm even more badass than I do, I fear everything you do and work everyday to be confident. So words of encouragement and love you can show in any way, is very welcome. 

Here's some great words by others that capture why I love my CrossFit community. 

What's in the tool box? What's not in the tool box?

June 9th today. 6 weeks till July 19th when I fly out to Los Angeles.

When I started this blog The Games were so far away. I was looking up a very steep road. If I turn around and look back now, what do I see? I see a lot of dust that I kicked up from running as hard as I could up that road. AND it's been good. But, let's not spend time looking back...we have a trip to plan!

Back to the road ahead. My very first blog post used this picture because of it's very special meaning to me. Go back and read that post :) Here it is making another appearance.

I am very excited to be "Going Back" and I am still gearing up for The Games. My tool box is open and inventory being taken. 

Why not start with a lovely lady named Fran? PR'ed my Fran by 30 or so seconds this weekend. I'm still not at my fastest time ever for Fran but this PR was a great victory. Funny how that happens when you follow the programming and listen to your coaches. How is it possible to do thrusters SO slowly and PR by 30 seconds? 

Snatch and clean & Jerk. I'm very happy with progress here since I haven't had lifting PR's for "years". Yup, years. Double clean & jerk at 160#. 

I PR'ed Fight Gone Bad. I could only be so lucky that a bench mark WOD like this shows up at The Games.  NO pull-ups!!!  

And what about pull-ups? Well, a large part of the Fran PR was thrusters done slowly enough so I had gas to burn on pull-ups. And at the end of Fran when Dale Hopkins shows up to say, "Those pull-ups look way better but we still need more shoulder mobility.", I'll take that compliment. Thanks, Dale!

T2B. Well these have come a long way. No more singles in a workout. I'm working my way up to sets of 5. YAY YAY YAY!!

Thanks to Dawn Ciona for tweaking nutrition to shave off a little body fat. It's probably why I got two more bar dips than Matt Bathgate (thanks for the ego boost by telling me that, Matt. The name calling didn't even bug me) and maybe why I PR'ed that Fran. I however, did not back squat 225# for 2. Oh the delicate balance between lifting body weight and lifting weighted bars. I have great trust that Dawn will have this perfectly dialled in over the next 5 weeks. I have to pay close attention to how I'm feeling and of course, follow the plan. 

Tools that need more sharpening?

I can be seen doing the precarious hand stand walks quite regularly at the gym. Funny how that movement creates a range of emotion for the watching eyes. You either say "WOW" because it looks so stable and strong or "YIKES this is going to end badly." because of the flailing legs and banana body. I've still got a mix of both of those variations, WOW and YIKES. 

Muscle ups and bar muscle ups are tools still on order. I know this routine. Work, work, work at the skill breaking it down into it's parts. Spend time on both the parts and the whole. Patience. I wrote a post on my level of patience. Maybe you can go back and read that one too. :) Keep working when results appear to be elusive. The key there is "appear". Commit with intent and purpose and results are inevitable. 

And there's running and swimming. Running is a skill I came to CrossFit with but let go because I totally fell head over heals into CrossFit AND maybe let Coach Benko influence me with his take on running. 

Of course now Coach Benko is programming running for me. Not to worry, Coach. It's coming just fine. Swimming? Well, I'll finish whatever they throw at me when it comes to tight plastic caps that don't really keep the water out of my ears, eye wear that gives racoon circles and doesn't keep the water out either and lanes with a hard wall at the end that I need to pay attention to for safety reasons. 

There is one skill that is new to my tool box and I'm most excited about. Not sure there is one word to describe this skill. Let go of the results and love the process. Love being and doing and the having will fall into place. I'm no expert yet but I'm a million miles ahead of where I was. Let's see if Coach Benko notices because my attachment to results is something that, in the past, has brought me the closest to death by his hands. :) 

So here's the plan. Keep showing up for the workouts, keep resting, keep nutrition high, keep getting better mobility and keep smiling right up to 3, 2, 1, go. YOU TOO...keep showing up!! 

Be sure to substitute "PERSON" for "MAN" :)

The road to the Games...who has the map??

Yes, who has the map and what gear are we in? 

Ya OK. That video doesn't have anything to do with my question but it's an awesome way to open this blog post. The Avengers, a little reckless, smart, committed to their craft, and they don't, by any stretch, conform to the masses. All great Crossfit qualities. 

I recently watched the latest Transformer movie and kinda would like to change my gym name to Optimus Prime. He's older. He's wise, skilled and ... well he saves the world. I know, I know, slightly pretentious but one has to think big or go home. I'm pretty sure Coach Benko would choose The Hulk for my new gym name. That, in it's own way, would be a compliment. 

Road map and cruising gear? I got it. I know exactly where we are and what gear is doing the job. 

The Open was our first major pit stop to the Stub Hub Centre. It was our first chance to check how the engine was working, what kind of gas mileage we were getting and find out if this body was going to make the entire journey.  

Right off the hop 15.1 and 2 ran me through the gauntlet. It was a reality check on my weaknesses, those being any movements where I hang from the bar. I managed a little better in 15.1 with a triplet meaning I had some time before going back to the bar. 15.2 as a couplet however pushed me back for C2B pull-ups way too soon for my liking. That workout gave clear directions on getting to my destination so it was very useful...after I had my sissy fit and Coach Benko set me straight with a look and advice like this:

Laurie, you better tell me you gave it all you had...because we're here to save the world, not top the Leaderboard. 

After 15.2 I shifted into some better gears. I claim a personal victory with 14 MU's in 15.3. Hand stand push-ups proved a good test of push power. And 15.5 allowed my engine to be tested to the max. It performed well. 

So where are we right now? Going back over the plan to this point, my job was to improve every movement where I hang from the bar. The Open certainly tested this and although I didn't save the world or score where I wanted on the Leaderboard, I can celebrate huge gains in those movements due to training up to this point. I was able to hang onto multiple T2B's for most of 15.1 and doing pronated C2Bs? Well I wasn't sure I would ever achieve those. 

BUT...here's the best news. To have a decided heart and seek wisdom are two lessons from a great book. I chose both at the end of The Open. I accepted I had to go back to the beginning to improve my pull-ups. That possibly meant no more work on butterfly pull-ups. BUT...changing direction doesn't mean changing destination. After my heart became decisive about my plan I went to the source of Crossfit and gymnastic wisdom. 

Well Coach Benko and Coach Tron, I hope you ate ALL the candies and ALL the burger

because we're here to save the world, not be lean!!

Still, these are the minds I trust to draw out the best route to efficient pull-ups. Coach Benko put together the plan that I execute everyday. Coach Tron has spent time and thinking power to find 50 shades of Crossfit language to say the same thing about my bent arm pull-ups so that I get it. "Stop bending your arms!!" just didn't register for me. So now it's back to bands and single pull-up drills with bent arm ONLY at the right time. It has been a fascinating process. How long would you invest time and energy without seeing results / payback / reward? Even maybe feeling like you have regressed?? I'll tell you how long.

The payoff comes AFTER the time, intent, focus, energy is invested. And it's kinda like one day it just happens. My hands would hurt so much from being on that pull-up bar that I wondered if they would ever heal. And then one day I noticed they were better and NOT getting beat up as much from the volume. Granted, I have been paying close attention to their care and being diligent with it. Now isn't that odd! Give attention to something and results are produced. :) I can feel bent VS straight arms on my pull-ups now. I don't drop to single pull-ups in any workout...thus far. (BUT...haven't done Fran since my pull-up plan has been in effect) I am able to say in the middle of a workout before jumping on the bar, "I'm tired, yes, but let's think about this." That's kinda Optimus Prime-like. I continue to see how consistency, intent, purpose and small incremental steps are so subtle and so powerful.

I have to mention Michelle Dmytrowich at this moment. She leaped over a huge hurdle this past week. Michelle did Jackie Rx'ed with all un-banded pull-ups. WHOOP WHOOP!!! She questioned having the band there just in case. She made a choice not to and stuck to it. I know how great the experience was for Michelle to do all those pull-ups un-banded. After being crushed by deficit HSPUs in a past competition, I committed to using a deficit every time they were programmed. I have stuck to it but every time I ask, "Gee can I maintain the deficit for this workout?" I quickly say "YES" and move on. AND each time I complete the WOD with the deficit I learn more about my capacity only because I make the decision and act on it.  I know Michelle will now Rx more and more workouts because that person at the end of the workout is who she wants to spend more time with. Cheers to that person at the finish line, Michelle!! One of the best quotes I've heard lately:

"The nerves at the start never go away. 

I love myself at the finish line. 

That's the person I want to spend more time with. That's why I keep going back to the start line." 

- Rebecca Rusch, Endurance athlete.

I feel confident about heading into the Master's Qualifier on April 23rd. I have a great team of coaches who will be sure the weekend is well mapped. Randy Hills and I need to show up and give it all we have to save the world. I know there will be a Synergy Strength family working along side of us. And maybe some bananas and Nutella?? That is the making of a GREAT ROAD TRIP!!

Trust me and don't be afraid. 

Many things feel out of control. 

Your routines are not running smoothly.

You tend to feel more secure when your life if predictable.

Let me lead you to the rock that is higher than you and your circumstances. 

Take refuge in the shelter of my wings where you are absolutely secure. 

When you are shaken out of your routines, grip My hand tightly and

look for growth opportunities. 

Instead of bemoaning the loss of your comfort, accept the challenge of something new.

I lead you on from glory to glory, making you fit for MY kingdom. 

Say yes to the ways I work in your life.

Trust me and don't be afraid. 

~ Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Isaiah 12:2

Psalm 61: 2-4

2 Corinthians 3:1-8

TWO done, THREE to come

Interesting numbers on The 5th Annual Open!!





















Two done, three to come.

If this is your first Open, you've got your feet wet with two WODs. You have now experienced having a Judge count your reps, maybe even heard the dreaded NO REP? You've watched the WOD announcement on Thursday followed by those AMAZING athletes going head to head. Plus you have gone to bed dissecting your first attempt and how you are going to attack it the 2nd time to get more reps. Right? I'm pretty sure I'm right!

If you're one of the returning Synergy athletes you get to compare your scores to last year. In the case of this year, 15.2 was the repeat WOD. We have come to expect each year ONE workout to be a repeat from the previous year. This is one example of Crossfit being measurable. And it's very cool. Ask some of the Synergy athletes who got their first C2B and then multiples that they didn't have last year!! So proud to hear about all your PRs at our great gym!!

Sifting through my 15.1 and 15.2

If you have followed my posts you know the chink in my armour; gymnastics, shoulder mobility and the Olympic lifts. Gee, Laurie, that's not a chink in the armour. That leaves you pretty much naked when it comes to Crossfit!, said the smart-ass blogger. So, how did we handle this large chink so far?

15.1 ~ T2B, snatches and dead lifts,  and 15.1A ~ max C&J.

The chatter in my head at the announcement:

Well I just hit a PR on my C&J. Can I do it when I'm tired? T2B. I'm way better at them than the last time I competed, but how good am I at them? Games good? At least they are in a triplet where I don't have to be back on the bar so quickly. The dead lift is light...that's where I rest in this WOD. 

Chatter chatter chatter right up until it's time to do it. I'm thankful for great programming that keeps us "doing" what we do best at Synergy right through the Open. These days it seems to involve prowlers...often.

When 15.1 and 15.1A are played and laid to rest, it's good. T2Bs went better than in the past. I C&J'ed more than I have in past competitions and didn't land too far down in the standings with a WOD that exposed my weaknesses. ONWARD!! AND I had a great looking Judge for 15.1...way better looking than this guy who's always doing these silly memes.

Who is this guy doing all the cheesy Crossfit memes?

SEE? WAY handsome! I think he no-repped me once though on T2Bs. 

15.2 ~ Never saw it coming. The repeat WOD from 2014. I heard about it at the gym since I was coaching and didn't get to watch the announcement. AND since I didn't do the Open last year, I didn't know what everyone was talking about. I did however hear very clearly that there were C2B pull-ups.  Chatter chatter chatter:

Humph. I can at least do proper C2Bs now...not many but way better than one year ago. This might go OK. (Then I find out it's a couplet with light OHS). This might not go OK. I'll be back to the bar so soon...and 3 minutes to complete 24 C2B PLUS the 24 OHS. Humph. This might not go OK. 

So we roll into 15.2 on Friday. 2 C2B short of getting into the 14's. Easy to make up 2 C2B I was told. I thought it was doable too. Round two of 15.2 was the FIRST re-take of any Open WOD where I did not score higher than my first attempt. I got the same score 2nd time through; 2 C2B short of the extra 3 minutes and easy extra reps. I decided to seriously think about doing it a 3rd time. This would be a first for me as well in the Open, taking 3 attempts at a better score.

Making the decision to do 15.2 a third time through needed to be made with someone I trust, Coach Benko. Hind site is 40/40 and now looking back,  I know I had already made peace with 15.2 not needing to do it again. What nagged me was feeling I made some mistakes by using equipment that I didn't normally use and would not be allowed in a Games workout. Did I believe I did the best I could with the skill set I had at this moment in my training? Or was my ego trumping a truth and wanting to be better than I was at that moment, in that workout?

TRUTH!!

I made huge gains in my C2B pull-ups in this past training period. BUT...I have to accept the gains that I made will have an equal and matching result. My goal is not to be "good for my age". It's to be a competitve Game's athlete. I know what that means and I accept C2B pull-ups need more work to be Games' worthy. Coach Benko said it well. This is what I heard him say regardless of what he thinks he said.  :) 

"What does the leader board mean, really? If you do your best, YOUR BEST, your 110%, you will land where you land in the standings. And at the end of it all, you will be ranked. So don't do a workout with the score in mind. Plan to do the workout with YOUR BEST plan in mind and give it 110%. Laurie, did you do that? And if you did, do you need to do this again?"

15.2 laid to rest. A workout to expose my weaknesses...and that is a blessing. For I can only experience being my best in relation to my weakest.  There are no failures, only learning opportunities. What did I learn? I know myself well. Trust what I already know. I have lots to learn in terms of refining my honed skills and closing my weaknesses and how my skills will serve me best in any given workout. I love that about Crossfit. The opportunity to be the BEST version of me can't be ignored. 

"Your responsibility is to be the Greatest Version of the Grandest Vision 

you ever had about yourself. In this, you have total responsibility. " 

~ Neale Donald Walsch ~ Conversations with God

And always, always....consider the lilies.

24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Luke 12:24-28New Living Translation (NLT)

Two done, three battles to win!!

Random fun

Some fun and random thoughts from me and about me before we head into The Open. I know this will be the final little push you need to register. 

Let's me honest. There will be ONE workout in The Open where some equivalent of this will happen. AND tell me...WHY would ANYONE want to miss the opportunity of experiencing it and surviving? 

This is the great thing about Crossfit. It really has something for everyone. No need to leave your fancy behind, John and Colin. Get registered. 

This kinda made me think of the day, Courtney, you discovered that standing in just the right spot while looking in just the right direction gave you a perfect view of the Synergy men's urinal. 

I'm hoping Coach Benko will have some Nutella to go with the Bananas and Burgers. I promise not to put my fingers in the jar. 

OH wow! For sure on this one. "Darn flatulence. Please don't smell." "Shit Coach Tron, my arms are NOT bent." "I love it when I'm ahead of Matt." "Please God, don't let me pee too much on these box jumps." 

That's a cute baby.

I know he's not cute like the baby but I love him.

Except pistols. One has to half-ass pistols.

We all know the answer. 

I am for sure going to use this when I coach. I think I'll wait until Carson shows up. 

hahahaha. See? Random is fun. 

Bet you'll never look at your nut butter in the same way.

Really, they just get in the way of so many movements. Personally I want a bigger butt and smaller breasts. I know that's going to improve my performance.

And we all do this. Run our hands over parts of our body? Right? Tyler Siwak, I know you kiss your biceps before going to sleep. 

Love, 

Jonah

How I felt after Round 3 of 6 today in the Strongman Workout. Why...am...I...breathing...so ....hard???  I remember breathing like that one other time...the first time I was introduced to D-ball slams.

Random picture of the most beautiful Crossfit athlete. 

The squat and back I want.

Coach Chad, can you get these in the pro shop? I'll take two.

I love the fact that at our gym, Synergy, we DO care what your time was. We are all so darn competitive that none of us want to be left behind. We put in the work to see results. Results in ALL and ANY areas. AND we keep that fire burning for our gym mates 'cause we know without them, we don't win either.  

TRUTH. 

BUT none of us are going to die in The Open. John, Steve, Colin, Quinton, Laura...and all of Synergy, get registered.

Anyone who does The Open starts to looks like this, can suddenly do this and...what more do I need to say?

And this is it!! Synergy athletes don't give up and we don't get beat except by thoughts of shortcomings that don't exist except in our head.