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Posted by Andy Petranek :
Friday, Jun 01, 2012
This is a follow-up to my blo post from Tuesday regarding mental clutter. It's such an important topic... the amount of information we've got to sort through each day is growing, and we all need to develop skills and habits that allow us to be super conscious of and super possessive of the limited time that we have for ourselves, and the important people in our lives.
After posting about my Facebook & Twitter limits on Tuesday, I realized that there was a huge missing piece regarding mental clutter that I hadn't written about yet... email. Over the past few years I've allowed myself to subscribe to various online email lists, websites, retailers, coupons & deals, social media, etc. Each day, one of the first things I have done when I pick up my iPhone is to go to my email and group delete all my permission based "spam" emails that clutter my inbox. I never really took the time to count them all up since when I delete them, I do it in a big batch. Well, when I limited my Facebook time, I got annoyed by all these emails and decided to remove myself / unsubscribe from any subscription, newsletter or advertising/information list that I was on. Wow. I had no idea.
It took me about 3 days to clear things out and unsubscribe, but once I had, the amount of relief in both my email inbox and my head was HUGE. I'm guessing that I was subscribed to 25-30 lists and was getting between 15 and 20 (possibly more) superfluous emails a day. Even though most of these I would just delete without even looking, getting new unread email badges on my iPhone was something that kept me incessantly checking things... keeping me plugged in, mentally cluttered. And even though 90% of the time I just delete them, I always see who the emails are from, and for that one split second (or more), that causes me to "stop and think," adding to the clutter. And if I'm just deleting them anyway, why subject myself to their presence in my inbox?
Now my email inbox is CLEARED OUT - and so is my mind. I know that when I get an email (way less frequently), that it is NOT junk mail that just needs to be deleted. I also made sure that for the email lists of people who's blogs I still want to follow, I subscribed to their RSS feed in Google Reader. The difference now is that I can go in and read them when I want to, instead of getting another unread email badge in my inbox.
And why, you might ask, is this something that I'm writing about on a "fitness" blog? Well in my opinion, "fitness" encompasses ALL parts of life that impact my ability to be healthy - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Electronic garbage has a huge impact on my health, and I suspect you as well.
And by the way, just because I'm writing about my "solutions," doesn't mean that I think I've found the "solution." I'm just experimenting and trying things out, seeing what sort of impact they have. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the impact of electronic information on your life, and how you control it, or at least keep the noise and mental clutter to a dull roar! Maybe between us all we can come up with some creative ideas for the benefit of everyone!
"Saddled with the weight of a bumper plate... or is that the weight of electronic information?"
Friday's Workout (NO CAP)
Complete as many reps as possible in ten minutes of:
1, 2, 3, 4...
Burpees
DB Hang Squat Clean Thrusters (45/25)
...and coming Monday (CAP)
Eight rounds for time of:
8 Hang Power Cleans (135/95)
8 Box Jumps (24/20)
8 Clapping Push Ups
Posted by michael stanwyck :
Thursday, May 31, 2012
This weekend I start the 2nd year of a 2 year entrepreneurial leadership and team building training program. I completed the 1st year in February 2011, almost a year and half ago. Over that time I've done a lot with what I learned. I've brought it to my work, applied it to the teams, programs and systems that I am responsible for, as well as created, developed and completed new projects. It's been a very successful 16 months, and I could keep doing what I've been doing up until now and probably maintain a satisfying degree of success.
But it's time for the next step. I have as long as I want before I go back and complete the second year. I could wait another 5 if I wanted to. But I want more coaching and the next level of training. And I assure you, this program is rigorous and I am scared to start it. It's intense, it's personal and it meets at least once if not several times each week. I am already feeling overwhelmed and dominated by the whole idea of it. But it is time for the next step. Not because I screwed up what I learned and need help to straighten it all out, but because I've gone a fair distance with what I know and I want to build more.
Coming here is kind of like that for me. For a long time, I went to a gym because I would screw things up, because I would blow it. I did too many things that were in the "bad" column. So I ran to the gym and got patched up.
Then things shifted. Now I go to the outside, to where I am responsible for the things I'm building in my life and work it. Push my limits, apply what I know. Then I come back inside, not to fix anything or because anything broke, but because it is time for the next step. I've gone a fair distance with what I can do and I want to build more. Come in, train, practice, learn. Then leave and create, develop and complete. Each step a step forward. Coming in here is a step forward, then leaving is a step forward. Coming back in is a step forward, going out is a step forward.
Learn, train, practice, apply. Make big miscalculations, huge errors in judgements, and have big successes and life altering victories. And each step a step forward.
Today's Workout (NO CAP)
Sprint 8
8 rounds
30” row sprint, for distance
90” row easy
...and coming Friday (NO CAP)
As Many Reps As Possible in 10 minutes of:
1, 2, 3, 4,...
Burpee
DB Squat Clean Thrusters (45/25)
Posted by Becca Borawski :
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
What does it mean to be an Olympian? It's something such a very few people on the planet will ever experience. It is something such a very few people are capable of, physically or mentally. As we near the summer Olympics in London, think what it means to be an Olympian. Think about why it is we are so fascinated with their stories, and what we find for ourselves in watching them, cheering for them, and crying with them.
If you'd like to know how Holley Mangold, member of the US Olympic weightlifting team, is preparing for the London Games, you can read her weekly Athlete Journal on BreakingMuscle.com.
Wednesday's Workout (CAP)
Turkish Get Ups - 3-3-3
Deadlift - 3-3-3
--------------------
“Cookie”
As many reps as possible, in 4 minutes:
Sit Ups
Arch Rocks
- no rep scheme, every rep counts
...and coming Thursday (NO CAP)
"Sprint 8"
8 rounds:
30” row sprint (for distance)
90” row easy
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Clutter... it's literally everywhere... at home, in the office, at the gym, in storage, in bookcases, in the garage. Life sometimes seems like an endless clean-up job. But did you ever stop to think about the effect of modern day mental clutter - Facebook, Twitter and all social media? I hadn't even really noticed until about two weeks ago when I committed to my coach to be off of all social media except for a) interactions that were business related, or b) times when I couldn't be doing anything else. This seemingly easy task proved very difficult.
The first thing that happened was the feeling that "I can't do this"... I can't keep myself off of Facebook. I want to share things, comment on others shares and interact with my friends... how would I be able to do this without being on social media? Without an answer, I just lived with the discomfort, posting and commenting when I was at events or in places where I couldn't be doing anything else. I also moved the Facebook and Twitter icons off my home page on my iPhone - since these are the things I think about and click on first when I pull it out.
It took me about 3 days, but I finally got the hang of it. And wow... what a break through. Looking back now, I see how I had been living in one giant distraction. Had you tried to tell me this, I would have insisted you were wrong and crazy. I wasn't able to be present without thinking about Facebook, posting a photo, re-tweeting a link to an article, or thinking about what was going on in my news feed. I would pull my iPhone out and click on Facebook in some sort of zombie-like trance... scrolling through my feed as if that were the most important thing happening in my life at that moment (instead of what was actually happening right in front of me, live and in person).
And what am I missing as a result? Absolutely nothing (well, not that I know of anyway). I'm more present with those around me, I'm not neurotically and constantly thinking about checking Facebook for what my "friends" are doing. I'm actually living my life in the present, and am present, not distracted.
I will continue to keep boundaries and limits set on myself for Facebook, Twitter and all social media. I've got plenty to do in my life without needing to keep up with everyone else. If I don't get back to you immediately about something you posted in my wall, I'm sorry... I'm actually out living my life, not posting about it.
Tuesday's Workout (CAP)
5 rounds, 4 minutes each:
2 Hang Squat Cleans every minute on the minute
1 minute break between rounds for weight changes
- Goal is the heaviest weight at which all 8 reps in 4 minutes can be completed without missing
...and coming Wednesday (CAP)
Turkish Get Ups - 3-3-3
Deadlift - 3-3-3
--------------------
“Cookie”
AMREP 4
Sit Ups
Arch Rocks
- no rep scheme, every rep counts
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Monday, May 28, 2012
Today we honor and remember those men and women that have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. Freedom is anything but free.
Our CFLA Community Memorial Day celebration kicks off Monday morning at 8:00am followed by the running of "Murph" in heats from 8:15 - 9:30am. Please remember to hang your American flags today in honor of our country and those fellow Americans that continue to protect and serve.
Monday's Workout (NO CAP)
"Murph"
For Time:
1 mile run
100 Pull ups
200 Push ups
300 Squats
1 mile run
...and coming Tuesday (CAP)
5 rounds, 4 minutes each:
2 Hang Squat Cleans every minute on the minute
1 minute break between rounds for weight changes
- Goal is the heaviest weight at which all 8 reps in 4 minutes can be completed without missing
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Friday, May 25, 2012
Ever have that feeling just prior to a WOD were you're just not sure how hard to head out of the gate? Well here's an idea that will probably lead to you feeling better mid and late WOD. Start slow! I like to think of the beginning of any WOD as warm up. Sure, in a 3 minute workout, that speed is faster than in a 20 minute workout. But generally what I see in classes, is a WHOLE BUNCH of people heading out WAY too fast. What's your hurry? Slow down. Smell the flowers. Use the rest of the time to slowly increase your tempo and speed. Check it out today on this workout after the rope climbs. See what you think, and post in comments.
What is this, Family Feud?
Today's Workout
For Time:
5 Rope climbs
then:
21-15-9
Deadlifts (225/155)
Box Jumps (28/24)
...and coming Monday
"Murph"
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
