If you are competing in the 2014 CrossFit Open you most likely have just completed WOD (workout of the day) 14.3. If you are reading this and don’t know what the CrossFit Open is all you need to know is it is the beginning of the World’s largest, most legit, fitness competition and WOD 14.3 involved heavy deadlifts and box jumps. It was a nasty combination to say the least. Both pretty basic movements allowing one to push their body to its limits for 8 minutes.

In my opinion looking from the outside in, this has been one of the best WOD’s yet. Even if you feel frustrated or deceived by 14.1(Double Under jump ropes), and 14.2(Chest to Bar Pull ups), this WOD in my opinion was the greatest test yet. 14.3 has been my favorite WOD because of its testing of one of the most basic movements we perform in life, bending over to pick a heavy object off the ground. A movement that I hope everyone will be able to perform until the day that they die.

While most people start CrossFit wanting 6 pack abs, and to fit into skinny jeans (what are skinny jeans), how many of you expected to be deadlifting over 100 lbs for multiple reps in the same workout? I saw some people even getting into the mid to high 200 lb range. What is so powerful about this is how life changing that simple movement is. Think about this, the ability to be able to move heavy weights both safely and easily (kind of sounds like a super power). This might be helpful in everyday life, this might even improve the quality of your life. Even if you have no interest in lifting heavy weights and aren’t that impressed by the workout think of this…… fast forward a few years, you are now 80 years old. You lived a pretty awesome life, raised a few kids or maybe not, but along the way you managed to stay active and on some level you still CrossFit or at least pick up heavy weights. The type of training you did while CrossFitting and lifting weights developed your posterior chain (low-back, glutes, hamstrings) and core to the point that you never had to go into any type of assisted living and people still mistake you for a 60 or 70 year old. You never had to rely on anyone to take care of you and were able to do all the things your two feet could carry you to do. You climbed some mountains, stood and listened to some awesome music, and walked all over the world.

People, what we are doing here IS NOT about how much weight you lifted, double unders you jumped, or muscle ups you got, it’s about preparing for living an awesome life. So whether or not you ever make it to the games, lift a world record, or string together more than 2 doubles unders, I could care less, just remember you are training for something even more important, a life that you are able to fully experience for a long time to come.

Congratulations on finding the fountain of youth, be awesome everyday.
See you soon,

Coach Nic
CFP Strength

Rochester Barbell Club

USAW Level 1 Club Coach 2009 – Present

CrossFit Level 1 trainer