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“Imagine having a punch that could knock out a rhino in front of you…but you have a piece of thread between your knuckles.  Now imagine there is an eye of a needle in front of that beast’s face.  You not only have to have the power to put him down…but you have to thread the needle at the same time.” – Donny Shankle USA National Champion (YouTube him)

• Overhead Position – We will define this as having the bar over in anyway. Overhead squat, jerk, press, push press, or anything else with a load overhead.
  • Common Problems: may look like, but not limited too: Not being able to lock the arms with the bar overhead, the bar drifting forward when the descent happens in the OHS, not being able to get the bar locked out with the head through aka catching or pressing in front, the limbo affect with a bar overhead, and many others but these are the basics.
  • Fixes: Here is the tricky part and why it took me so long to put this together. If you can’t do one of the things above, you may think “well my shoulders are tight and I need to fix that” and you could be right! Could be wrong as well. Damnnit. It could be your lats, shoulder, pecs (which pull your shoulders forward into a bad position), muscle weakness, spine, scapula and/or could be anything that attaches to the to the upper body could be causing the problems. What should you do? Find the spots. Work upstream and downstream from the joint or sport you’re having trouble with. Find the tender spots, the non-tender ones and everything in between. Smash, stretch, work static holds (squat therapy) and check for improvement in that position. This applies to everything in the future too. One to get you started: Simple trap smash with a plate. You will need a lacrosse ball and a 25-45lb plate. Lay on the ground, place the lacrosse ball on your trap. Next, set the 45lb plate edge on your sternum like a tire rolling over you. Hug the plate and rock side to side with the lacrosse ball under you. Do 2min per side. This is the Rx version. Scaled: hug yourself without the plate and rock side to side on the ball.

  • Resources – Absolute Tx (Zac and Maria), Kelly Starrett from Ready State, GoWOD, and ask a coach. How to search Youtube example: Overhead Squat Mobility Fixes, Overhead Shoulder Mobility, Scapula Mobility, Overhead Squat Kelly Starrett. Basically add Kelly Starrett to anything and you should have multiple videos on each thing you’re having a problem with.

• Front Rack Position – Defined as a bar resting in the front rack position for receiving a clean, prepping for a press or front squat.
  • Common Problems: Low elbows, wrist pain, finger tips under the bar not allowing to grasp, bar hovering above the shoulders not resting at all, or anything that causes problems in that position. Ideal Position: Bar in the front rack with full grip and upper arm parallel to the ground.
  • Fixes: Could be anything from the wrist to arm to shoulder to back muscles. Sensing a pattern? Like a someone who never got over their previous relationship’s status, it’s complicated. Start with the shoulder and work your way out, upstream and downstream. Same as above, smash, stretch, static front rack hold, etc… One to get you started: banded front rack stretch. Youtube it. Easy and can be adjusted to make harder or easier by the band size. Spend 2min per side. DON’T GO NUMB.

  • Resources – Absolute Tx (Zac and Maria), Kelly Starrett from Ready State, GoWOD, and ask a coach. How to search Youtube example: Front rack mobility Kelly Starrett, Improve front rack mobility, how to front squat better, best stretches for front rack position. Ask a coach! Remember to always mobilize and then retest to check progress.

• Squat Position – Defined as the bottom of the squat, whether front, back or overhead squat.
  • Common Problems: Not able to keep the heels down throughout the whole movement, knee pain, ankle pain, feels like you’re doing a good morning instead of a squat, caving of the knees, hear us saying LOWER LOWER LOWER LOWER LOWER LOWER and you reply with a  I AM! or dirty words, hip pain, takes you 30min to air squat below parallel, and others.
  • Fixes: Could be anything from the hips, hamstrings, ankles, quad, thoracic spine, achilles or many other things. I know, it sucks. We want you to explore and find what’s right for you. We can help along the way too. Ask us and we can give you some stuff to try. We will take a picture, mobilize you, take a picture and see if it improves. Simple. If it does, do it. If not, don’t and try the next thing. One to get you started: Banded 3-position Lunge. Similar to a 3-position lunge, but you use a band attached to an upright to help pull the front knee out more.
  • Resources: Same as above. Youtube: Kelly Starrett Squat Mobility (Maybe even try his 10min squat test and see what happens), Improve squat mobility, etc..

Lessons from the Book of Our History

The present is the past rolled up for action, and the past is the present unrolled for understanding. – Will Durant

In 2010, two bonehead kids leapt from a plane without much of a parachute or any real understanding of how to safely land. By a stroke of luck, they survived the fall. Some think that ‘fortune favors the bold’; others, that ‘diligence is the mother of good luck’, but not me. I’m not here to make argument for either. In fact, I stake no claim over undiscovered veins of truth. I’m simply thankful to be here.

And, here we are – 10 years into “J and G’s fitness experiment.” It is with our sincerest hearts and our deepest gratitude that we offer thanks to each of you, our fellow travelers. To our friends and family, the friends that became family, and all those who lent support from the pink dawn of our earliest days – cheers! Without you, we would still be a sputtering idea, a seed lying dormant, a ship with no sails. To this day 10 Experience is just an idea #10exlife. You animate that idea. You give it life and legs. You are its breath. You are its pulse. And you alone permit us to continue into the great unknown brimming with hopeful hearts.

I haven’t always been, but I’m a sucker for curious books and interesting thoughts. And I’m especially romantic for language that can sketch an idea into a neat picture. If a decade of our gym’s history were a book, that book would be filled with uncountable lessons. But, how would it read and what’s the premise? That line of thought – considering the gym as a book – swept me up and plopped me down, once more at the keyboard in an attempt to capture my thoughts like lightening in a bottle.

Here’s where I landed: my sense is that a proper gym is somewhat equivalent to the live version of a self-help book. A proper gym offers lessons of all brand in real time and in real terms. If we really pay attention, the gym teaches us principles of the scientific process, psychology in part and parcel, how to invest (in anything), and more than a little about morality. Lessons by the metaphorical handful. Each of these ‘rules’ might fill entire chapters or whole books. Billy Shakespeare once wrote that brevity is the soul of wit. So with what wit I might muster and little more adieu, here’s my best stab at paring down the most potent lessons from spending the past decade in the fitness trenches.

1. Make a single decision that makes a thousand others.

I’ll say it firmly. Decide to make your health a priority! It’s a simple 7-word declaration. That decision, once made, ‘pre-makes’ the thousand other daily decisions on your plate (entendre intended). What do I eat, should I join a gym, can I skip on sleep? Optimize. Streamline. Determine what is essential. Discover the meaning behind less but better. Invest your time, your energy, and your efforts working towards that end – health! It won’t be long before you notice the might of compounding interest.

2. Whatever you do, don’t pity the fool (hint: you are the fool).

Mr. T had it all wrong. The liar is a tyrant, because he cannot stand being a fool. Don’t be a tyrant. Freedom to be foolish IS one of the keys to success in the gym or elsewhere. In some form, exercise makes everyone feel foolish – weak, sluggish, and under prepared. All learning always involves certain indignities. But, that’s the rub! That’s humility – I am not yet what I could be but watch what I’ll become.

3. Understand what your ego IS (and can devolve into).

Pride blooms from our ego’s seed. It propels us towards virtuous ends today (back squat PRs and accomplishments galore). And tomorrow, it plays vice – striking us like a serpent when we least expect it (arrogance and hubris are it’s poison often leading to injury and failure). The sooner we acknowledge both sides of our ego’s coin, the sooner we might learn to better weld its spending power. Internalize this acronym, E.G.O. = embedded growth obligation. And take notice the next time your ego’s obligations serve you well…or run afoul.

4. Listen to fitness’ endless lessons on morality.

I don’t say this lightly. Each day exercisers are afforded an opportunity to meditate on subtle applications of the golden rule. Treat yourself like someone you’re responsible for helping. The pursuit of health/fitness isn’t a singular game. It doesn’t exist in a vacuum as a solitary lift, workout, or diet. It’s a set of behaviors that extend over the course of your life. We must all participate – winning some…losing some – so that we’re permitted to continue playing throughout the next 1000 games.

5. Examine your reasons for exercising.

In my best Socratic voice, I ask, “Why do you exercise?” Is it to qualify for the Boston Marathon? To compete on the Olympic Weightlifting stage? To pitch on opening night in the MLB? If no was the answer, perhaps it’s time to refine your attachment to specialized and often damaging training protocols. I repeat – why do you exercise? Particularly, what about exercise is fulfilling? Examine those thoughts and endeavor to train in ways that compliment that end. Then, embrace your inner Vulcan spirit – live long and prosper!

6. Defend moderation!

With my dying breath, I’ll cry, ‘moderation forever!’ Truly the habit of eating small, frequent meals is likely our culture’s way of ‘self-medicating’ to compensate for a broken metabolism. Instead, set your sights on nutritional moderation…metabolic flexibility. A metabolically flexible person possesses the ability to use both fat and carbs as sources of energy based on availability and need. They fast and they feast, and they live as vibrant models of nutritional efficiency.

7. Remember: it’s not your fault.

During your next diet foray, you’d do well to acknowledge the beautifully tragic design of human nature. You are literally hard-wired to eat professionally. We all crave tasty foods, we all gobble up that food, and, almost instantly, we all seek out the next interesting treat. That behavior is literally coded into our operating program. It’s in our software. What do we do? We recognize the fault. Then, become intentional about ‘rebooting’ the system. Eat proteins, veggies and fruits, herbs and spices, and some fat at every meal. Also, speaking of morality, you can’t ‘cheat’ on food or a diet – you simply eat food. Good or bad, learn to recognize the impact of your dietary decisions.

8. Conspire to greater things.

Find fellow conspirators. Then, together build a bright, shining lighthouse for others wandering through the darkness. Successful people find value in unexpected places. The best people in the world know this. Every great community is built around a secret that’s hidden from view. If these years have taught me anything, it’s that a group of gym-goers can be a conspiracy to change the world. Share your secret and the recipient becomes a fellow conspirator.

9. Embrace the creative and constructive value of struggle.

Where is what you most want likely to be found? Where you are least likely to look. In the bottom of the well, deep within a cave…on the other side of that horrible sounding workout or undertaking an impossibly tough diet. I believe that we’re all better when employing practices of the ancient Stoics. Stuck in a rut? Find yourself wandering about aimlessly? Seek hardship. Take an extended fast. Be cold. Walk instead of drive. Deprive yourself of a daily luxury and notice the beautiful contrast of life. With a little luck, you’ll be surprised by your ability to turn suffering into achievement.

10. Carry the fire.

During any fitness pursuit, you’re sure to meet trial and tribulation. Temptation awaits at every turn. So too awaits an opportunity to play your particular part as hero or villain. To be sure, sometimes you will take the easy road. Sometimes you will be the bad guy. During those times, you’d do well to remember that it’s (your behavior) not permanent, nor is it definitive. It’s a simple action. Nothing more. You must endure a little burning if you are to give a worthy light. Then, find it much easier to resume living harmoniously, working on something greater. To choose good for goodness sake. Not just to live, but to live for something.

It’s my understanding that philosophers try to see the part in light of the whole. I’m no philosopher. But I’m quick to recognize the value in seeing this moment reflected in the light of the past decade. Boy, what a ride. Like a great book, you’ve taught us so much…and yet, there’s much more to learn. With each reread of our history, we might master ourselves at the margins. We observe flaws in judgement and notice faulty decision-making patterns. We treat ourselves respectfully. We gradually improve – slowly, inching our way to becoming less wrong. Ironic, isn’t it? That very process cuts right to the bone of self-improvement. Learning a touch more about our many different selves. I may be off here, but in its purest form, a genuine practice of self-improvement and personal growth has exceedingly little to do with superficial vanity. Jacques Maritain once wrote that a person achieves self-mastery for the purpose of self-giving. I tend to agree…and I used to bristle at the idea of self-help books.

An old tongue likes to wag.

G-

PS:

11. Wear a helmet.

This was the eleventh rule and, while it was a finalist, it didn’t quite make the cut. I’ve not formally written since October’s crash. Without the helmet, there’s a good chance I’d not be here attempting to sketch my own ideas into neat, little pictures. More importantly, without support from you, there’s a zero percent chance my wandering words would land on interested eyes, ears, and minds. That fact is not lost with me. You humor this bumbling, bike-wrecking fool. Thanks for that too! I’m learning to love my life’s version of fate – amor fati. But I need no lesson in loving each of you.

If you’re familiar with the original ideas behind CrossFit (the idea that we as a business fell in love with), you know about hard work, community, self-improvement, acceptance and all things the like. Charging towards health and wellness via voluntary hardship and sweat equity is the surface level idea. Look one layer deeper and you find themes involving the warm embrace of others, acceptance for who you are, and working collectively at improvement.

Since Greg Glassman’s disgusting misuse of a major platform hit the headlines, themes of community have seemingly been lost by the very man that for so long sat atop the brand. It is painful to observe that the man we once viewed as a revolutionary in the fitness industry has a heart so misaligned from that of the 10ex community. We never considered that the mind of our then hero, now antagonist, might be morally bankrupt. It is a tough pill to swallow.

Fortunately, the monstrous actions of one individual cannot bring the wholistic good of functional fitness to a halt. After a flood of emotion, a great deal of time spent hashing-out corrective action, and a commitment to a true change of course, CrossFit and its affiliates (us) have started rebuilding. Watching developments from afar, we are pleased to see CrossFit’s decision to remove the cancer that is Glassman. We’re also cautiously optimistic with the introduction of new owner and CEO, Eric Rosa. Rosa made his direction clear in his initial statement – “Racism and sexism are abhorrent and will not be tolerated in CrossFit. We open our arms to everyone, and I will be working hard to rebuild bridges with those whose trust we have lost.” As a 10 year CrossFit veteran, Rosa understands how to own and operate affiliates and knows the power that the CrossFit community has in Colorado, the United States, and worldwide.

10 Experience was born from an idea that encompasses a life lived to the fullest…mentally, physically and emotionally. A #10exlife is one grounded in fitness, but rooted much deeper. The 10 Experience is one designed to inspire those within our community to truly live, with or without the CrossFit name. A CrossFit affiliation is not permanent and we are in no position to guarantee that 10 Experience will wear the ‘CrossFit’ badge for life. What we will guarantee is our continual commitment to inspire through fitness. Our foundation rests firmly upon love and acceptance.

2020’s been a bumpy road for us all. Emotionally-charged decisions are tough. May our 10ex actions speak much louder than one “Glass man’s” words and may all of our members understand just how valuable you are. Very.

Thanks for holding the line and continuing to trust us with your fitness through the thick and the thin.

-10ex

Hope Floats and a 10ex Rolodex

With excitement, we present our idea to develop and maintain a 10ex Rolodex.

Why?

Who?

When?

What’s the gym’s plan for April?

SCENE: A local artisan donut shop buzzing with happy patrons. Sweet and savory smells fill the air accompanied by the grate of freshly roasted coffee beans. It’s a place engineered specifically for the sensations. It’s a foodie’s dream.

Enter: HEALTH-MINDED COUPLE, DONUT SHOP ATTENDEE

DONUT SHOP ATTENDEE: (speaking to newest patrons) Hi! Welcome to our donut shop, home of the city and the state’s most award-winning donut creations. How can I serve you?

HEALTH-MINDED COUPLE: (with stars in their eyes) I think we need a minute to decide. My, what an impressive selection you have. What’s YOUR favorite donut here?

DONUT SHOP ATTENDEE: (grinning) Probably the peach fritter or our salted caramel and whiskey – we’re actually sold out of it. But, the blueberry cream is delicious. So is our pumpkin spice cake…the tiramisu…the Boston Maple bar…toasted coconut…PB&J…(he prattles on)

HEALTH-MINDED COUPLE: Ahhhhhh…so many delicious-sounding choices. I guess I’ll have the peach fritter, says one…and I’ll have the cream cheese and apple pie, the other adds.

DONUT SHOP ATTENDEE: Excellent choices. What else? You can buy half a dozen for the price of 3 donuts today.

HEALTH-MINDED COUPLE: (internally debating about the remaining capacity of their stomachs…having just eaten burgers, fries and more) Errr…well, we were only planning for a single donut each.

DONUT SHOP ATTENDEE: Are you certain? Our donuts are just as tasty tomorrow morning…especially after a long day of travel.

HEALTH-MINDED COUPLE: (rationalizing) Well, we’re already having a donut. What’s the harm in enjoying a few more? And, since you offered….and the deal sounds so great. We’re in!

If you believed this story to be hypothetical to help me better illustrate my point, you’d be wrong. While it might not fit the classic “Decision Fatigue” model outlined by Roy Baumeister, it does well at highlighting a more subtle lesson we aimed to bake into the 10ex Back-to-School Challenge cake. Did you notice?

Classically defined decision fatigue occurs when we lose ability to decipher between what is important and what’s not. In other words, the more decisions we force ourselves to make, the more the quality of those decisions deteriorate. And, more fatigue leads to even more irrational trade-offs when making decisions. Car dealerships offer the most obvious place to witness decision fatigue. After the push and pull, after all the negotiation of sales price, and finally after the decision to purchase is made, what happens? Buyers are asked to make handfuls of other ‘bolt-on’ purchase decisions. This warranty, that coverage, this service, that product…how much quicker (less carefully) do buyers rationalize a glut of hundred-dollar decisions after deciding to spending thousands? I dare say, it’s often. The cumulative spend after agreeing upon final vehicle price is often much more than the consumer realizes. But, they rationalize it all away after a ‘win’ at the bargaining table.

Anyway, some of you likely considered the general nature of our 10ex Back-to-School Challenge to be simple – maybe even elementary. No performance metrics? No body measurements? No counting calories or macros? Why nothing complex? Simple. Because we like to see you succeed. And in our view, the success formula looks something like this:

good + good = EXCELLENT

The rules of the game were easy (we’re playing a game, right?). Be sure to train every day – without the added pressure to ‘perform.’ When you eat, eat from a broad list of approved foods. The challenge aimed to leverage success precisely in your favor. By making one very important decision, you made hundreds of other future decisions. Sneaky, eh? The single, important decision was simply to participate. All remaining challenge-based decisions were made for you…and guess what that did? It absolved everyone from the inevitable pits of decision fatigue. The “WHICH SINGLE DONUT DO I EAT?” question never occurred to you (hopefully). Nor did the “Should I exercise today?” doubt.

good exercise habits + good eating habits = EXCELLENT results

The body rewards execution, not ideas. And, while being a fan of ideas, adding complexity (confusion) for its own sake, only shines light on the fool. It cheapens the nature of what works. We believe proper diet and exercise not only yield better health, but often times frees up bandwidth to make us smarter, psychologically braver, more creative, more energetic and much more influential. That’s the kernel of what we’re truly after here. Simplicity is a worthy long-term pursuit that leads to sustainable health…wealth…and relationships. We hope that making the single decision to join us makes a thousand other decisions substantially easier.

G- aka a wannabe Donut Boy in TN

References:

McKeown, G. (2014). Essentialism the disciplined pursuit of less. New York, NY: Crown Business.
Adams, S. (2013). How to fail at almost everything and still win big. New York, NY: Penguin Group