The original Precision CrossFit!
I cannot believe it has been 4 years since Greg and I opened our doors. Precision started in my head…a dream really, well before I ever had the guts to talk about opening it. In fact, I did not know if Precision was going to be a CrossFit box. It was not until I fell in love with the sport and realized that a place like Precision was needed among the local community that I decided to turn it into a reality. Greg, at the time, was just a client of mine, paying me to be his coach and to possibly help him get to the CrossFit Games. We all know how that worked out, haha. Needless to say, I was afraid to open up Precision, scared out of my mind of failure. Then, I had a conversation with a friend. He convinced me that the time was now. That I needed to step out of my comfort zone and begin this journey. Not just for me, but for all the people I coached. The Conejo Valley and its surrounding communities needed a gym with an expert at the helm that could deliver. At the time many other CrossFits existed. However, a level 1 certificate and a few lifting courses hardly qualified someone as a true strength & conditioning coach and I wanted Precision to be a true strength & conditioning facility. Sure CrossFit is what we do, but we are a full-fledged training center, focused on building a stronger you–physically and emotionally. We can do sports performance, have a nationally recognized weightlifting team, and are home to the Wall of Blue! I remember it all being just a dream. The ultimate turning point was when Greg stepped into the equation and agreed to partner with me on this journey. We barely knew each other, but he trusted me. He was willing to look past my faults, which I have worked effortlessly to outgrow, and to believe in what Precision could be.
If not for my conversations with Greg and his words of wisdom, Precision would be a very different place. You see, I like to put my head down and work. I have always been known as the guy who will outwork anyone. In fact during the first year of operation, I did not take a single look at the bank account so as not to be distracted from my goals. However, this does not make for the best coach or most approachable person at times, so with Greg’s tutelage and the advice of other close friends, I have found ways to be better at this. I remember something Greg said to my previous business partner at our final parting; it was something along the lines of, “Mike needs to leave here to grow further as a coach, with no restrictions. Opening up Precision will be a way for him to create his own programs and allow him to reach his full potential.” At the time I remember feeling a burst of stress over the pressure of this, but then feeling a sense of wonder about what this could mean for me. To have someone with that much confidence in me was scary. So, to work my ass off seemed the only way to manage that pressure.
Four years later, and we have grown in a way that I could only dream. In fact, the addition we just added is practically the size of our original work out floor. Precision is everything we wanted it to be and we are thankful to have found success at every juncture of growth. Our staff truly is second to none and one that I take great pride in. In fact, in the Strength & Conditioning world I am know for my staff at HW. A few months ago a colleague was talking to another coach about my staff at Harvard-Westlake. He was talking about how it was second to none. This was a very cool compliment until my colleague said, “Have you seen Mike’s staff at Precision? It is as good or better!” Now that, my friends, is a compliment! I would put the Precision coaching staff up against anyone out there. Even when challenged, they have answered the call and, believe me, they have been battle tested this year. We have grown a ton and I am so happy to say we have done so gracefully. But it could not have been done without the support of our amazing “community.”
We truly are a “community” like no other. A family, if you will. I think the word “community” gets thrown around a ton in CrossFit these days, but what does it actually mean? In my opinion it is one thing to have a “community,” but it is a whole different thing to have a “family.” We are bound by each other’s successes and failures. We genuinely want to see everyone succeed. That defines family and that is what we are. Because of this we have found great success in and out of the gym. Greg and I can say we are proud of what we’ve built. We wanted to be the best gym in the area and I know we have accomplished that. And the job is not done yet. As we embark on year 5, we’ve got tons of stuff up our sleeves. My head is flowing with ideas to help propel everyone to the next level. Here’s to a fantastic 4 years! Thank you all. Greg and I are truly grateful for all of your support. What an amazing ride it has been thus far. Bring on year 5!
Fitness – Strength – Community
Our first month of classes!
(2012)
WARM UP:
Mobilize Shoulders
Then:
10 Pass Throughs
10 Face Pulls
10 Reverse Fly’s
10 Y’s, T’s, & W’s
Then:
3 Rounds
10 High Shrugs
10 High Pulls
10 Front Squats
LIFT:
Back Squat
7 x 1
*Work to a heavy single.
Then:
Front Squat
5 @ 65%
5 @ 70%
5 @ 70%
SKILL:
7 Min. Of Ring Muscle Up Work.
*Adv. work to a 1RM Weighted Strict MU
WOD:
“RAPHAEL”
For Time:
7 Muscle Up’s
Row 800 M.
5 Power Cleans (225/155) (205/135) (185/125) (165/110)
Row 600 M.
5 Power Cleans
Row 400 M.
7 Muscle Up’s
*Sub. for MU will be Burpee C2B Pull Ups accordingly.
POST WOD:
10 Face Pulls
10 Reverse Fly’s
10 Y’s, T’s, & W’s
Then:
Shoulder Mobility
