For all the Commando Steve fans out there.

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For more information please click on the following link.

COMMANDO STEVE: NO EXCUSES!

It is a common misconception that heart rate is equivalent to intensity. Heart rate can be a factor contributing to intensity; however the two are not analogous.

Intensity = Power = Work / Time = (Force x Distance) / Time

CrossFit emphasizes the use of functional movements because of their unique capacity to be preformed at relatively high intensities (more work in less time). During a WOD we move relatively large loads, long distances, very quickly! You can squat, dead-lift, and push-press more weight, longer distances, in much less time than you can performing a bicep curl, lateral raise, or a leg extension.

“Intensity is the independent variable most commonly associated with optimizing return.”

Increasing VO2 max, metabolizing fat, building muscle, getting stronger, and getting faster are all intensity dependent. Therefore, performing more work in less time will increase your strength, fitness, and overall health!

Relatively high intensities can only be reached through functional movements. CrossFit training demands relatively high intensities, hence our emphasis on functional exercise. How high is a relatively high intensity? The relative level of an individual’s power output is based solely upon that individual’s psychological and physical tolerance.

CrossFit forges elite fitness, but not exclusive fitness. This program is not designed to cater only to super athletes. Anyone can benefit from CrossFit training based on operating at the appropriate intensity.

Courtesy of CrossFit Inland Empire

Why train? What good does it do us anyway! To put it simply it develops you in so many ways both physically and psychologically, the adaptation to training and the changes that are elicited transfer from what you do in the gym or your training environment to your everyday life. This transference is greatly attributed to the development of self and situational awareness and most importantly confidence. Why should life be a challenge, the only time you should feel challenged is when you put yourself to the test, life is meant to be enjoyable, so go and do yourself a favour and get active…

What is it? Why should I CrossFit?

I have attached one of the CrossFit journals, “What is Fitness” it is definitely worth downloading as some light reading. Do you want vitality, fitness and the ability to be able to do whatever it is you want to do, you need to read this article.

What is your definition of work ethic and how does it relate to you as an individual and how does it affect team dynamics?

Today I chose work ethic as I feel it best encompasses what we all talk about, motivation, either internal or external and self discipline. I have listed below a number of positive and maybe not so positive effects of work ethic, read through them, then take some time and see which ones apply to you.

Desires accomplishment, determined, hard working, goal oriented, can forget to eat and sleep when focused on work, achiever, success driven, perfectionist, motivated, does things by the book, meets obligations on time, disciplinarian, planner, ambitious, responsible, purposeful, self-controlled, workaholic, over-achiever, focused, not afraid of a high stress job, likes the security of working for a company, good trouble-shooter, was mature at a young age, does not give up until the work is done, logical, wants to be capable and competent.

Check out the latest edition of UltraFIT magazine featuring an article on Commando Steve and the CrossFit revolution.

In stores 2nd of September 2009

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This is an interesting topic, so i have decided to post it once again. I hear on a daily basis from clients and individuals within the wider community that they lack the willpower, determination and discipline to achieve a desired outcome or for a better word Goal. It can be a hard subject for those who have the  self control and discipline to swallow, it’s to easy to use the throw away line “Just toughen up and do it”. I found it interesting in the article below the difference between continent behaviour and virtuous behaviour and how this relates to those who may start out with good intentions but find themselves undermining the very thing they set out to achieve due to where their motivations lye.

Enjoy..

Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one’s self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behaviour, even though one would really rather be doing

something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of ‘self control‘.

Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine a best course of action that opposes one’s desires. Virtuous behaviour is when one’s motivations are aligned with one’s reasoned aims: to do what you know is best and to do it genuinely gladly. Continent behaviour, on the other hand, is when one does what one knows is best, but must do it by opposing one’s motivations.^[3] Moving from continent to virtuous behaviour requires training and some self discipline.

Continued reading answer.com

Self Discipline

The CrossFit Games are the ultimate test of fitness. It’s a grueling two-day competition in which the world’s fittest athletes compete in a variety of workouts. What are the workouts? Each year they change, and the details of them are not announced until a couple days before the event. This means that all year long, the athletes are training for a competition whose format is almost completely a mystery.
In 2009, the format is still a complete mystery.

The competition will take place from Friday, July 10 through Sunday, July 12, 2009. There will be three different competitions happening that weekend: Individual Men, Individual Women, and the team Affiliate Cup.

The individual competitions are limited to 75 athletes each. The top five finishers from 2008 are automatically entered. Everyone else has to qualify through their Regional Competition. The number of slots allotted to each region is determined by the number of affiliates in that region. Both individual men and women competitions will be held Saturday and Sunday (July 11-12).

The team Affiliate Cup will be held on Friday, July 10th and Sunday July 12th. It will be exculusively team workouts, and open to all teams who register in time (no qualifying required). Affiliate team registration opens on June 1st until June 12th, unless it sells out before then. Teams will be made up of four to six athletes, with four competing at one time.
In 2008, there were four workouts:

Saturday: (workouts performed in any order throughout the day)
5 Deadlift (275lbs men, 185lbs women) / 10 Burpees – 5 Rounds for time
Thrusters (95lbs men, 65lbs women) / Pull-ups – 21, 15, 9 reps for time
750m off trail steep hill run

Sunday:
30 Squat Clean and Jerks (155lbs men, 100lbs women) for time

Every second counted. Overall winner was the athlete with the lowest combined time for all four workouts. Jason Khalipa won the men’s competition and Caity Matter won the women’s. CrossFit Oakland won the Affiliate Cup. To see the final results for 2008, click here. For the 2008 CrossFit Games website, which documented the event thoroughly, click here.
In 2007, the inaugural CrossFit Games, there were three workouts:

Saturday morning: A hopper workout that was literally determined at random (it ended up being row, push jerks and pullups)

Saturday afternoon: A 3K off trail hill run

Sunday: The CrossFit Total

The scoring was based on points per finishing order and the winner had the highest total points. James Fitzgerald won the men’s competition and Jolie Gentry won the women’s. CrossFit Santa Cruz won the Affiliate Cup. For a review of the 2007 Games, read Dave Castro’s CrossFit Journal article Reading Between the Lines.
What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.

We define this fitness as increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. What this means is that you have functional capacity in all different types of movements at a variety of durations of effort. If you are increasing this broad work capacity, you will be competent at both short bursts of activity and extended, longer workouts. No single test can adequately assess these broad capacities. Even our rigorous two-day CrossFit Games can assess but a small portion of anyone’s true capacity.

But, it is our considered opinion that the CrossFit Games are the best test on the planet for true, elite fitness, and that the winners of the CrossFit Games are the World’s Fittest humans.

CrossFit Games

Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one’s self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behaviour, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of ’self control’. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine a best course of action that opposes one’s desires. Virtuous behaviour is when one’s motivations are aligned with one’s reasoned aims: to do what you know is best and to do it genuinely gladly. Continent behaviour, on the other hand, is when one does what one knows is best, but must do it by opposing one’s motivations.[3] Moving from continent to virtuous behaviour requires training and some self discipline.

Continued reading wikipedia

Self Discipline

Self Discipline

Power or capacity to produce a desired effect; effectiveness

Self Efficacy

Self-efficacy is the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals.[1] It is a belief that one has the capabilities to execute the courses of actions required to manage prospective situations. Unlike efficacy, which is the power to produce an effect (in essence, competence), self-efficacy is the belief (whether or not accurate) that one has the power to produce that effect. For example, a person with high self-efficacy may engage in a more health related activity when an illness occurs, whereas a person with low self-efficacy would harbor feelings of hopelessness.[2]

There is a distinction between self-esteem and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy relates to a person’s perception of their ability to reach a goal, whereas self-esteem relates to a person’s sense of self-worth. For example, a person who is a terrible rock climber would probably have poor self-efficacy with regard to rock climbing, but this need not affect that person’s self-esteem since most people don’t invest much of their self-esteem in this activity.[3] On the other hand, one might have enormous skill at rock climbing, yet set such a high standard for oneself that self-esteem is low.[4] At the same time, a person who has high self-efficacy in general but is poor at rock climbing might think that he/she is good at rock climbing, or might still believe that he/she could quickly learn.

Continued reading wikipedia