CrossFit Athletic Group

One of my favorites from the vault. Full video can be seen in the CrossFit Journal, but here's a clip.

As Dr. Romanov said, life is made up of frames. When Brian and I went to his seminar back in September 2011, he began with two simple ideas:

"I have two favors to ask of you. Accept yourself as a student of mine. And accept me as your teacher"

How simple. But as Brian and I were soon to learn, listening was one thing, and perceiving was something completely different.

In the frame for the video above, Carl is not an elite gymnast, friend, movement expert, or best coach on the planet. He is a student. If they were in a different frame, Anthony and Lucas might be friends of his hanging out, or students as Carl teaches them the skill transfer of the rope climb. But here, Carl (the newbie) puts all ego aside and accepts the fact that he is in a frame where he has the opportunity to learn something new.

There are many different frames in life. School, sports, music, etc. View the Champions Club as a frame. To achieve optimal results in this frame, which you all willingly became part of, it is necessary that you come in with this mindset. Take a second to read Dr. Romanov's quote again. Think of an example of when that can be used in your life. In CrossFit. In the Champions Club. How bout Mrs. Coyne (or Joyce to some of you.) Not too long ago, she was in a frame where she was the teacher and Sydni Golfin was her student. But in the bizarre, clutter filled, and roof-leaking frame of the Champions Club, Mrs. Coyne accepts herself as Sydni's student and has no prolem taking instruction from her. Abby Laurencelle and Jason Withorn will be in the same position this summer.

Or how bout Emma and Coach Kim. On many occasions, Emma (17 years old) would be teaching a 5 o'clock session which Coach would be participating in. Then an hour later at volleball practice, the roles would be completely reversed.

Many of you do a good job dealing with me in frames. I went to school with most of you. I coach track for a group of you. And I live two houses down from three of you. All of those are different frames than what we operate on at CrossFit. Make sure you understand that.

 Mrs. Coyne doing some squat therapy with Aaron Augustine - her 8th grade art student at the time

I decided to name this mini editorial after the video because I think it speaks for itself. Carl Paoli, the guy who is capable of coaching Sydni Golfin's left leg to grow three inches longer, takes coaching as well as anyone I've ever seen. And the scary thing is everyone at San Francisco CrossFit was the same way. Kelly Starrett, Brian Mackenzie, Diane Fu, Erin Cafaro. You name it. And if they can, then there is no excuse for us not to.

Truth is ugly sometimes…but it shouldn’t be. It’s only what you perceive. They’re just facts. When we can step back and look at it from a neutral mindset (in frames), then we can really start to reach our potential - athletically or anywhere else.

Be coachable.