Monique joined us a few months ago and she has never looked back.  She was very willing to share her story.  Check it out and pass it on.  Thanks Monique

I’ve always had a particular interest in fitness and, like so many others, the ongoing challenge of weight ‘control’. I have also been quite active over the years playing golf, water skiing and snow skiing. In an attempt to find that magic pill, I tried it all. I was always after that perfect look. Each new trick worked in one way or another, at first and for a short time. It also brought its own set of side effects and eventual injuries. My focus had been in the wrong place all along.

At 44 I entered a body building contest. That was the beginning of the end of my fitness for a while. After battling my way back from diet rebound and surgeries, I worked my way back into the gym. My weight slowly came down, but as time went on, the aches and pains started to return. I was not getting stronger and I couldn’t even bend down to tie my own shoes. Eventually the gym staff was no longer familiar and I just stopped going completely. 

I had never really heard of crossfit until I saw a photo that Lu had posted of a friend after their private coaching. He encouraged me to try it, so I thought why not once. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was completely different than anything I had ever done. My first class was hard and a real wake up call. There is more to life than looking fit and lean. 

I started off slow, going twice a week, then three times and now I try to make 4-5 classes a week. XFA workouts challenge you in strength, speed, flexibility and endurance all in the same hour. It is the most diverse workout I have ever done. There are no age, gender or size limits to who can do crossfit successfully. Without any intentional change to my diet I lost 12 lbs in the first two months. My body is changing weekly; I am already getting faster and stronger than I thought I could be at this age. I can’t wait for ski season.

With all the exciting changes I have experienced so far, the MOST exciting is the feeling of accomplishment I get being in Lu’s classes. The dynamics of the class, Lu’s energy and relentless monitoring of form, the music, the cheering on of others and the friendly ‘family’ atmosphere. Missing a class stinks because you WANT to be there! Since I have found Lu and XFA I know that the next 50 years will be even more active and fun than the first 50!

Wow now that’s a lean looking back, but guess what she couldn’t touch her toes nor do anything that involved anything functional.  Now look at her….that’s a good looking squat with a great range of motion and she is looking better than ever.  She’s got a rockin’ bod at 50!!!  Who says you don’t get better with age!!!  Our people do!  Right guys?  Leave a comment about how you are getting better with age!

We have a very small group heading to

FGB IV this weekend.  If you cannot make

it please make a donation to the cause.  It

could happen any man we love.  If you

want to go this Saturday let me know!!!

Patti Thoroughly Used Up

Here is a great passage I came across

this weekend at my seminar.  A little 

nugget to take away from in addition

to all the other take-away for the gym.

This is the true joy in life, the being

used for a purpose recognized by

yourself as a mighty one; the being

a force of nature instead of a feverish

little clod of ailments and grievances,

complaining that the world will not 

devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life 

belongs to the whole community, 

and as long as I live it is my 

privilege to do for it whatever

I can.

I want to be thoroughly used 

up when I die, for the harder 

I work, the I live.  I rejoice in life

for its own sake.  Life is not brief

candle to me; it is a sort of splendid 

torch which I have got a hold of for 

the moment, and I want to make it 

burn brightly as possible before 

handing it on to future generations.

               -George Bernard Shaw

Where are you being used up?  Is

it for something that you are passionate

about?  Please share with us…

The Boys and Linda Trying to Get Some Fan Time

Check it out…XFA making it on a VERY 

POPULAR site run by one of my favorite

people, wish you guys could have hung

out with Mel and Dallas while you were

here.  We had a VERY GOOD TIME!!!  

Doing things that we find to be very fun 

even if you don’t.  CrossFit 603 slogan,

“Our fun is not fun”  Check it out

OUR FUN IS NOT FUN

Read Casen’s

Amazing Story

"G" battling "Fran"

We only have a couple weeks left before 

the event.  Get signed up and raise your

money.  It would be great to have the gym

together for an awesome event.  

Chris (second in on the right) with some of those that inspired him to start

Thank you Chris for sharing your story with us all.  You have truly grown by leaps and bound this last month.  I’m so proud of you and you are becoming an inspiration to many.  I’m not sure if you ever thought that after walking in the doors your life would change this way or that you would inspire others….BUT YOU ARE.  Keep it up.

I think you can judge a lot about someone’s personal discipline by their physical appearance. 

We all know that people don’t WANT their gut to hang over their seatbelt or for us guys to have our chest jiggle around when we go over speed-bumps in the car. 

The truth of this statement has bugged me for years. It was bad enough to be overweight, but to know that I was personifying an all Taco Bell diet and an unmotivated physical lifestyle really got to me. I just couldn’t find that discipline, no matter how hard I tried.

Last year I got a gym membership and forced myself to lose some weight before my wedding. It was the worst 5 pounds I ever lost. Jogging for half an hour while watching CNN with no sound. Lifting weights a million different ways with a million different questions in my head. All this while I watched guys with huge biceps (only) stand in front of the treadmills and talk to chicks in $400 color-coordinated workout uniforms. The accent colors in the sweat band calling out various colors on the way down to the Nike swoosh on their shoes. 

All that to say. It didn’t last.

One year of being happily married and sitting in a cubicle later, some friends of mine approached me about Crossfit. They had all seen great results and swore up and down it was the greatest thing… and it sounded like it. So I went.

After the first week, Crossfit provided enough discipline in my life to start a diet and stick with it. 5 weeks later and I’m down 15 pounds. But it’s not enough to just say that. The real results are not shown by the scale. I’m beginning to see my body take shape, firm up, and take on definition. I have more energy and I’m watching myself get stronger and faster with each workout. Mentally and physically. Before I started the program I had a form of sleep apnea which kept me from getting any REM rest time at night. Since the second week of Crossfit I haven’t had a single issues resulting in a ton more energy in the day.

I love Crossfit because it’s everything that working out at the gym is not. It’s always a different workout, and with Lu standing over you cheering you on, every rep is the way it’s supposed to be, so every rep counts. It’s also practical. You can work out at the gym 5 days in a week, buck hay on the weekend and still end up sore. 

It may require a good amount of discipline to be a Crossfitter, but it comes with the membership.

Chris Eddie

For any of you that have a story to share please do!!!  You never know who might read it and have their lives changed.

We miss you Chels!!!

XFA has been getting alot of press
the past few day and I feel so lucky.

CHANNEL 12 NEWS

CROSSFIT AFFILIATE BLOG

I just wanted to thank everyone
who is involved down at the gym.
You guys just make XFA a great
place you be. You all come in
with great attitudes, with hearts
ready to train and minds that
will not be broken. I just want
you guys to know how much
your hard work means to me.
It means that you believe in me
and what we have going on in
the gym. It means you believe
in yourself and all those around
you. You all inspire those in the
gym whether you know it or not,
there’s someone that looks up to
YOU in the gym everyday. So
keep coming with that amazing
spirit and keep spreading the
word. If you want a place to go
where you feel valued, powerful,
and strong beyond measure XFA
is the place. Thank you for allowing
me to be a part of your lives. I
feel so lucky to have the job that
I do. YOU the XFA family makes
is ALL worth! Get some, Go again!!!

Fran Batzer showing us some functionality while in Germany!!!

“What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?”

                                          -Robert Schuller

Post your attempts in the comments section.

What are yours?

Responsibility is defined as duty; 

the social force that binds you to

the course of action demanded by

that source.  That is also partly 

the definition of allegiance; to 

bind oneself to a course of action.

We have a rule on the board that

states 10 burpees for using the word

can’t.  YOU CAN JUST MAYBE NOT
TODAY.

There are so many problems with the

use of that word.  First off, it’s completely

overused.  ”I can’t do this, I can’t do that”

over and over and over.  Yes you can!  You

just have to try.  You may have to practice

it may take time but you can.  

We are a place where people come to get

better.  So hold yourself and others responsible

for the negativity that occurs around you.  

Think about what you say before you say it.

Speak words as if they will become truth.

I know many of you want to be able to do

most things in the gym.  So speak in a way

in which you will accomplish.  Many speak

in terms of can’t or I will never….YOU CAN

AND GUESS WHAT YOU WILL.  It will

take work but everything is possible,

especially at CrossFit.  So you can, you can

you can.  

So challenge yourself and those around you

to be better and to think better or yourselves.