“TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO” – I love Ace Hardware. While searching for a plumbing part for my latest project (installing a water filter in my kitchen), an employee asked me, “you need some help”? I replied, “kinda, I’m looking for a particular water line piece.” But, instead of helping me find the piece I was looking for, he said: “tell me what you’re trying to do.” When I described my project and my conundrum, he said, “let me give you a better solution to your situation” and walked me through the steps. It was brilliant and practical (another reason I love Ace). When I related this story to my friend Tim, owner of CrossFit Palo Alto, he said, “well, we do the same thing with our customers.” He added, “when new prospects come to my gym, they usually say, ‘I want to try CrossFit’ and I reply: ‘tell me what you’re trying to achieve’ and then I break it down for them and show them the way.” Damn, Tim is right – that is what we do. The same is true for our members who want to achieve or improve a skill. More practice may help but, chances are, a good coach has a better strategy to achieve the same outcome much faster and with more reliability. Private coaching is probably the best way to learn a new strategy and they’re easy to set up: just ask a coach (kinda like the Ace employee in the red vest). Skills clinics can help too – so we’ve set some up with a few of our passionate and experienced coaches. Check ’em out: SEPT SKILLS CLINICS: (register on the Diablo App or stop by the front desk) - Sat, Sep 2, 2P: Ring Muscle Ups – Alessandra
- Thu, Sep 7, 7P: Jump Rope – Herald
- Sun, Sep 10, 2P, HSPUs – Shelby
- Sat, Sep 23, 2P: Bar Muscle Ups – Cole
PODCAST SCHEDULE YEAR END EVENTS – Mark Your Calendar! (We have our sh*t together this year) - Aug 25, 4PM: Diablo Hills Golf Outing (Diablo Hills Golf Course – 9 holes)
- Oct 7: Fall Classic Olympic Lifting Competition (Date subject to Change)
- Oct 28: Amazing Grace (Annual Charity Event at Diablo)
- Dec 16: Annual Holiday Party (Back 40 BBQ)
TWEET OF THE WEEK: It’s time to end the @CrossFitGames affiliate team competition. Instead, let’s revive the Invitational International Team format – held after the Games – with teams comprised of the best athletes representing a Country or Region. THE WEEK AHEAD:
Aug: Calendar & Newsletter. This Week: - Mon: Clean & Jerk. Metcon: Death by 10m
- Tue: Amrap 20m – 15/20c Air Bike, 12 Pull Ups, 30 DUs
- Wed: Snatch. Metcon: 4RFT – 6 Devil Press, 200m Run
- Thu: 50 WB, 2m Rest, 60 Lunges, 90s Rest, 30 Pull ups, 60s Rest, 20 C&J #75/115
- Fri: “Amanda”. Core Work
- Sat: 600m Row, 12 Hang Clean – Barbell 1, 20 Pistols, 8 HC – BB2, 600m Row
- Sun: 4RFT – 3 WW, 200m Run, 3 Rope Climbs, 200m Run
CRAIG’S LIST: Podcast: Two Chicks Do Grace: HillerFit – Andrew Hiller came to our RV area at the Games with Graciano Rubio (notorious strong guy) to do the workout Grace (30 Clean & Jerks for time #135/95). It was fun to have them – CrossFit posted Andrew & Graciano’s workout on their IG. Then, Andrew coaxed his girlfriend, Alexis Kowalsky, to do Grace with our RV neighbor & friend Brooke (her first Grace!). The video gives you a great insight into RV life at the CrossFit Games. It’s very special and very CrossFit. Twitter: By the way, please follow weightlifter, CrossFitter, & Affiliate Owner – Wall Street Weightlifter – Twitter & IG – Graciano is an incredible weightlifter. Podcast: Sevan Podcast Jason Kahlipa & Rich Froning – Great episode and pretty damn funny as these two OG CrossFit Games champs get together on the same podcast. Fast forward to Rich’s story about his recent sub 9hr performance in the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race – incredible and very entertaining. YT Short: Matt Damon talks about Tom Cruise – Tom Cruise is A Different Kinda Guy. Looking forward to the new MI movie – haven’t seen it yet. Research: Lifelong endurance exercise and its relation with coronary atherosclerosis. This one is a bit startling..Overall 191 lifelong master endurance athletes, 191 late-onset athletes (endurance sports initiation after 30 years of age), and 176 healthy non-athletes, all male with a low cardiovascular risk profile, were included. Peak oxygen uptake quantified fitness. Lifelong endurance athletes had more coronary plaques, including more non-calcified plaques in proximal segments, than fit and healthy individuals with a similarly low cardiovascular risk profile. I sent this to Mark Sisson, former Ironman Champion and author of the best selling Primal Blueprint nutrition book – which he wrote after seeing many of his peers suffer from metabolic diseases, including heart disease. He was not surprised and has been preaching it for almost 20 years: you cannot outrun a bad diet. And, excessive cardio may be contributing to heart disease. Have an awesome week.
Craig | 
