Team Red, White, & Blue Functional Fitness Camp

A week or so ago I got the amazing opportunity to travel to Virgina for a functional fitness camp with Team Red, White, & Blue.  There were 50 veterans from all over the US and a bunch of phenomenal coaches.  I was super excited before even flying out because I knew I would be training at Crossfit Rubicon which is one of those gyms you always see in crossfit news, and I knew I was going to get the chance to meet a crossfitter that inspires me on a regular basis (Jason Sturm).  What I didn't expect was how much I would learn, and how many other amazing individuals I would meet.

Team RWB Funtional Fitness Camp 2013 at Crossfit Rubicon

I flew in Thursday evening, my shy side got the better of me and I hung to the back at dinner.  I found my roommate who had zero functional fitness experience but was a super excited and outgoing former Marine, and we hit it off right away.

Friday we headed over to Crossfit Rubicon for camp to really begin.  We had classes on squatting, goal setting, mobility, and dead lift.  We finished the day with a team workout (which team 4, my team, dominated).  Saturday was overhead progression (press, push press, push jerk, overhead squat), more mobility with Dr. Larson, the clean, and wrapped the day up with the "21 Gun Salute" workout. 

On one hand I would say I didn't learn a lot that was new to me, but on the other hand I learned so much and haven't really stopped thinking about it all.  It was great to train with different coaches and to better understand the how and why's about their gyms.  I got to watch new athletes discover crossfit, I got to see people without limbs adapt and overcome, I got to see veterans come together and cheer on every last individual through their workouts.

Dale and Derick were the coaches I primarily worked with.  They challenged me, a lot (and yes, I was listening even if it didn't seem like it).  I realized it's been a long time since I focused on the basics.  I can squat and I can clean, but what happens if I move my feet in an inch? or pull myself 2 degrees further over the bar?  I realized that my technique has gotten sloppy and it's no one's fault but my own.  I have learned to just survive my workouts, but not to be conscious or to push myself through them. I've just been going through the motions.  I've been stuck on my plateau for a while, and now I see why.

I am renewed.  I have changed my training schedule to include time for warm ups, mobility, technique, and my wod.  I owe it to myself. I realized that I need to be more present and conscious both in the gym and in my life, and to keep attacking.

So thank you to Team RWB for giving me this opportunity.  Thank you to all the coaches for giving your time and energy to teach. Thank you to all the friends I made, you remind me why being around other veterans is important, and that we all have garbage to over come, I'm not alone in that.