I waited to write this because my initial reflection on the 2015 CrossFit Games needed to sink in a bit. It was such an emotional, stressful, fun, and invigorating weekend. So many ups and downs. It was a roller-coaster of a ride. When Thursday night came to a close, and Bill Grundler was named the 2nd Fittest 45-49 year old in the world, along with Alison Locke taking 5th (60+), Dan Wells taking 14th and James Grundler taking 20th (40-44), I could not help but be a little dissapointed. I sat there reflecting back on the week. What could I have done differently to get Bill 1st? How could I have done a better job to keep Alison in the top 3? What mistakes did I possibly make to keep Dan and James out of the top 10? I can be really hard on myself. I emotionally invest in all my athletes. I want them to succeed more than anything. Instead of enjoying the fact that I trained the 2nd, 5th, 14th and 20th Fittest Masters on the planet, I questioned my abilities. That is just who I am.
Then a few days went by. My email inbox began to fill up with athletes inquiring about my services for next year. CrossFit HQ asked to interview me about my experiences coaching Alison Locke and the “Grundler Brothers.” One of my sponsors ATP MECHANIX put up this awesome post about my coaching abilities, and I began to think, “Maybe I did do a good job.” In the interview I was asked, “How did I get Bill Grunder post-ACL rupture to qualify for the Games at 5 months post-op, then onto the podium within a year?” You know, I kind of forgot about that, or I did not really put it into perspective. I coached a 46 year old athlete with a reconstructed knee to the a Silver at the CrossFit Games, wow. I did not think about it like that. Next question, “How did I get Alison Locke to do so well at the Games with less than a year of CrossFit under her belt?” You know, I did not think about that either. I just thought she was a stud athlete, haha, and that it really was not me. Sure, I coached her at the Games and really took her on in the months leading up to the big week. However, Jose Cobian really did all the teaching. He taught her how to CrossFit. He taught her the movements and showed her how to compete. I can’t take all the credit for her performance as it was a group effort through and through. I can take credit though for creating such an amazing coach in Jose Cobian. He really was the miracle worker here. His patience, attention to detail, and solid grasp of what we wanted to accomplish went above and beyond what was expected all week. He coached not only Alison, but also Bill, James, and Dan. Jose’s presence was felt immensely and knowing that Precision CrossFit is run by such an outstanding coach, athlete, and person really excites me for the future.
Dan Wells and James Grundler in their rookie campaigns did exceptional. Both had flashes of brilliance and what could be for them in the future. They both were ecstatic about their experiences and told me they would not have done remotely as well if not for my coaching. They are excited to get going for next year already. So in reflection I guess I did pretty well. While the possibility of coaching two of the fittest masters in the world and 4 top 10 athletes was a massive and motivating goal that I set for myself, in the end I coached the 2nd fittest (45-49year old) Masters athlete at a year post-op, the 5th fittest 60+ year old who led much of the way with less than a year in the sport, and two rookies through solid Games performances. They benefitted from a staff comprised of the incomparable Jose Cobian and Wade Malesich at my side; I not only coached my athletes, but also made sure they were well taken care of in every aspect: from Jose Cobian’s additional coaching abilities to Wade’s superior therapeutic abilities as a chiropractor and massage therapist. Many told me they could see a difference in the athletes I coached versus others. Pretty awesome compliment. By the end of the week, if Jose said something, every athlete listened to him. What an awesome feat that was to witness. I could not be more proud of how the 2015 CrossFit Games season ended. I am truly looking forward to 2016, but first some rest, a little vacation, and little weightlifting meet called USA Nationals on the agenda. It is true what they say, “Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life.” Darn straight. Here is to next year! To all of TEAM PRECISION, get ready–I have a feeling 2016 is going to be even better. Thank you all for the amazing support; the messages, emails, and kind words I felt them all.
Fitness-Strength-Community
WARM UP:
50 Single Unders
Then:
2 Rounds
10 Pass Throughs
10 OHS
10 Good Mornings
10 Strict Presses
10 Bumper Jacks
Then:
50 Double Unders
SKILL:
3 Rounds (At a Walking Pace)
10E DB Bent Row (Your Choice)
10 Bar Roll Outs
5 Strict Weighted Ring Dips
LIFT:
Clean Complex
(1st Pull – 3 Sec. Hold – Full Hang Clean From Mid-Thigh)
2 @ 70%
2 @ 75%
2 @ 80%
2 @ 85%
2 @ 90%
WOD:
“DOUBLE HANGER”
3 Rounds
100 Double Unders
7 Hang Clean & Jerks (185/125) (165/115) (135/95) (115/75)
*Double Under Sub will be 100 Singles.
POST WOD:
50 Weighted Sit Ups w/ Weight Across Chest
Then:
Mobilize & Stretch
