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« New Graduate: Grandma Pip | Main | Champions Club Summer 2015 Dream Team + Athlete of the Summer »

The Days Are Just Packed

There may be only one thing in this world Murley and I will not find ourselves arguing about, and that would be the classic comic strip series Calvin and Hobbes. From the misadventures of Spaceman Spiff, to the sadistic snowman designs, to the philosophical wagon rides off the side of a cliff, the Calvin and Hobbes catalogue have been the only “books” I’ve genuinely enjoyed reading from 7 years old all the way up through today. When I was younger, I caught a lot of the obvious humor, but not the subtle references I do today. However, even early on I still identified with Calvin – the restlessness, the daydreaming, Getting Rid Of Slimy GirlS. And the strip above – from the 1993 collection named after Calvin’s last words – may be the core reason behind why I freaking love the Summer so much.

In a day with filled with nothing but potential, Hobbes begins by helping his buddy up a tree without the slightest clue why he’s doing it or what it’s for. But the loyal stuffed tiger does it because he’s Hobbes and that’s just what he does. Then in the wake of the previous failed attempt at attention-seeking revenge we find out Calvin’s latest plot: sit in a random tree and pray to the holy god of water balloons that Susie Derkins crosses paths with that exact same tree. This is probably the same thought process that went through Carter’s head when he told me he wanted to coach a session on his birthday.

When Hobbes questioned the high probability of Susie not walking by, Calvin reveals that their entire day would just end up being spent sitting in a tree. Oddly enough, it never seemed to occur to Calvin that that could be a bad thing.

...........

School rules everything. Every single person we know will either be going through it, is going through it, or has gone through it. School, and all of the routine, discipline, and restriction shapes our lives. It’s why parents plan vacations around school breaks. It’s why we save up our money. It’s why many of you are going to owe a lot of money. It determines who is in or out of your social circle. And this monotone, mundane drum beat continues for 9 consecutive months every year for all of your conscious life up to this point. Sure, we get a few breathers mixed in (Christmas, spring break, Thanksgiving, 1:15 days… oh, wait… sucks for you Ricky!) but the grind is real. Despite our best attempts, this pattern stays with us even after we finish.

Then there’s summer. And thank God for summer.

During the summer, you are actually allowed to act on that primal impulse urging you to go outside when you see sunshine through the window. Your shirt does not have to hide inside your pants. Heck, having a shirt on your shoulders is not even a requirement (granted, it should be for some, but that’s beside the point). Best of all, summer has no routine. Every single second of that day has the potential to be less restricted, less planned than the last. And if all else fails, we can afford the luxury of filling as many seconds as we so desire doing absolutely nothing. When Calvin says, “The days are just packed,” that is what he means.

...........

In the Champions Club, Summer is king for all of the reasons mentioned above, but there is also more to it. In an odd way, during the summer the Champions Club seems to replace the exact things school forces upon us the previous months – the routine, the discipline, the restriction. You have your set session we encourage you to make, we hold you to very high standards of performance, and we hold you back when you fail to meet them. And because I am an obsessive recluse, you will sometimes feel like your entire Summer has to revolve around the Champions Club. It sounds like a bad thing, really. But when you think about it, it’s not because within that framework, you are granted near infinite freedom. As long as you are at your session, moving well, and not pissing off a bunch of people, this place is yours. Yesterday was a perfect example.

I have said it before, but the time I spent last year at the Day Care may have been the most influential coaching experience I’ve had since Carl Paoli came our way. I learned how to be hands-off (no Jerry) and let the kids figure things out for themselves – something I carried over into coaching at the Champions Club. As coaches, our goal is to get you moving well with the least amount of actual coaching possible. So that means we allow you guys to make mistakes so you can correct them yourself. As weird as it sounds, that it an extremely difficult thing for me to do. To do nothing costs me more energy than trying to do everything. But the more I forced myself to coach like this, the more I saw it paying off. Other people took note as well. And when I saw the success it brought to the workouts, I tried to keep the same mindset for the community at the gym. That resulted in what may have been the most enjoyable Summer we’ve ever had.

In reality, you guys ran the show this Summer. I set a few general guidelines for individual athletes, workouts, or sessions (intensity vs. volume, content rating, etc.) but you guys were the ones who figured out how to make it work. This was your product and something you should be proud of. The Kavanaughs, Marathon Matt, Katie Shakes, Carter the Blob, Mr. Anderson, and Mrs. Pip all did more to shape this Summer than myself or any of the coaches did.

My role shifted from “coaching” to observing/solving, and I noticed what the Champions Club Summer actually does is gather a giant group of people with the same fundamental values to hang together.

You guys feed off each other. During the school year schedules are sporadic, everyone’s attention is dispersed, and other things rightfully take priority. Those things seem to magically disappear once the second Monday in June rolls around.

The Champions Club Summer is one of the best learning environments you will find. There are no books, no tests, and no grades, but the learning comes in a different manner: trial and error. As long as you abide by the general movement and character standards, you have the freedom to figure out what exactly makes you get the most out of CrossFit. It could be coming in a half hour early to get focused mobility before a session, flipping the “switch” during workouts, or staying an hour after your session finishes to talk with your friends. You get to learn by doing. It’s kind of what school should be like.

For multiple reasons, this can only happen during the Summer

Earlier today, I went back and read The Summer of the Sumo Deadlift. It seemed to me everything opposite happened this year. Just about all of the New Kids from May stuck around, our college kids were good, we not only had a parents session but had one that was voted the best session, our 10 am rookie class came through, and we even had the babies. Our attendance was up, our workouts looked better, and community was as good as it’s ever been. I think it’s safe to say the Champions Club Summer 2015 was an unquestioned success. Seeing as we’re around each other so much, we’re bound to get annoyed with other people every now and then. The coaches clashed a little, you kids had a few heated arguments, there was some burnout… but it’s nothing out of the ordinary of what all families go through.

How good is your life at that moment when you can spend an entire day sitting in a tree?

I still truly believe you don’t know Summer unless you’ve spent it with the Champions Club. Thank you guys for everything. And let’s make it even better next year.

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Reader Comments (11)

That was just uncalled for Chris...

August 31, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterRicky

It seems to all coincide with that Jacob guy leaving the box. He must've been the fly in the Kool-Aid.

August 31, 2015 | Unregistered Commenterconcerned fitizen

Jacob actually helped get the ball rolling back in January. We probably wouldn't be here without him.

August 31, 2015 | Registered CommenterChris Sinagoga

Loved this article! So thankful for our box and can't wait for next summer already!

August 31, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterLauren Higgins

This summer was definitely a good one! It was so much fun here at the Champions Club and it wouldn't have been the same without everybody! I'm excited for next year!

August 31, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterElizabeth

It was a truly great Summer. Thanks everyone.

September 1, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterMr Warthman

Good read, but now comes the hard part and true challenge to everyone: maintaining this level. To me when looking at professional athletes, yes their skills are unreal, but every once and a while someone like Chris can snag an OBJ one handed glorious catch. The key here is the consistency, that they can come in and play at that level every, single, day. A point/goal was reached, so now do we regress, do we keep pushing (i.e. adding more strength elements and with programming/intesnsity), do we let the reigns off more (please yes) and push this thing to the next level?

September 1, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterAlejandro

Very true Faust. As of now, I plan on intensity/speed being a point of emphasis this fall.

September 1, 2015 | Registered CommenterChris Sinagoga

You stole my post Faust. Great post

September 1, 2015 | Unregistered Commentermatt

Summer fun is over! It's time to kick it up a notch, the holidays will be here soon and we All know what the holidays bring to our bodies!!

September 1, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterMrs. Carey

Cool read. This summer felt good

September 1, 2015 | Registered CommenterEmma

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