I thought it was an interesting response I’ve gotten from two members since I wrote my coaching blog just two days ago.

1. A member connects with one of my coaches on staff more than me, and was hoping to be paired with them on our new buddy system, but didn’t know how to tell me.  She felt comfortable broaching the subject after reading my blog.  I made it very clear to her that I loved that she connected with another coach.  All I want is for her to succeed and if that’s under someone else.  AWESOME!

2.  I had a member determine that she would be a better fit at another CrossFit gym.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  My only parting words to her were ‘you better keep kicking as*!’  And of course I contacted her new coach and let him know he better do big things with her potential.  Of course he agreed.

Dont’ get me wrong, it’s always sad when athletes leave, but it’s not about what I want.  As much as I want everyone to LOVE Coca CrossFit as much as I do and love our programming and coaching style I know that’s an unrealistic expectation.  People change and grow, and they’ll change and grow with Coca, or not, that’s ok.

My only concern:  KEEP BEING HEALTHY!  The only thing I hate seeing is someone leave Coca and lose all the hard work they’ve put in.

What does it really mean to be a coach?

Coaching is an interesting relationship regardless of what side you’re on be it coach or athlete.  I have the unique perspective on both sides of this topic.  I’ll explain my view on both.  My apologies for the length of today’s blog, but it’s a hot topic to me.

As an athlete:

I’ve had several people coach over my 5+ year CrossFit career.  I’ve found as I got better and expanded my world both inside and outside CrossFit my idea of what a coach is has changed.

My perception of ‘coach’ really changed when I qualified for  the 2010 CrossFit Games.  I knew I was going to the big show, and I knew I needed to step up my game.  I found myself driving to Toledo every weekend to work with Fred Lowe on my olympic lifts because we never really did the lifts.  I found myself driving to DC alone so I could up my intensity by training with Christy Philips and Julie Foucher.  I diligently researched nutrition and cleaned up my diet.  I often worked out alone and had too find my fire internally.

My first perception change happened at the 2010 Crossfit Games.  To this day I’m soooo glad Christy Phillips and Mel were there for me. I was overwhelmed, scared and felt alone.  My coach was there, parents were there and people from the gym, but under that stadium before and after workouts I was alone.  I looked around and many athletes had a coach that never left their side until they ran through the tunnel.  Perception change: Why didn’t I have that?

In August 2010 when I decided to open my own box I was on my own.  I connected with a local strongman gym.  Being my weakness at the 2010 Games was clearly raw strength.  I worked with a ‘coach’ once a week and he literally made the statement- ‘I MADE YOU!’ when I told him I was parting ways with him in January 2011.  Made me????  You’re kidding right?  Come to find out that my ‘coach’ was busy trying to weasel his way into all my sponsors using his coaching relationship with me to get in the door.  Without that connection his business and brand wouldn’t have that ‘in’ anymore.  When I realized that I parted ways as fast as I could. Perception change: coaches shouldn’t want to train you just to get ahead in their career.  They should be invested in their athletes success and the process for the love of the process.

I spent the next 8 months completely turned off on the idea of a ‘coach’.   Training  alone and programming for myself.  It wasn’t until August of 2011 that I was willing to even open the door on the conversation of having a ‘coach’.  I had a few people approach me about being my coach in the last year, but that wasn’t the way I wanted to enter the relationship.  But I also knew that I wanted accountability, critique and support.  I wanted to work with someone that already made their name and wasn’t trying to make a name off my back and was truly invested in making their athletes better for no other reason that loving the process.

Enter Brian Yoak.  I’ve known Brian for 4+ years now, and I’ve always had the utmost respect for him, his values, his morals and of course his knowledge.  Knowing I had trusted and respected Brian as a friend and peer I approached him about working with me.  He accepted without hesitation, and since then I talk with him on a daily basis, review video with him, receive programming help.

Would I say Brian is my ‘coach’?  Yes but- I wouldn’t give credit to any ONE person for my training.  Brian is my point person for my day to day training and the most involved earning him the title ‘coach’ from me.  I would also say that Brian is ONE of many coaches I have.  I work with Mark Canella on olympic lifts.  I work with Chris Mason on nutrition and supplementation.  I work with Marty Shea on swimming.  I work with the entire CF community for best practices.

Don’t get me wrong…. every ‘cocach’ I’ve had over the years has taught me new things and helped shape the person and athlete I am today, I just wouldn’t say they made me or got me anything.  My commitment to better myself, my inner drive and my constant quest for knowledge have made me what I am.

As a coach:

I have 120 members at Coca CrossFit that I’ve been coaching for a year and half now.  Some that are now starting to compete, and some that really have a shot at doing big things. I always feel weird when they call me their ‘coach’.  I think part of that is because I’ve still got so much to learn.

It’s still hard to believe that they’re coming to me for advice, guidance, counsel.  I’m the one they’ve entrusted to get them stronger, fitter, better.  I know that my 5 years of CrossFit and 2 years of competition certainly give me a unique perspective.  I’ve traveled across the country and visited several boxes.  I’ve met and worked with hundreds of coaches.  I’ve competed with the best.  Those experiences have taught me what it takes to be the best.  I don’t ask anything of my athletes that I haven’t already done myself.

I do my best to bring the best resources to the table as well.  I bring in specialists to lead clinics.  I brought in Chris Mason to talk with supplements.  I brought in Josh Bunch to talk nutrition.  I brought in Andrew Durniat to talk kettlebells.  I talk the mental and emotional side of competing.  I do my best to give my athletes the resources to be well rounded mentally, emotionally and physically while taking them to the next level.

I keep my eye on them, and hold them accountable to what they said they were going to do.  I’m truly invested in watching them grow.  I want to be there when they succeed, and I’ll certainly be there if/when they stumble.  It’s my job to be there through it all and keep them going.

OK …. OK….OK…. LONGEST BLOG EVER!  I’m aware of that, but this is a topic I could talk all day on.  A coach is a great thing to have and to be if the relationship works.  It has to be the right person that you truly trust to lead you in the right direction.  The person that is going to take you to the next level.  Or in my case, the people you think will take you to the next level.  It may change throughout the years as you change as an athlete and that’s ok.  It’s about what’s best for the athlete not the coach.

I have a coach and am a coach, and both sides of this relationship are important.

I wonder sometimes if I’m doing the right thing.  Here I sit on a Saturday night in a coffee shop chipping away at a paleo challenge tracking log and I wonder if that’s ok.  why?  Because the social norm would lead me to believe that at 29 years old, single, no kids I should be getting ready to party with my friends and whoop up the town.  I should be hanging out at the local watering hole looking for Mr. Right, or hell… even Mr. Right now.

But as I sit here working on the challenge log, there’s no where else in the world I wish I were.  I’m excited about the challenge, and the lives it could potentially change, and that excites me more than any night out on the town.  I’ve got a lot of projects and events coming down the pipe line, and I’m in a ‘busy season’ so that means I work.  And I use the word ‘work’ loosely.  It doesn’t feel like work.  It’s exciting and I’m excited about doing it.

What I wonder is if I’ll find someone that’s as crazy as me.  Loves CrossFit as much as me?  Loves my dog as much as me?  Loves the opportunity to change lives as much as me?   Or maybe not as much as me, but at least ‘gets it’.

Everyone says stop looking and he’ll find you.  I guess time will tell.  Until then I plan on spending my time on the things that make me happy, and right now, my work is making me very happy.

I commit to 25 days on a Paleo Diet

Today I hosted a nutrition clinic at Coca CrossFit.  Josh Bunch and Chastity Slone of Practice CrossFit were kind enough to come in to talk about their take on nutrition….. Paleo.

While I’ve known about Paleo for years, and followed a Plaeo-ish diet, I’ve never really committed.

Josh said some things that really got me thinking;

1. Carbs are an addiction.  If you have ‘cheat days’ or ‘cheat meals’ you’re allowing yourself to fall victim to your addition.  Alcoholics can’t have just one drink or a day to drink, why should sugars be any different?

2. As a coach you’re setting the example.  If I take cheat days or meals, or eat paleo-ish, how can I sit and tell someone else to eat paleo?

I learned a TON more about the science behind what’s happening, but those two points were the two that really stuck out to me.

Something that I’ve really focused on the last few months is leading by example.  As an affiliate owner and coach I am the example.  And if I’m not setting a good example, how can I expect my members to do anything but what I do?

I take my role seriously in every sense of the word.  By committing to a strict Paleo diet for 25 days I’m looking to break my addition to carbs and set a solid example for my community.

THIS IS MY FORMAL COMMITMENT: 25 DAYS OF STRICT PALEO STARTING TOMORROW!

I have so many things going on right now that I’m officially overwhelmed. It’s a challenge to run a business, train for competition, build my brand, train my dog, rollout new programs, create a competition team, order shirts, plan a challenge, create a fundraiser, produce clinics etc.

I’ve got so many amazing things going on at Coca it’s hard to keep up with it all.  I have the vision of what I want to build and it’s starting to take shape.  One thing I’ve quickly come to accept that I can NOT do it alone.

That’s where my 5 amazing coaches come in.  I’m blessed to have 5 coaches that LOVE Coca as much as I do, and are ready to step up and bring this whole thing to the next level.  I have no doubt that by organizing all the projects and giving them to someone else to spear head that I’ll be able to breath a little easier.

We’ll keep chipping and working together and we’ll come out stronger on the other side.