1:15 is my new favorite time

I did my 1st workout at SicFit Austin today and absolutely loved it. I worked out along side Heather, Chad, and Walt. I have been back and forth about joining a class for a while due to my schedule; however, today I decided that 1:15 every Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri is Showout Meg workout time with Big Mike. When I first started at CrossFit Central I was a client of Mike's. I remember leaving my previous job each day to drive up to Central to get in a workout with my class and being so excited just to be there. Today I had that same feeling again. I honestly fell in love with working out all over again. It was great!!! Training my weaknesses...ring pull-ups, ring dips, handstand pushups. Big Mike could not have said it better...I need my upper body strength to catch up with my leg strength. All in due time.

I left today with my butt kicked but with a new found energy. I did not feel bogged down, mentally drained, nor beat down today. I forget at times how important it is to have a coach. To have that time each week for someone else to train you up and make you better. The pictures above do not do much justice. We all were filthy, sweaty, but rejuvenated.

How do you feel after you leave a CrossFit Central Indoor or Relentless class? Are you renewed and ready for more in 2 days?

Be Relentless

"Impossible is not a fact...it's an opinion. What's impossible only remains so until someone finds a way to do what others are sure can't be done." - Tony Robbins

Team Crush It 100% crushed the Trojan finale workout on Saturday. Over half the team could not perform a kettlebell snatch 7 weeks ago and everyone mastered the skill by the end of the challenge. Endurance and strength improved all around, as well as, loss in inches, weight, and body fat.

• Norma - lost 1 pant size, lost 8 in, lost 2% body fat
  
• Vince - lost 1 belt loop size, lost 6lbs, lost 2% body fat, and lost 9.5in

And more stories to come. What a fun 7 weeks! I enjoyed every bit of watching this team write down goals and taking dreams and desires that may have seemed impossible and turned them into a reality. Lives are changed now because of it.

Check out pics from the Team Crush It on Saturday.

16in smaller

(Lunch of a Champion)

The results are already pouring in from the 7-week Trojan Challenge. I knocked out a few of my athletes body comps today. Jenifer is on Team Crush It and lost 5 inches over the 7 weeks, and a total of 16 inches since February. "The good news is that I’m stronger-I can definitely feel a difference in my workouts. Better at step-ups, push-ups, sit-ups and certainly arm, back and shoulder strength has improved after lugging around that 26 pound kettlebell!" Read more about her journey HERE.

Congrats, Jen!!! I can't wait to see her and the rest of the team CRUSH IT on Saturday morning at Westlake High School.

Fun & Excitement

Whatever you are by nature, keep to it; never desert your line of talent. Be what nature intended you for and you will succeed. -Sydney Smith

By nature I am happy, loud, crazy, fun, EXCITED. When I stray from those traits, I become anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, depressed. Clearly the two extremes do not intertwine well. Today I was reminded to embrace every part of how God made me. A driven, motivated, full-of-life Showout, who has fun and gets excited about her life and others. When I stick to the qualities that make me who I am, I am happier and more fulfilled in all aspects of life.

This coming Saturday at the Trojan Challenge, Team Crush It will be sporting the tanks pictured above. You will have to show up on Saturday morning at 9am at Westlake High School practice field to see what is written on the back. This team set goals 7 weeks ago, worked out together, held each accountable to their nutrition, got excited seeing themselves and others succeed, and had fun along the way. I can't wait to showcase their success over the next week.

Do you wake up each day having fun and excited about life? If not, then I recommend re-evaluating your focus and priorities.

Paige's Success

May 2008

February 2009

January 2010

March 2010

I have the privilege of coaching my sister, Paige, 2x a week in Relentless Boot Camps. Paige's success story is a transformation from the inside and out. She is a new person physically, mentally, and emotionally. I think that is the beauty of CrossFit. Not only do individuals become more fit than ever, but their lives are truly changed because of it. I could not be more proud of my sister and her journey over the past year. Her story below starts back in college and extends to where she is today. Congrats, Sister Goddess!

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“One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.”

This quote represents the mindset I’ve been striving to implement in my life for the past 10 years. Being able to move on from a past that represented a world full of insecurities, disappointments, and struggles that were all based around eating, weight gain, and lack of exercise has been one of the biggest challenges of my life. Admitting that I had a problem, that I had let myself go, and that food was controlling every aspect of my life, was not a comforting issue to face, much less attempt to overcome. It wasn’t until I realized one day that my insecurities and personal struggles were not only affecting me, but they were seeping into my life at work, at home, with friends, and with family. I knew it was time for change, and I knew I was the only one that could make it happen.

I must say, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be blessed with such an amazing sister, Ms. Showout Megan Parsons, so it was somewhat easy to transition into one of her CrossFit Relentless Bootcamps. I say somewhat because once I arrived, I soon realized that I could barely make it through the warm up, refused to do a burpee, and was extremely out of shape and almost in tears. However, I wasn’t going to give up and let myself down once again and my sister as well. I continued participating in the Tuesday/Thursday Dick Nichols Bootcamp twice a week and eventually decided to participate in the Spartan 300 for further accountability. This allowed me to take my 2 days of working out a week up to 5 days a week. It was a total success. I was able to improve my strength, and lose a few pounds and inches along the way.

After this experience, I knew it was time to face my struggles with food and embrace a new, healthy, happy way of eating in order to take my body to the next level. I decided to consistently commit to taking my Advocare supplements. Currently, I take MNS Energy Vitamins, Thermoplus, Catalyst, Spark, and Clear Mood (and yes, it does help clear my mood, ask my family). I then decided to open up the refrigerator and write down every item my sister was eating and purchase all of them (or at least the ones that looked edible). She then proceeded to teach me all about nutrition and I was able to incorporate many other foods as well as new methods of cooking into my nutrition plan. It wasn’t until I started eating much cleaner that I really saw my body transform, and for once in my life I didn’t dread eating or stress about food. I actually enjoyed my meals and was satisfied.

My next step was to continue to challenge myself so I decided to participate in the first Relentless BootCamp Challenge. Not only did I meet some amazing ladies, but I was able to take my body to yet another level, losing more pounds, inches, and body fat; while also learning how to better improve my nutrition. I can honestly say that without the accountability of the CrossFit community; the intense, exciting, competitiveness of the workouts; the lessons in nutrition, goal setting, and living your best life…..I would certainly not be where I am today.

Over the course of 10 years, I have gone from weighing 170 lbs and wearing a size 14, to weighing 138 pounds and wearing a size 7. My struggles with eating have drastically improved and when I feel a relapse coming on, I finally know how to deal with it. My confidence as a woman, as a teacher, as a friend, sister, and daughter has transformed in ways I never could have imagined. My only advice is to never settle, to keep striving for the best you, for the best life that you want to live, and to take it one day at a time.

Crush It

Norma & Jesse crushing it in the Tu/Th 6pm Dick Nichols class

"Your ability to learn faster than your competition is your only sustainable competitive advantage." -Arie De Gues

I still remember the meeting I had with Julie Ward at her house after boot camp one day in March. I was seeking advice/guidance/help in all forms of fashion to take Relentless Outdoor classes from Good to Great. I have this innate quality that comes out when I am doing what I love that makes me want to crush competition. She brainstormed with me on legitimate growth goals, potential new locations for classes, dynamics of a new coach, new competitions/challenges, marketing ideas....the list goes on.

Needless to say one of my top 3 career goals this year is to lead the troops in making Relentless a household name for outdoor class (boot camps) in Austin, TX. Since then I have been working with an amazing, motivated group of coaches to take our Outdoor programs to a new level. Just this month we were ranked in the Top 3 in Rare magazine for the Rarest of Them All June 2010 issue. Check us out on page 58.

The newest event for this year is the Garage Gym Throwdown, which takes place on Saturday. I have had the opportunity to help plan this event along side Heather Reed & Jeremy Thiel and it's been a blast. I pinch myself sometimes to make sure my life is a reality, because I truly get to do what I love. Not only coach, but also help with organizing/implementing hard-core, fun outdoor events. I must admit, however, I have definitely been pushed out of my comfort zone in this capacity. Completely new territory.

I want to personally invite everyone in the CrossFit Central community, Austin, and neighboring cities to come out to the Garage Gym Throwdown this Saturday. The event kicks off at 9:00am and runs to 11:00. We will then head across the street to Abel's on the Lake for celebration.

I am looking for the #1 Spectator. Do you have it takes?

Top 5 Winning Ways to Spectate:

1) Wear your favorite team's colors

2) Use megaphones, streamers, & cowbells

3) Create a team to cheer/chant all the way through to the finish line

4) Make signs/banners

5) Show up EARLY and stay LATE!

Going Green

I just want to give a big shout out to Michelle in the Tu/Th Deep Eddy 6:30am class. Last Thursday she won the Austin Business Journal's Green Advocate award. Michelle made all kinds of changes to the 2010 Austin Marathon & Half-marathon to keep it as green as possible. Her hard work paid off. Congrats, Michelle!

If you are active in the endurance community and a CrossFit Central client, then check out our complementary CrossFit Endurance workouts every Tuesday & Wednesday at 6:15pm at O'Henry Middle School track.

Happy Hour in the Hills

Last night the MWF 8:30am Lake Pointe outdoor Relentless class got together and celebrated life and each others company. Mary showed up with her homemade Kamikaze that included a special mix shipped from Ohio. Beth was a phenomenal host and opened up her house to total craziness.

I cannot say enough about how much these women mean to me. I love every bit of seeing how they balance kids, husband/boyfriend, friends, LIFE. I am 29 and single so clearly my life is polar opposite than most of these women; however, that is what makes this class so very perfect for me. I get to experience life in a new dimension and not be as frightened about "growing up." Lake Pointe Showouts, thank you for making my life more meaningful!

View more pics from our party HERE. I threw in a workout picture too so everyone can see how great these gals clean up.

The Monster

(Renu performing the sumo deadlift high pull)

(Matt performing the pushup part of the Monster)

This morning in the 5:30am Tu/Th Deep Eddy class everyone performed a new kettlebell exercise. We named it the Monster. I learned the entire combination yesterday with Coach Ben Flores and decided to implement the exercise into a Relentless workout. This was the 1st time I had someone say they considered the burpee portion of the workout the rest part. Renu and Matt (pictured above) are hard-core athletes in this class and set the pace for everyone to chase. Great job today!!!

Monster = hands on kettlebell on the ground, jump back into a sprawl, perform a pushup, jump back into sumo deadlift high pull stance, perform a sumo deadlift high pull, then perform an American swing. All the above movements equal 1 rep.

Try this workout at home. Choose a kettlebell weight that is challenging to swing overhead.
3 rounds--
8 Monsters
5 burpees
Post times and comments below.

Renewal

(Me & my sister at Ignite A Dream Fashion Show)

Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up. - Pearl Buck

Webster's dictionary defines extrovert as: one who's personality is characterized by extroversion; broadly, a gregarious and unreserved person.

People that know me, know that I am extroverted to the max. I am outgoing and love to have fun; I am most energized by being around others. I don't mind being in a room full of people I do not know, because I know it's the perfect opportunity for me to meet someone new. The thought of showing up somewhere alone is entertaining and turns into a game for me to see how many people I can meet. In a nutshell, being a Showout encompasses every aspect of an extrovert.

However...the quote above is also a huge part my makeup. It is the moments (like this very moment) when I can just be. Be alone. Be self-sufficient. Be quiet. No noise. No one needing me. No questions. No one to entertain. No one to cheer up. No one to listen to. Nothing. Just be.

I am thankful I have learned to embrace this other side of who I am instead of fighting it. Moments alone give me the renewal, I never I thought I needed, to be the sister/daughter/coach/friend I always want to be for everyone.

How do you renew yourself?

Mobility Certified

On Saturday I attended the Movement, Mobility, & Maintenance certification with Kelly Starrett. A key point that he honed in on all day was getting organized. Below is a quick check list to make sure you are organized before lifting.

• Set up- best fit: Ideal position from which maximal force can be produced. Varies for each athlete
• Mid-line Stabilization: a quick nudge in the stomach will make you quickly focus on keeping your abs tight
  
• Up stream/Down stream
  
• Mobilize at position of restriction: don't mobilize muscles; mobilize movements

From the combination of the Trigger Point cert as well the Mobility cert, I feel more equipped to help coach my athletes through nag injuries and provide more useful stretches to improve performance. Do not hesitate to ask your coach if need improvement with flexibility or more ideas for stretches. We are here to help.

Go Amanda!

Amanda in the 5:30am Tu/Th Deep Eddy class competed in the Cap Tex Tri on Monday. She has been training for this race religiously as well as attending Relentless outdoor classes 2x a week. The hard work paid off.

"Despite the heat I feel like I had a great race. My goal was to try to enjoy it as much as I could and while it was challenging, I really did enjoy myself. This experience was even more special this time because I was a mentor. It was really great to help other people become triathletes and watch them cross the finish line."

Way to go, Amanda!!! I am so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weekend Recap

Me & my Dad before his 1st workout

Crazy CFC team chillin'

My brother (all black) finishing competing in the max Snatch workout

(chanting...SHOWDAD...SHOWDAD)

This past weekend was a test of strength, endurance, skill-sets, and mental toughness at Hell's Half Acre. I traveled to Ft. Worth as a spectator, sister, daughter, co-worker, and friend AND loved every minute of it. This year was quite different for me since I was not competing, but I enjoyed getting to cheer, support, and showout with all the other CrossFitters from across the southern states. (New show word...ShowRita).

My Dad competed in the Masters division. He has spent the past 6 months training for this weekend. I would get phone calls every other day, sometimes even daily, with him recapping his day's workouts, his plan of action for the week/month, and asking for some coaching tips with the CrossFit workouts. Unfortunately, his weekend ended earlier than planned due to a torn bicep in the 2nd max thruster workout. I do not tell him enough how proud I am to have such a solid, caring, loving male-figure in my life. He did a helluva job...not many 54 yr. old men can say they did what he did. For that, I am so PROUD!! My favorite part of the weekend was my mom, sister, and I cheering SHOWDAD..SHOWDAD...SHOWDAD...SHOWDAD.

I also got to cheer on my younger brother who trains at Grapevine CrossFit. There is nothing more fulfilling than cheering for your family and witnessing hard-work pay off in killer workouts. ShowBro-- You did an amazing job this past weekend!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to the Double C's. As many of you already know, our Affiliate Team took 1st place and Jen Cardella (3rd place) and Jess Sharratt (4th place) are advancing to the 2010 Games. hoLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLer!!! I train and work at the best box in the world! Not too many people can say that. Nice work bad-ass CrossFit Central team. I must say that my 2nd favorite part of the weekend was watching Lisa Thiel perform 10 perfect muscle-ups in the final workout with having only completed 1 two days prior. Now that is impressive.

After a long weekend in the sun and convinced that I was sun poisoned, my Sun Goddess status has returned. I no longer feel poisoned by the 100+ temps all weekend. Life is good. Can your weekend top my weekend?

3, 2, 1 SHOWOUT!

Happy Birthday, Michelle!!!!

Today is Michelle's birthday in the Tu/Th 6:30am Deep Eddy class. She has been in Relentless Outdoor classes for a year and is constantly improving daily. Michelle is a success story in not only weight loss, but endurance, strength, and quality of life. I am honored to not only coach Michelle but to also have her as a dear friend. I can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with this amazing woman.

Michelle's Birthday Workout-
38 squats- for 38 yrs old
19 burpees- born on 1972
72 situps- born on 1972
6 sprints from Deep Eddy parking lot to Lake Austin Blvd- for the month of June
1 round- for being born on the 1st

Post your times below.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHELLE!