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Meet Lindsay

We, at Crossfit Central, have been doing some leadership training with the book, Strength Finders 2.0, for the past month. It has been really interesting finding out what our strengths are and how we can work together to complement each other and ultimately be a fine-tuned cohesive Team.


Each week we have met with one member of our Team to get to know what makes them tick- their strengths and how they relate those strengths to their lives. I LOVE this kind of cheesy- get-to-know-you stuff, and I love getting to know people on a more personal basis. Oh, that's one of my strengths by the way- Relator!

This past week I met with Lindsay. She is a newer member of the Relentless Bootcamp staff but is already doing great things. Lindsay is someone you are instantly comfortable with- she's easy going, fun to talk to, and in 5 minutes you feel like you've known her forever!


Lindsay has been really busy lately- getting married, doing lots of video and photography work, and of course Coaching bootcamps and our Corporate Wellness Program. What struck me about Lindsay were her strengths:


Empathy, Developer, Strategic, Restorative, Discipline


She is very organized, a good problem-solver, and a very hard worker. But one of the things that I have noticed about Lindsay is also that she seems to be an observer. She isn't one to be loud or talk just to say something. Lindsay seems to think things through and then give her opinion at just the right time. Sometimes the people that say the least have the most to say. Ya know?!


So there you have it.....Lindsay Spurck Schrock. I am so excited to get to know her better in the future and see what great things her life has in store!

Leigh Ann is Relentless!

Leigh Ann (in green)

This is Leigh Ann. 


She joined Relentless Bootcamp back in June and has been an integral part of our class. Leigh Ann is a High School basketball coach in Del Valle and is an endless encourager. She's the first one to give you a high five and tell you to keep on going. Even in the middle of the toughest WODs, she will shout out words of encouragement to other people in our class!

Leigh Ann's first time deadlifting... 195lbs!

Leigh Ann took on the Iron Belle Women's Only Challenge this year, and was even more hooked on Crossfit! She is always smiling and gives me a hug each time I see her. Leigh Ann has embraced the Paleo lifestyle, lost weight, gained muscle, and is training for her 3rd Houston Marathon in January. I can't wait to see how much she shaves off her time!


Since Leigh Ann is a basketball coach, she has had to take a few months off of Bootcamp classes because of practices, but we know she'll be back! 

Leigh Ann pressing the 53lb. KB!

Leigh Ann is an inspiration to our entire class, and for that, she is.... Relentless!!!

Words to Live By

This is what I see every morning and every night. And actually every time I am in my bathroom! I absolutely love this because it reminds me how I want to live each day. I'm not perfect. After all, I am human. Sometimes I don't speak so gently. Sometimes I forget to laugh. But I like to start (and end) each day reading these words and asking myself if I did, indeed, follow through with my intentions.


What we surround ourselves with daily is so vitally important to our psyche and our hearts. When we can find joy, peace, and acceptance within ourselves, we can most definitely be a mirror for others to see it in themselves.

Mmm...Chili

I was never a huge chili fan until I tried this recipe, taken from Mel at The Clothes Make the Girl. Now as soon as the temperature drops below 70, I whip this up and eat it for days! Hope you enjoy it.


Ingredients:

The base:
2 tablespoons of your favorite fat: olive oil, coconut oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 lbs. ground meat (lean beef, pork, turkey, veal, bison, or a mix)
Spices:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa * (the secret killer ingredient!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
Liquids:
14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes
6 oz. tomato paste
14.5 oz. can beef broth
1 bottle light beer (*see below for what NOT to do!) or about a cup of water
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute 'til soft. Add garlic and let heat 'til fragrant, about 2 minutes. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Add the meat and sauté until browned and crumbled.

2. Blend all the spices in a small bowl. Add to pot and stir well, about 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Stir well.

4. Crack open the beer and take a sip for luck. Poor the rest into the pot and stir well.

5. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low so the pot has a gentle simmer. SIMMER FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. Do not skimp on the simmer. Just as rest time is the magic time when you build your strength, simmering is the magic time when the flavors meld.

Variations:
This recipe makes 6 3-protein-block servings of 1 and 1/3 cups each. 

Add additional quality fats with some chopped black olives, green olives, or avocado slices (or all three!).

Add more veggies by serving over a bed of cooked spaghetti squash, grated zucchini, or baby spinach leaves.



*** I ommited a few things because I just didn't have them. Instead of beef broth I just added some water. Don't make the mistake I made of pouring in an entire bottle of dark, strong beer- bad idea- it was kinda gross.  Just keep an eye on the pot and add a bit of water if needed.


Also, I sauteed the meat and onions then threw it along with everything else into the crockpot for 2 or 3 hours instead of simmering on the stove.

53 Pounds of Fury

This is Mike. 

Mike brought his new 53 lb. Kettlebell to class on Tuesday.

Mike isn't messing around...

As we were warming up, I heard him telling Ryan, another bootcamper, something like "Yeah, I'll be ok as long as we don't do something like 1 arm overhead squats..."

See, I plan out all my WODs in advance and write them down (I'm OCD like that). I walked up to Mike and showed him the 2nd workout:

3 rounds:

20 1 arm KB squats

20 MB situps w/twist

400m run

He uttered a string of curse words and I just laughed...... 

Unfortunately for the rest of the class, the 1st WOD was a round of Tabata seated KB presses in a circle. After each round, they had to pass their KB to the left.

Guess who got the last laugh?!

Nice Job, Brooke!

Strong Woman!

Thanks for bringin' the hurt, Mike! We love you!!!

Join us every Tue/Thurs. at 6pm at Barton Hills Elem.

Your first class is FREE!

For more info, see our website: RelentlessBootcamp.com

Welcome, Logan!

Logan & Lori

Logan is our newest member of the Barton Hills 6pm Tue/Thurs. "Wilke Warriors" tribe. Logan came to Relentless bootcamp after hearing about it from our own Hanna aka "Hannarchy". 


Logan is a natural athlete and has picked up the movements very quickly. The picture above was her "hazing" intro to the famous Wilke Hill. Lori was her partner and, together, they made it to the top- Teamwork!


We are so happy to have you, Logan! 

Breaking Through Barriers

Today in my personal training small group session, I had them do 100 Burpees for time.  The look on their faces when I told them what we were going to do was priceless. A little uncertainty, a little dread, a little horror, a whole lotta WTF??!!


This particular WOD is a perfect example of the Crossfit = Life carryover.  100 Burpees sounds like it will take forever. It sounds utterly painful. It sounds like something one would never in a million years choose to do. 


But it's all about strategy- and just doing it. Breaking it down into manageable chunks, then just going at it and not stopping until you are done. Simple!


They all did a great job, and in the end, they all said how accomplished they felt. Like it wasn't really as bad as they had imagined. And if they could do this, what else could they do?!


I love seeing people go through this kind of transformation- it's an "overcoming" of sorts- overcoming fears, overcoming perceived barriers, overcoming self-imposed limitations.  It ALWAYS carries over into Life. Always. 

Ryan is Relentless

It's hard being surrounded by such beautiful, strong women... But Ryan handles it somehow!

Meet Ryan.


Ryan joined Relentless Bootcamp in June 2011 and drank some serious Kool-Aid! It wasn't long before Ryan was asking me to order him a 25# Kettlebell and kicking some serious a$$ in his workouts.


Ryan soon joined Coach Travis' Strictly Strength Project in addition to his twice a week bootcamp at Barton Hills. He has made tremendous gains in all areas of fitness for sure!  This is what Travis had to say:

"Ryan, like so many people, came into the world of weight lifting and strength training timid and unsure of himself.  After only a few sessions, I noticed Ryan walking in to the gym with a confidence and swagger.
It's inspiring to see the transformation people go through when they realize that they are capable of truly amazing things - and this transformation affects all aspects of life!
Ryan is now one if my most consistent and hardest working athletes I coach.  I continue to see him make improvements every week, and I appreciate his dedication to the Strictly Strength program!"





A few months later, Ryan brought his wife, Beth, to bootcamp. Now it's a family affair!

Ryan is always encouraging, always gives 110%, and is truly inspirational and Relentless!

Who needs plank holds when you can do these for Time?!

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, Ryan!!

Here Right Now

courtesy of AlyRxStar

The fulfillment you seek is here with you now. What you can do is accept it and live it.

The life you wish to experience is within a moment’s reach of the life you now have. The road to any fulfillment you can imagine is just one step away.

The achievement you desire begins to take shape the moment you truly commit to it. Your dreams are here right now for you to bring to life.

Instead of wishing that you could, know that you can. Instead of complaining that your dream is out of reach, feel the love and have the confidence to begin bringing it to life.

From anywhere you are, there is a path that will lead you to where you want to be. In this moment, on this day, the next step on that path is here for you to take.

Life and opportunity, dreams and fulfillment are here right now for you to embrace. Touch the best possibilities, and bring your beautiful, unique purpose to life.

My amazing life begins with this face every day...

Read more: http://greatday.com/index.html#ixzz1Z42WAxiL

Huge discounts for Teachers and Students!

Lori is Relentless

Pretty soon you'll start seeing these little blue beauties all around the ATX~~ 


I AM RELENTLESS


What does that mean? How do you get one of these?!


Relentless dedication
Relentless pursuit of excellence
Relentless discipline
Relentless desire 
Relentless encouragement of others
Relentless focus


You may not be the fastest. You may not lift the heaviest. But by now you know that's not what it's all about. We are giving these to people who exemplify the Relentless spirit.

Lori, Me, Leigh Ann

This is Lori.
Lori joined our community first through Fuel 21 back in the Spring. She then decided to join Relentless Bootcamp at Barton Hills. You know those people who you look forward to seeing because they always make you feel great? They always give you a hug or ask how your day was or just give you a big smile?


That's Lori.


Lori works hard each and every day. She always gives it her all. Even when I call "time" she wants to keep going and finish the workout. That's Relentless!


Our bootcamp is nicknamed the "Wilke Warriors" because of this heinous hill I make them run every so often! 

The first time Lori ran this hill back in June, she ran some and walked some, lamenting that hill running was something she absolutely DESPISED. I think she may have had nightmares that night!


Fast forward to last week. LORI RAN THE WHOLE THING!!!!!!!


She was so excited and proud of herself. It's times like these when you feel like if you accomplished something like that, you can do anything. 


I'm so proud of you , Lori, and I can't wait to see more of your accomplishments!
Oh, she has also lost about 20 lbs. and her clothes are falling off- woohoo!!


Check out Lori's blog: Primal Pancreas. Did I mention she is a Type 1 Diabetic and a damn good Paleo chef!


RELENTLESS...

Game Time

Visit sicfit.com for more videos

This past Monday in the Women's Only class I attend, the WOD that day was "Randy": 75 power snatches at 55 lbs.


When I first saw this workout the night before, I thought "oh dear god"- it sounded like one of those workouts that would be just as taxing mentally as physically. I wasn't too worried about the weight- 55 lbs. is not that heavy. But something about the number- 75- made me have a lump in my throat.


There's a saying in Crossfit- The WOD you don't want to do is the one you NEED to do.


That pretty much sums up my experience with Randy. It was hard.


But it was just what I needed that day. My life is going through a lot of changes right now. Some days it feels like I may just get swallowed up into the earth. But I have to keep pushing through. One step at a time. That's how I decided to approach Randy.


See, with workouts like this, you have to have a plan. You have to decide how you are going to tackle it, or it can seem endless and insurmountable. You can easily feel overwhelmed and frustrated.


I decided I would do it in sets of 10. After the first 7, I decided I would change that to sets of 5. I did 5 at a time. Touch and go. I decided to take 3 breaths between each set. Maybe this seems neurotic, but this is how I approach my workouts.


On rep #20 I thought "Am I ever going to get through this?"
On rep #40 I thought "Ok, I'm over halfway. But I can't breathe"
On rep #50 I thought "Wow! I got this! Only a few more sets to go"
On rep #60 I heard Tina call Time and thought "shit! she beat me dammit!!!" and got a renewed second wind :)


When I finally called Time at 8:39 (not an amazing time but I didn't care), I almost started crying. I couldn't breathe and because of my emotional state in my daily life, I teared up a little bit. See, I accomplished something that morning. I made it through a really tough workout that I had serious doubts about. I chipped away at it a little at a time. I kept pushing. I kept going back to the bar. I didn't quit.


Each day is a new day. Each workout is a new chance to prove to yourself that you are strong beyond measure- you can do way more than you think you can, and you can HANDLE way more than you ever thought.

It's Good to be Back

Lori and Leigh Ann brought us all souvenirs from their trip to Hawaii!

I managed to snap some pics of our ever-growing tribe at Barton Hills last night. Our class has grown by leaps and bounds this summer and it continues to make my heart smile every time I get to coach these hard-working, endlessly encouraging individuals. When you show up to "work" and don't want it to end, you know you are in the right place!


Last night's workout went something like this: After the usual warm-up...

Nice form, Abby!

25 KB swings
100ft walking lunge with KB
2 rds

Husband/Wife duo Trent and Brooke

25 Partner medball situp throws
3 tap toss (5 each side)
2 rds

Stations: 45sec on/15 sec rest
Parallette pushups
KB SDLHP
Burpees
Cradles
2 rds


Have a wonderful Friday and a restful Weekend!

Your Ideal Life

Lisa Thiel at the 2011 Crossfit Games

If you had no limitations, what would you choose to achieve? If you could get up from where you are right now and go to do literally anything, what exactly would it be?

You instinctively know there are things that matter to you more than anything else. It’s important to remind yourself specifically of what they are.

You may not be able to fully achieve your ideal life right now. Yet you absolutely can take very clear, definite and effective actions today to move your life in the direction of that ideal.

With every choice, with each decision, you are progressing in one way or another. Know clearly where you want to go, and even the little moments will bring you closer.

Your life is a continuing manifestation of your most firmly held intentions. So focus on the intentions that you most sincerely and passionately desire.

The dreams that come true are the dreams with which you are most intimately and consistently familiar. Know precisely what you want, and the living of your life will make it real.

— Ralph Marston

Read more: http://greatday.com/index.html#ixzz1UJ6et9sZ

Crossfit Games in One Week!

The Crossfit Games are only a week away. I am so excited to get to go this year and cheer on my friends and fellow coaches!


Games Bound from CrossFit Central - The Triune on Vimeo.

Paleo Key Lime Pie

What you will look like when eating this pie

I am a Key Lime Pie fanatic. The more tart, the better! Last time I ate Key Lime Pie my stomach hurt for the next 6 hours because of the dairy. I just made the following Primal Key Lime Pie and it is cooling as I write this!


Pie Crust:
1.5 cups sliced almonds
4 pitted dates
1 Tbsp coconut oil


Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until just short of nut butter. My food processor broke recently, so I used my Magic Bullet and it turned out just fine. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, grease pie pan with coconut oil, and dump pie crust "paste" into the pan. Spread/mush it around with your fingers to flatten it out. Bake for 6-8 minutes until just a tad golden.

Filling:
Key Limes are REALLY little, so I used regular limes instead.


4 tsp lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice
3 Tbsp honey
3 eggs
1 cup Coconut Milk (in the can)
2 Tbsp coconut flour


Whisk everything together and pour into pie pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. It should be "set" and not jiggly in the middle. Let it cool and, if you can stand the wait, put in fridge to eat the next day.

Perfection!!

***Update: This Key Lime Pie recipe is AMAZING!!! Just the right blend of tart and sweet- the dates in the crust make it slightly sweet, and the filling is super tart- yum...

Wednesday Motivation!

Get Some!!!

Client Appreciation: Cassie!

Cassie has been training with me for over a year now. She is a straight up Rockstar! Cassie is always up for a challenge- the harder the better, and just last week I called "time" but she insisted on finishing the workout- daaaang!!


This January, Cassie took on the Trojan Challenge and in just 8 weeks she lost

8.35 inches

7.4% body fat

9.4 lbs

Cassie embraced the Paleo lifestyle and saw huge results, as well as increased strength and endurance!

Since it is Client Appreciation Month at Crossfit Central, I decided to do a few Client- inspired workouts. This one is called

The Cass-Bomb

50 KB situps

40 KB swings

30 Pushups

20 KB shoulders

10 Burpees

Run Wilke Hill

10 Burpees

20 KB shoulders

30 Pushups

40 KB swings

50 KB situps

3-2-1- Go!!!

I hid this little treasure at the bottom of the hill for an extra "bonus"!

The infamous Wilke Hill- it goes on and on...

Cassie and Hanna- mother/daughter duo!

Plank hold contest- Hanna won at 2:30!

Lori's tribute to Wilke Hill- she secretly loved it!

Welcome New Bootcampers!

Relentless Bootcamp is having a killer Summer special for Austin area Teachers- 22% off! That comes down to $100 for 2x/wk or $150 for 3x/wk- can't beat it!!


Here is what one of my new Bootcampers has to say after her 2nd day of Bootcamp:

"Relentless Bootcamp totally rocks! I love everything about it. Thank you Lori for taking me and thank you to Kat for being a super motivating coach. I AM HOOKED!!!"

Paleo Chicken Alfredo

Voila!

When I first saw this recipe, I thought "There is no way. I mean, Alfredo sauce is super creamy!" I was WRONG!! Granted, it's not exactly like Alfredo sauce, but it was pretty freaking good.  I found Kelp noodles at Natural Grocers (Guadalupe and 39th) but I'm sure you can get them at any Whole Foods-type store. 

Taken from The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

Use kelp noodles but if you cannot find them where you live, use spaghetti squash as an alternative. However, there will be much less sauce with spaghetti squash.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 12oz package of kelp noodles
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp tarragon
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet. Saute the garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes, then add to the skillet and cook until all sides are brown.
2. Rinse and chop the kelp noodles. Add them to the skillet along with the tarragon, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Then, pour the liquid from the skillet carefully into a small container for use in the sauce.
3. Add the cashews, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and paprika to a blender. Cover and blend into a powder. Add the reserved pan juices slowly, blending into a thick sauce. You'll have to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender periodically. Add the juices until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.
4. Add the sauce to the skillet, then mix well. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer, until the kelp noodles have become tender.
5. Zone info: 4 servings at 1 carb block, 4 protein blocks, 10 fat blocks. (9g carb, 28g prot, 15.5g fat)

Hilly Fartleks!

Go Cassie Go!

Have you ever done Fartleks (or Indian Runs)? It's when everyone runs in a line and the last person sprints to the front of the line. Usually this is done around a track or field, but in Relentless Bootcamp we take it up a notch!


The Barton Hills Crew not only did Fartleks up a crazy steep hill, but they did it with a 6lb. MedBall! Can you say "Hardcore"??!!

At the top...whew!