December Newsletter

YOGA WITH JAIME!!!
Sundays at 11am starting in December
==>Go here to reserve your spot in the 8-week yoga session!!<==

Yoga is good for your snatch!! Are your shoulders or hips tight which inhibit your ability to gain full range of motion in certain CrossFit movements? Please join me on Sundays at 11am to move through a vinyasa flow that will help to improve overall flexibility and general mobility. Yoga is the perfect complement to the intensity and butt kicking we often put our bodies through during wods. Take the time to refocus and re-energize from your daily workouts by engaging in active recovery that will help bring your body back to full range of motion. I will work on proper alignment and positioning of a multitude of poses while also taking into consideration each participants mobility concerns. You will learn how to breathe more efficiently and develop a greater ability to balance. Think “Fran” lung and handstand push ups or pistols.  I  want this to be fun and interactive and a place where you can breathe, move and stay fit in a way that might be different that what you’re used to. All levels are encouraged! I look forward to seeing you all on your mat! Email jaimelytle3@gmail.com if you have any questions.

 

DECEMBER EVENT
Saturday, Dec. 6th 10am — Ugly Sweater Workout

Bring your ugliest Holiday Sweater, an unopened children’s toy, and a friend for a fun workout and partnership with the KC Ugly Sweater Christmas Party to benefit Operation Breakthrough
Spots are limited. ==> RESERVE YOUR’S HERE by going to Saturday, Dec. 6th 10am “The Hill Bootcamp”

COACH’S CORNER

From all your coaches at The Hill, Happy Thanksgiving! In case you missed it, check out Matt’s Holiday Survival Guide. 

BETTER KNOW A COACH: David

 

FEATURED ATHLETE: Emma Vacas

Shhhh….Super Sneak Peak — Iron Hill
Monday, December 15th at 6:45pm

In 2015 we will debut Iron Hill; a women-specific strength and conditioning program focusing on strength training for general fitness, core stability, and developing a strong, lean physique with our very own Coach Al! To give you a taste of what’s to come in 2015, Al will host a free trial session on December 15th at 6:45 pm. Email Al at alamp13@gmail.com with any questions and to reserve a spot.

 

 

 

 

 

The Kipping Pull Up

Always a hot topic amongst coaches across the board, we attempt to develop an applicable template around the kip.

The In-Between Notes: Holiday Survival Guide

I started playing drums at 5 or 6 years old and went on to be trained in Jazz, classic percussion, rock, Samba, and on and on… I loved Jazz. After 10 years of playing some iteration of Jazz, I sought out the instruction of a Jazz expert. We did some jamming, after which I expected the typical accolades that I’d grown accustomed to receiving once surprised listeners discovered how young I was. Not this time. He tore me apart. Said it was some of the worst Jazz drumming he had heard. “Why?” I asked. He went on to explain that I had great chops, but I was too focused on the notes I was playing. Jazz, he went on, exists in between the notes you play. The pregnant pause of anticipation, being slightly behind or in front of the beat, the in-between notes.

In the world of fitness, we often focus solely on the hour of training we have. There’s not enough cardio. There’s no barbell in this WOD. I need to go heavier/lighter to reach my goals. I need to work in the 20:00+ zone. I need to _____ more. Blah. Blah. Blah. Why are we so focused on that single hour much more than a lifetime of movement and wellness? Simply put: It feels like the only time we’re in control. We want to control everything. Unfortunately, when it comes to our health we feel like the environment and our circumstances are constantly de-railing us from our goals; we’re losing control.

Take this holiday season to relinquish a little control. Enjoy a couple days outside of the gym. I promise you’ll come back renewed and engaged in your training. Now, with a shift in perspective, here are a few practical tips for survival:

  1. Pig out…Proportionately.

Since the dawn of humanity, there have been times of feast & famine; times of plenty and times of scarcity. The holidays are a time of plenty. Go into your holiday celebrations knowing you’ll eat more than you need…and be OK with it. But, give preference (stuff yourself) to the best quality items on your plate and, with every trip back to the buffet, make sure you keep those proportions. For example, fill ½ your plate with turkey, ham, duck…the main protein, ¼ of it with a veggie or other fibrous green, and ¼ with all the fun stuff – stuffing, yams, potatoes, gravy…anything you want! This will keep you satisfied but not deprived.

  1. PLEASE DON’T SKIP DESSERT!!!

For a lot of you, this will be the only time of the year that you treat yourself to a giant slice of pie. Please enjoy it and don’t beat yourself up! You’ve been training hard all year and I promise that a slice of the good stuff won’t erase a year’s worth of hard work. In fact, many studies show that increased levels of sedentary Cortisol caused by feelings of stress, anxiety, and self-deprecation threaten your gains as much, if not more, than that pie.

  1. Don’t lift anything heavier than a lacrosse ball

I know you’ll feel like you need to go jog off some stuffing but, unfortunately, biology operates more like a Roomba than a Magic Eraser. Your consistent efforts in training leading up to and after the holidays will more than account for whatever you eat or your lack of working out. Months of regular strength training will have your metabolism geared up for whatever you throw at it for a couple days of chowing down. So please, enjoy a little recovery time. If you must do something, hop on a lacrosse ball or foam roller and watch some football. My faves can be found here and here.

  1. (Re)connect

Chances are you’ll have a little time off work. Use your time off work and out of the gym to hang out with those folks you see in the gym. You probably won’t recognize them without a sweaty t-shirt, but it’ll be worth it. If you’ve yet to hang out with someone or another couple from the gym, this holiday season is your chance. Make plans & stick to them!

Happy Holidays from all your coaches at CrossFit Memorial Hill!

ATTN Employers: Hire more CrossFitters!

Having had the unique opportunity to assemble and lead many diverse teams of employees and volunteers, I’ve come to this seemingly obvious conclusion: CrossFitters make the best employees.  Here’s how:CFMH 2

  1. Checked Ego – Embedded deep in the DNA of a CrossFitter is a desire to work on one’s weaknesses. So you can back squat 500 pounds? Great, go run a 5k. On any given day CrossFitters willingly walk into their gym knowing they’ll face weaknesses head-on and come out a little better on the other side.
  2. Attention to detail – “Move your hands out 2 inches.” “Your left foot needs to land 1/8 of a second before your right.” The perfection of human movement exists in the minutia. And CrossFitters love it. As they develop as athletes their attunement to fine detail grows dramatically.
  3. Welcomes correction – Imagine chatting with an employee about a project that was adequate, but not great. You lay on some tough, but constructive criticism. Your employee is extremely grateful, if not ecstatic about your tough love. This is the relationship that CrossFitters develop with their coaches everyday. We welcome and crave the correction of the watchful eye of our coach.
  4. Social outlet – I love efficiency. I was drawn to the idea that I could work out and develop rich friendships all in an hour a day. It’s great. As professional adults, it becomes increasingly difficult to find new, meaningful interaction. This happens all the time and iCFMH 1s encouraged at the CrossFit gym.
  5. Stress management – Think about this: CrossFit will likely be the most challenging thing your employee does on any particular day. Imagine everything in the office being perceived as manageable and attainable? CrossFitters routinely practice new and developing skills; often times experiencing frustration and joy once the skill is mastered. I promise you “Fran” is more of a mental hurdle than anything you could throw at an employee.
  6. Lower healthcare costs – This is obvious. Lifestyle diseases have drastically surpassed all others in loss of healthcare dollars for companies. Seriously. What we’re doing IS NOT WORKING. Yet, every CF gym in the world has over a dozen stories of life-altering improvements in health. Get with it, employers.
  7. Pursuit of virtuosity – CrossFitters celebrate. Your training partner gets a personal best and you guys share in the joy. Shortly after the celebration is over, the PR’ing CrossFitter wants another 5 pounds next week. The pursuit is never over.
  8. Punctual – Class starts and ends at exactly the same time, everyday. CrossFitters practice and plan for punctuality every single day. Not only for themselves, but for the good of their class.
  9. Sharp – I was chatting with one of my clinical Psych professors one day and she explained to me that, despite our refusal to accept it, our brains CFMH 3operate much like a dog in a backyard. It’s wired since birth to take the same route around the outside of the yard, ultimately wearing down the grass to where there’s only dirt along the dog’s chosen path. The brain needs intervention if we’re to create new synapses, stay sharp, and stave off depression. Many therapists will prescribe their clients take random routes to work as a way of exercising their brain & interrupting the “dog path.” CrossFit is full of new & functional movement. The brain must be engaged and sharp to practice and learn these new movements.
  10.  Networked – Looking around my most recent class I saw: 2 physicians, 2 pharmacists, 3 attorneys, 1 CPA, 1 pharmacy school student, 2 law students, and 1 educational administrator. The CrossFit gym is not only a place where people get really fit, but it’s a well-connected group of like-minded, motivated individuals. Quit sending your employees to happy hours and useless luncheons and send them somewhere that is more efficient in it’s ability to yield physical and professional results.  Interested in chatting more? Shoot me an email: matt@crossfitmemorialhill.com