Being a good CrossFit student…

Sometimes, it is hard to let someone else tell you you are wrong.  Or give you instructions.  Or criticism.  Or call you out on not giving your full effort.  I should know.  That kind of thing makes me mad.  BUT, the reason I have improved as a CrossFitter over time is because I turn that madness into a focus on learning as much as I can and getting better.  I ask everyone I meet who knows anything that might help me what I should do.  I read, I go to seminars, I watch videos, I ask Mike, Jenny, Carl, Dave, Kate, Andres and Bryon.  I watch you all and learn from seeing you work through technique issues.  As your trainers, it is most satisfying for us to have great CrossFit students.  It is hugely rewarding for us to share what we know with you.  We are CrossFit geeks, that is why we train people.  And yet, one of the most difficult things we do is to correct you.  To take you and your squat over to the wall.  To ask you to drop weight because you don’t have the flexibility or range of motion to be safe at the weight you want to lift.  To tell you that a low fat diet is not healthy.  Attending your workouts as a student, with student mentality, will get you the most out of your trainers.  You might not like what we say, you might get annoyed, you might disagree.  Act as students (OK-I’ve taught a fair amount, act like decent students, not the ones straight off the kegger).  Ask us questions, play around with our suggestions.  Remember that if you are frustrated with your performance and your training you can choose to turn that frustration into a quest for perfection. Require us to assist you in that quest for perfection.  Catch yourself if you are turning your frustration towards your trainer.  They are offering you knowledge, strategies, support, information, safety and technique.  I have had a chance to meet many CrossFit trainers this past year and I am really proud to have such incredible resources for you all in this Affiliate.  

Pictured above on the rowers are two people that have brought an impeccable student approach to their time in here.  Muscle and lung capacity can be gained overtime with brute effort, but training with an open mind is a decision you have to make.  Steve and Chad are both accomplished athletes (CrossFit and otherwise), but they are absolutely open to new ideas and technique.  I like to think Steve is here for the long term with his wife Midori because they are a dream to train.  Chad is only ours temporarily, but hopefully he will take away something that will improve his CrossFitting forever.  Please read Erik’s comment from the previous post.  Everyone here has something to offer you, take it!