Words of the Week Archive
Geared towards beginners, but includes something for everyone. Click each title for the full write-up. Read and enjoy! Comments are always welcome.
Follow Scott on Twitter & Instagram. Other writing at LifeIsTheFuture.com
MAXIMIZING YOUR AMPLIFY EXPERIENCE Part 1: "Cleared for Arrival." Before Entering Amplify June 16, 2017 Prior to setting foot in the gym, some items need to be in place to ensure success with any fitness program.
Part 2: "You Are Here." Upon Arriving at Amplify June 30, 2017 Items for you to do in the minutes before class starts.
Part 3: "Going Strong." The Smart Approach to Strength Work July 14, 2017 A look at how to approach any barbell lift or gymnastics skill focus.
Part 4: "Hold Fast." The Right Conditions for Conditioning July 28, 2017 The lung-burning effects of metabolic conditioning and strategies to get the most from conditioning work.
Part 5: "Add-Ons." Supplemental Training & Accessory Movements August 11, 2017 Additional work to sharpen your skills, round out your mobility, and achieve the best fitness possible.
Part 6: "The Balancing Act." Maintaining Life Balance August 25, 2017 Ending the six-part blog series with wrap-up reminders on lifelong health and overall well-being.
CROSSFIT OPEN 2017 CrossFit Open: The Seven Year Itch April 1, 2017 Seven years have passed since CrossFit Amplify opened its doors to the public. That's also seven years of witnessing the competitive itch in the CrossFit Open, which has helped members push their mental and physical limits to do things they never thought possible.
2016 CrossFit Open: Another Year Already? April 1, 2016 Another year! Another CrossFit Open comes to a close after five torturous weeks of physical tests and mental challenges. What have we learned?
2015 CrossFit Open: 5 Weeks & Five Years April 1, 2015 CrossFit Amplify hits its five year anniversary with the conclusion of another great five weeks of Open competition. Here's a look at the 5-year mark, the 5-week torture, and the perennial option to redo or not to redo.
2014 CrossFit Open: The Amp Community at Large April 3, 2014 CrossFit Amplify had over 100 members register for this year’s Open competition. This was also one of the largest numbers in the Midwest and North Central Region. Bigger than all this is the exponential growth of Amplify unity.
2013 CrossFit Open: On the Bubble April 8, 2013 (+ June 3, 2013) CrossFit Amplify missed advancing to the North Central regional in the CrossFit Games by one spot. Top 30 teams move on from the CrossFit Open. We were 31st. Plus: An Edit! In a turn of events where advancing teams opted out of Regional competition because of one reason or another, CrossFit Amplify was in fact asked to compete in the 2013 North Central Regional. We qualified!
NEW YEARS 2017: A New Year January 1, 2017 Lifestyle vs. Resolution. The magic isn’t in the programming; it’s in the lifestyle change. A resolution is easy to scrap. A balanced lifestyle is never thrown away; it fluctuates and evolves, naturally, but it remains intact.
2016: A New Year January 1, 2016 What's with the logo? The anarchy “A” symbol was adopted for CrossFit Amplify almost 6 years ago. Read the history and connection as to why.
2015: A New Year January 1, 2015 Like fire or water, it seems love and hate can spread fast these days. An examination at how social media is afire with the love of CrossFit and accordingly flooded with CrossFit hate, all as it relates to new challenges each year.
2014: A New Year January 1, 2014 A comparative look at two scenes: Punk rock and CrossFit. In a sense, punk rock means you do what you need to survive. CrossFit means much of the same. The pursuit? A no-holds-barred approach to health and fitness. Similarities are abound.
2013: A New Year January 1, 2013 Whether you’re brand new or a veteran at Amplify, welcome to the next year of CrossFit.
TRAINING The Fitness Equation July 27, 2014 Things can look so simple on paper: fuel, work, rest, repeat. So where do we go wrong? Check out the basic recipe for success in physical fitness.
Goal Setting June 15, 2015 Any good summer begins with a goal. But a goal without a plan is just a wish. Check out some simple tips on how to get plan your summer workouts and reap the benefits come fall.
Dedication August 18, 2015 If we're always looking for that quick fix like the cheap thrill of an action movie we'll find lots of excitement with absolutely no substance. Spoiler alert: hard work is never easy. The path of least resistance, on the other hand, is.
Balance July 6, 2015 Physical, mental, and social well-being are ever-present, and like an equilateral triangle, all are essential pieces to a happy and fulfilled existence. It is this balance that keeps us safe and thriving atop the gigantic skyscraper of life.
Warm-ups August 25, 2013 Warm-ups are useful and necessary... but maybe not in the way you think. So what is truly necessary for workout preparation?
Variance August 12, 2014 Variety is the spice of life. But is it the key to fitness?
Scaling August 5, 2012 Scaling correctly will increase work capacity more efficiently than attempting to complete workouts as prescribed before you’re ready.
Progress August 25, 2014 Baby steps, they say. As if results come any other way. So is there any way to optimize our progress in physical fitness?
Setbacks July 21, 2015 It is not the setbacks themselves that define us, it is how we face each obstacle that proves our worth.
Giving Up June 22, 2015 In weightlifting, it is so necessary to correctly fail that dumping a barbell should be simultaneously taught with how to successfully make a lift. Check out tips on what that means.
Injuries August 4, 2015 The safety first philosophy is never a bad one, but major concerns over physical activity, namely CrossFit, are seemingly cloaked in something else entirely. Take a read for statistics, insight, and prevalence of injury occurrence within common exercise programs.
Cherry Picking July 21, 2014 You want to get better, don’t you? Stronger, faster, healthier? So why shy away from the very workouts you need? Why skip the movements that could use improvement because you’re not good at them? Why stay home because you hate what you see planned at the gym?
Body Types July 14, 2014 We come in all shapes and sizes, us humans. But life is a bit like a poker game in that you can't control your starting cards. Like it or not, you have to play the hand you're dealt. Check out body types and a little about the endocrine system as well as the hormone response as it relates to fitness.
Food = Fuel July 1, 2014 Treating food as a reward; it's a misleading thought process. Animal instinct is to eat for function. Human reality is to eat for fun. Can it ever be both? Check out one aspect within the wide-ranging topic of nutrition: thinking of food as fuel.
Time June 16, 2014 Time management is as annoying as, well, a ticking clock. But without the time to do the things we want, particularly in our fitness journey, nothing can ever happen. So how can we stop time? Or at least, how can we prolong the onset of the aging process?
Weakness September 1, 2013 Embrace your strengths, and attack your weaknesses. See some recommendations on how to rid yourself of those chinks in your armour.
Attitude August 18, 2013 Whether you think you can, or you think you can't-- you might be wrong? Check out how.
Community July 21, 2013 Welcome to a community of people who have decided that 'easy' will no longer suffice.
Competition July 15, 2013 In the CrossFit world, more and more competitions are popping up that test fitness. How did we take exercise and make it a sport? Is that even possible? It seems that the "sport of fitness" is growing, so in that case we might as well address it.
Failure August 26, 2012 In reality, failure is a necessary evil. It’s a means to an end, really. It’s the path to success.
Results September 3, 2012 The fun part is not always the journey. Workouts themselves are both arduous and addictive, the latter because of results.
Motivation August 13, 2012 It’s tough sometimes. Motivation to go to work, to go to school, to do chores around the house, to plan a healthy meal… to get to the gym.
Commitment July 2, 2013 Deciding that you are going to do everything you can to achieve something... critics be damned.
MOVEMENTS The Deadlift August 4, 2014 It's an orchestrated revival of dead weight. Just sitting there, laying on the ground like a corpse. Begging in absolutely no words to be picked up and resuscitated.
Squats July 2, 2012 That love-hate relationship. Heels down, butt back, chest up.
The Clean June 24, 2013 Sibling to the Snatch and in the same sentence as the Jerk, the Clean is one of the most difficult lifts we perform.
The Jerk July 7, 2014 It can make or break you, the Jerk. It's that tiny difference between a successful lift and the feeling of utter failure. So how do we beat this bully?
The Snatch September 9, 2012 All jokes aside, it deserves attention. It’s arguably the most difficult lift we perform.
The Front Squat July 13, 2015 It's like sitting in a chair for a nice dinner, isn't it? So why is it so difficult when we ask the body to hold a weighted object at the chest and travel below a parallel line of action?
Pull-ups June 23, 2014 Whether you're looking to develop your strict, your kip, an efficient butterfly, or simply your first pull-up ever, check out some ideas behind the movements and quick guidelines on the road upwards.
Toes to Bar June 29, 2015 An elusive movement for CrossFit newbies, and a frustrating one for fitness veterans. See lead-up exercises and other tips that can help development and efficiency.
Handstands July 28, 2015 For many, being upside down is scary. It’s the opposite of feeling safe and comfortable. It’s a roller coaster ride, not just in the physical sense but in emotional terms as well.
Muscle-ups August 11, 2015 It’s easy to explain why people like them, once witnessed; why athletes who first step into a CrossFit gym set their sights on accomplishing a muscle-up. Plain and simple, the muscle-up looks cool.
Running, Part 1 July 29, 2013 Running is a skill. Something inherent to our nature, it oftentimes gets neglected. But like any physical movement, there is an efficient way to run. In Part 1, we examine footwear.
Running, Part 2 August 4, 2013 To correct bad running form, we sometimes worry about little things instead of major items. It's backwards thinking. We can't worry about a leaky sink if the house is on fire. In Part 2, we examine form & efficiency.
Running, Part 3 August 11, 2013 Finding the best way to incorporate running into a fitness program specific to CrossFit is tricky. In Part 3, we examine workout programming.
MetCons July 7, 2013 Metabolic Conditioning. A potent, potent thing, deserving of respect and responsibility. Which means abuse and misuse are rampant. Learn about the lure of the MetCon and the dangers of addiction.
Midline Stabilization August 19, 2014 "So what do you do for abs?" A question common for CrossFit gyms, as if the only measure of fitness is 6-pack abs.
MAINTENANCE Range of Motion July 22, 2012 ROM. Need work on mobility? Check out these tips and videos. Cutting your ROM in a workout? You’re cheating yourself in both the short and the long run.
Ripping August 19, 2012 Blister rips. Callus tears. Bloody hands. They’re an injury. Period. So what are you doing wrong?
Soreness September 17, 2012 How about those stairs? Washing your hair? Fun stuff after some brutal workouts. So, what to do about that soreness?
Sleep July 15, 2012 Following up work with recovery. So how much sleep is necessary? Are we getting the right amounts? And what about naps?
Water June 25, 2012 What to do about your water intake? Check out the leading hydration recommendations.
The CrossFit Games July 8, 2012 Games history... its growth, its let downs, and its excitement.
Olympics July 29, 2012 Watching the best athletes in the world do what they do. How does this relate to us and CrossFit?
Summer June 18, 2012 Despite the excuses of summer, there is a way to get your workouts in and reap the benefits come fall. Check out simple tips on how.