The POWER of MUSIC...and other ramblings

We have all felt IT...

The chills we get when THAT specific song plays to spark THAT specific emotion. The song causing that electric response changes constantly. It changes with the trials and tribulations we are pushing through at that time...It changes when we face adversity...It changes when we need inspiration...It changes when we have an overwhelmingly powerful vision or idea...A song chooses us at the time that we NEED it.

THIS is my current inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmtD-j6p57Q

I am currently re-opening my eyes to the power of music. I have re-discovered the vital role music plays in my life while I prepare my mind, body, and spirit for the hardships I will undoubtedly endure during the months leading to the 2010 CrossFit Games.

Let it be known to all...I will do everything in my power to qualify for THE Games!!! It will require a great deal of planning, effort, passion, respect, and patience on my part. It will also demand a lot from those who are closest to me. This period will NOT be easy...It will NOT always be fun and enjoyable. This is where a certain level of understanding and support must come from those around me. I will look to those that are closest to me, as well as the CC community to push me along when the path becomes difficult.

Thank you all(in advance)!

Get ready for some BIG things in 2010!!!

Allison Wegner: CF Central Success Story

This will be my first opportunity and privilege to share the successes of a CrossFit Central athlete...and I am pumped about it!

Allison and her best friend and fellow CrossFitter, Naomi were my first Elements clients. I remember being a little nervous about taking on the elements sessions with the two of them rather than the typical 1-on-1. And because this was my first, I had Carey Kepler supervising me during the process. To say the least, it was a stressful situation made worse by to some ridiculous MOPAC traffic (I had not yet become accustom to), ultimately making me late to my first session(big NO-NO!). Long story short...I quickly realized that these ladies were rockstars, and that I had little to stress over.

That is how our trainer-athlete-relationship started, and every since then I have watched Allison make amazing jumps in performance in class, proper nutrition, and most importantly, self-confidence! She is truly what makes my job as a CF Trainer so rewarding, and she is a great example of what is possible if you take responsibility of your lifestyle and become FIT! Watch for more BIG THINGS from Allison!

Here is her story:

(actual e-mail)

Hey Travis!!!

Here are two pictures(see above). The first one is from last year when we went to Las Vegas. How fitting... I'm outside of FatBurger! I actually thought I was in pretty good shape. Little did I know "being in shape" would take on a whole new meaning a year later!!! By the way...thanks for helping me change my life!!!

Allison

1. How did you find CrossFit?

I live right down the street from CrossFit Central.

2. What was your motivation for joining?

I kept driving by and seeing so many hardworking and VERY fit people. After awhile it got very hard to ignore and I found myself wondering what it was all about. I looked it up on line and read all the success stories. They were so motivating and inspiring! I was pregnant with baby #2 at the time and thought it would be a good way to lose the baby weight after my son was born. Since after my first pregnancy it took me 9 months to lose the weight I was really excited to start at CrossFit Central as soon as I could!

3. Before joining, how would you describe your health/fitness?

I have been an athlete my whole life. I played basketball and soccer in college. I have tried almost every kind of exercise and every diet known to man trying and get the body I want. I have trained for 3 marathons. Started training for a sprint triathlon, but I hate to swim! Done A LOT of Bikrum Yoga. Spend hours at 24hr fitness on the elliptical. I even joined Nutrisystem before my wedding. The same scenario happened every time...some success followed by rapid return to my original state!!! So, I may have been an athlete my whole life, but what I'm learning from CrossFit...I've never ever really been FIT!

4. List any pre-CrossFit measurements(weight, inches, body fat%) that you feel comfortable sharing.

Since joining CrossFit Central at the end of September I've lost 17lbs, 4.5 inches off my waist, and my body fat has gone from 29% to 24.5%!!!

Check out this link to a "Transformation" slideshow Allison put together!

http://photos.msn.com/Slideshow/Viewer.htm?locale=en-us&config=%2fSlideshow%2fConfig.aspx%3flocale%3den-us%26folder%3dnBuRgwTGIGhLKWJ*219E3n1kgy4LN95iAlD5c1qRdLM%24&data=%2fSlideshow%2fData.aspx%3ffolder%3dnBuRgwTGIGhLKWJ*219E3n1kgy4LN95iAlD5c1qRdLM%24%26index%3d0

5.What impact has CF made on your fitness, your daily life, etc.?

CrossFit has truly changed my life. I have such confidence and strength physically and mentally!!! Even my posture is better. I feel in total control of my diet, which I have never felt. I push myself harder physically than I ever thought I could. I think the zone/paleo diet has had a huge impact too.

6. What goals do you have as you continue with CrossFit?

My original goal was to fit into pre-pregnancy jeans...that has been well surpassed! Now I want to do an unassisted pull-up! And I want to reduce my body fat to 20%. I also want to set some measurable fitness goals!

Battling the Unknown

While sitting, eating my breakfast at home, I received an e-mail from a CrossFit Central member that told a very, very sad, but yet, inspirational story. It is a story of a young man - 27 years old, with a lovely wife and 3 children -BATTLING.

I do not know Robert Feuille personally, but the story of his long, agonizing, and ongoing battle with testicular cancer touched me in way that I was not expecting. It has impacted me in such a way that as I sit here and blog, looking out a window to my backyard, I find myself extremely grateful for all the good things in my life....and to be honest....a feeling of guilt is also present. What is it that I have done to receive this awesome life...and why is it that people like Robert must suffer such hardships?

So, today, the purpose of my blog is to do my part and inform others of Robert's story, and hopefully stir up some momentum in our CrossFit community so that we, as a larger whole, can come together to help a young man continue to fight for the thing that we often times take for granted -- LIFE.

In addition to this blog, I will be proposing some form of recognition for Robert during our Crossfit Central staff meeting today. With the help of fellow coaches, Robert's co-workers, and possibly Robert himself(if I make contact with him), I know we can come up with something great to recognize Robert's fight and his unwillingness to quit. Stay tuned for developments!

Please take a moment to visit Robert's website( http://www.fightforfeuille.com/ ), or his blog (http://robertfuel.com/fight/ )for a more accurate and detailed account of his continued fight.

TALENT

For those of you that are sitting at home relaxing and watching football like myself, here is something for you to watch during commercials and halftimes. It is pretty amazing to think about all the many talents that people have. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3kyNGVK-hI

Pullup Shout Out

I have to give another first-time-pullup shout out to my friend, Chelsea! Yesterday, during the "Nicole" WOD, Chelsea thought after 3 rounds of max effort pullups using a band that she would just give it a go without the band for a pullup attempt. Not only did she get one, she came back from every 400m after that and nailed a total of 3 unassisted kipping pullups!

So if you see Chelsea around the gym, be sure to congratulate her on this major CrossFit accomplishment!

Good stuff, Chelsea! Keep up the hard work!

It Never Gets Old

Today, in the 5:30am indoor class at RunTex, we hit the benchmark WOD, "Chelsea". In preparation for the movement standards of this WOD, everyone gives each of the exercises a try. One athlete, in particular, took advantage of the opportunity and thought that she would attempt an unassisted kipping pullup....SHE GOT IT!

This was her first unassisted pullup! This is a huge accomplishment for any CrossFitter! Her achievement was quickly noticed by all of her peers in the class, and high-fives and applause followed. The feeling in room was electric. Gotta love it!

Experiences like this never get old....This is why I am a CrossFit coach!

Congratulations, Melissa!

Thank You.

Saturday was CrossFit Central's Benchmark challenge. The WOD? "Fran".

I'm sure that we all know about "Fran"- she has a nasty reputation in the CrossFit world. For those of you that have not had the pleasure of meeting "Fran" yet, she is a wicked WOD comprised of 21-15-9 reps of a 95# thrusters(front squat to press) and pullups.(Check out this video of the world's fastest "Fran"!) It's a workout that requires the athlete to turn off that internal voice that screams, "STOP! This is too hard!", and instead, just GO!

After watching all of the CC athletes hit "Fran", some of the coaches decided that they wanted in on the action....I was NOT one of them. Although I knew I should just do it, I was perfectly comfortable sipping on my Starbucks americano and watching. It took some vigorous persuasion(peer pressure) from some of the other CC coaches and one CC member in particular, Jeff Blaylock, to get me to jump in. The result....a 3.02 "Fran".

This was not a PR for me, but I took some important things away from the experience that I wanted to share with you all -- even coaches need coaching and motivating at times. I had no desire to perform that WOD, but thanks to my fellow coaches and Jeff, I was able to put a solid effort in that I was proud of for several reasons. So thank you to everyone for that extra push, and Congrats to all of the athletes that took part in this weekend's challenge!

Popeye had Spinach...

I just finished a great protein shake and thought I'd share the wealth.

First, let me just say that everyone should run out to their closest Target and purchase a Magic Bullet blender. This little guy will make your life so much easier - easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to store - it's well worth the small price tag!

Secondly, I should tell you all that the jury is still out as to whether it is truly "paleo-safe". I will be doing a little investigating so that I can hopefully come back to you all with a definitive answer. 'Til then, it's a great option for a non-dairy smoothie/shake.

• 1cup Hemp Milk*(I used Vanilla flavored Living Harvest Tempt brand)
• 1scoop of protein powder**
• 1/2cup of frozen mixed berries

Throw it all in the Bullet and then enjoy!

*The flavored hemp milks(chocolate and vanilla)do have more sugar than the unsweetened version, obviously. But the sugar used comes from organic cane juice, so I'm going to consider this paleo until I find evidence of the contrary.
**Again, this is where the line gets a little fuzzy. Be sure that the protein powder you use is as close to 100% Whey protein as possible. This can be a little tricky as most protein powders that taste half-way decent include some sort of artificial sweetener that would clearly NOT be "paleo-safe".

PROGRESS = HAPPINESS

Progress Equals Happiness. I'm sure we can all agree on that. Now, here are the questions I pose to anyone reading this:

"Are you progressing towards your goals?"

"Are you truly happy with where you're at?"

These goals may range from increasing motivation and drive at the workplace, to improving performance during workouts, to being able to enjoy time with family and friends thanks to a new-found energy and enthusiasm. If you had to take a second to think about your response, chances are you're at a stand-still. Now, for the BIG question:

"What are you willing to do to progress and ultimately reach your goals?"

In an effort to continue my personal and professional progress while helping others reach their goals, I am offering my services as a quality, knowledgeable, enthusiastic Level 2 CrossFit Coach and Personal Trainer to anyone looking to make progress. It is my personal belief that a quality exercise program(i.e. CrossFit) is a powerful and effective tool you can implement into your life to initiate change and progress, which as we now know, equals HAPPINESS!

So, spread the word!!!
Talk to your family members, friends, and co-workers. Create a group with one or two others, and make a commitment to yourself and to those in your group to progress!
Be ready to:

1. Be held accountable for your success.
2. Be empowered by an increased physical and mental strength.
3. Walk away from each session with useful, effective knowledge of proper nutrition and overall fitness.
4. Work hard for it!

This will not be easy. Remember, all good things require hard work. BUT, if you are ready to make progress in your life and achieve your goals, I look forward to the opportunity to assist your efforts.

Training prices for a Group of 3(more bang for your buck!) are as follows:

• 4sessions/week - $35/person/week
• 3sessions/week - $40/person/week
• 2sessions/week - $45/person/week
• 1session/week - $50/person/week

1-on-1 sessions and 2 person group trainings are also available.
Please contact me with any questions.

970.397.8719
travisholley@crossfitcentral.com
http://travisholley.blogspot.com/

Something to Think About

The WOD for the CrossFit Central ".com" class yesterday was 7 sets of 1 rep of deadlift.(watch this great deadlift video intro. by Coach Glassman). I was excited to deadlift heavy again! It had been a long time since my last max effort one rep. During the class, I watched others perform their intense, methodical pre-lift rituals, and I felt inspired to blog about the deadlift itself and all of it's finer details that make the movement special.

There is something primal about picking up heavy stuff....and, if it's heavy enough, grunting and yelling while doing so. It takes us back to a time when we were absolutely dependant on our own strength rather than hydraulic jacks, ropes and pulleys, or ramps. If we wanted to move it, we had to be able to pick it up. This primal self-reliance has a powerful and potent result on not only the body, but more importantly, the mind.

We all know that when the deadlift is performed correctly, it is one of the most beneficial exercises we have. What many of don't know is the benefit the lift offers for us mentally. That is today's topic.

Think back to your most memorable deadlift effort. Remember the quiet nervousness as you stepped up to the barbell? Remember the rush you got when you felt the barbell slightly bow as you initiated your pull and the plates slowly lifted off the floor? Do you remember mentally battling with yourself during the long, slow repetition, wondering, "is this weight too much", or "maybe I should quit"? BUT you did NOT quit! You continued to work through the uncertainty and discomfort, and, ultimately, you stood tall with weight in hand. At the time, you probably didn't recognize all of the "inner-workings" of that lift. You most likely didn't realize how important it was for you to fight through that lift. It was a stepping stone on the path to self-improvement and self-empowerment. Congratulations!

On the surface, the deadlift seems simple, right? "Stand up with the weight". But now that we have reviewed all of the lift's underlying complexities, I challenge you to make a comparison between the deadlift and your life. This may be a stretch for some of you to comprehend, but for those of you that live CrossFit like I do, you know what I am getting at. Life is uncertain and, at times, uncomfortable. But the desire to complete the task at hand must outweigh the feelings of doubt and discomfort.

I bet you never knew how important deadlifting was!

A Little Something to Keep Me Going.

Yesterday, after returning home from our WOD, we decided that some chicken sounded like just the right thing to refuel. Crystal has an amazing chicken dish that we call Italian Chicken. It is super simple and relatively quick to prepare, which makes this dish a perfect post-WOD or late dinner meal. Basically, it is a paleo-friendly chicken parmesan, which, as all of you hopefully know by now, means NO breading! The one factor that will make or break this dish, in my opinion, is the marinara sauce that you use. We recently found a delicious, paleo-friendly(does have a little salt) sauce called Rao's Homemade Tomato and Basil. Whole Foods is the only place that we know of that carries it, but you might keep your eyes open. I'm tellin' everyone right now, it's AMAZING! I could probably stick a straw directly in the jar and go to town....don't judge me. After 22 days of a STRICT 30-day paleo challenge, the little things are definitely important to enjoy.

Anyway, here is the simple recipe:

2 Chicken Breasts(preferably organic)
1/2 jar of Rao's Homemade Tomato and Basil

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees


• Chicken goes in the oven for 20min.


• Pour 1/2 of Rao's sauce over chicken and continue baking for 10 more minutes.


• Serve with more veggies and some fat source, and ENJOY!

Gettin' Better

FYI...This will be my first blog post EVER! So we will see how this turns out. 3...2...1...GO!

I have been incorporated in the CrossFit Central environment for 2 weeks now, and all I can say is WOW! On a daily basis I find myself impressed by those of you that make-up the CFC community - coaches, staff, and athletes. The CFC coaches that I have worked with so far are simply put, gifted. Each time I'm around to shadow, I pick up something new that will ultimately make my coaching that much stronger...when the time comes. The CFC staff is constantly moving and staying busy, which I find to be a great sign for CFC as a company. If they are constantly busy, good things must be happening! And finally, the athletes. It has been my experience that crossfitters are always an intense, passionate, and driven group, and I have not been disappointed by the CFC athletes. The effort put forth motivates me as a coach to step up my game to continually challenge all of you fire-breathers!

As my first personal challenge, I am working towards becoming "bigger". This is not to say I want to gain mass, but rather, a larger persona. I have always been a fairly reserved individual, even more so prior to becoming a CrossFit coach nearly 3 years ago. This is a weakness of mine that I consciously have to work at to improve. Anyone that has stepped foot inside CFC would agree that it is hard not to notice the "BIG" personalities of all the CFC coaches - this is what I am going for. CrossFit always has a funny way of spotlighting an individual's weaknesses...It is up to the individual to either strive for self-improvement, or simply be "OK" with a known weakness.

So here's to getting better every day!