Nice thrusters, bro!

http://opglutenfree.blogspot.com/

I'm having a really eventful Friday night. ;)

"SAVE OUR NEWBIES!" - An appeal to our veteran members.

As we expected, some of our new members are canceling their memberships. Excuses range from: "I'm too busy" and "I don't have time" to "I can't afford it at this time." And, several new members are quietly fading into the background: just not coming in any more.

Many of us have been in their position: 2-3 weeks into CrossFit, feeling very sore and tired, not losing weight, having to scale the wods, not getting stronger, no support from family and friends, etc. Now is the most difficult time mentally for anyone new to a fitness program, and especially CrossFit.

So we're asking for your help, vets! If you're in class and you see someone new, take a second, say hello, ask him/her how its going, and then share your experiences with CrossFit - good and bad. Letting the new peeps know that they're not alone in their new-life "transition-misery" might just be the difference between quitting and sticking it out.

Our mission is to make people fit beyond expectation. We can't execute our mission if people don't come! CrossFit works!! And three days a week is all most people need.

Thanks for your help, DCF family.

3 slots left to fill (all late March) for meals for Jasmine and Stav. So far BIG THANK YOU to Mark, Holly and Mountain, Katie, Sarah A, Davida, Diana, Tami and the 6am super-dupers Matt and Eleni for volunteering.
Come on, people! Email me if interested in providing a meal for this family. And really, it's not so much a meal for a family of five as it is for a family of 2.5, since three of them are very very small!

I like your post, Craig. I wonder if it would be helpful during the newbie sessions to have them map out a tentative schedule of when they "think" or "would like" to make it in to the gym for class. Then, that specific class or one or two people can keep an extra eye out for them and be more intentional about greeting them and supporting them. It would also help them look into the future to see how they can make classes work in their schedule and life. I have found that it is always helpful to have a buddy or familiar face you know will be in class with you. I never would have kept coming if it wasn't for our girls class... when I knew I would see the same three faces everytime ;)

Just a thought. There are so many people in each class now, I never know who is new, who is old, who knows what they are doing and who doesn't. Feel free to introduce people to me and don't forget to give us a little background as to where they are at in their training... ie. this is so and so, it is her first class since her newbie sessions, etc.

Maybe it will help!
See you all this am for a MOD WOD ;)
JAZ

Just a thought for everyone competing in the sectionals:

Mitty Highschool, site for the NoCal Sectional, has a big, beautiful swimming pool.

They say (I have no idea who "they" are by the way) that is takes 6-8 weeks to make or break any habit. So if after 3 weeks they are fading, that's an issue.

What about a "mentor" style program where they get paired up or put together with 2 other vets (not including the trainer who did the one-on-one) that can coordinate some workout times and encourage throughout that transition period until they have the chance to see the results?

Mike - I had no idea you had serious ideas floating around the head of yours! I like that thought and it had no creepiness involved. I know I would have love a mentor to talk to when I was starting out

I remember having a conversation about 4-6 weeks in with Jeremy about not feeling like I was getting anywhere. I wasn't loosing any weight, my clothes didn't feel any better and I was getting any stronger. Luckily for me I have never been too scared to share my feelings and opinions) with anyone so I felt comfortable seeking out information from other sources (especially since I never saw who did my newbie after I finished because they only taught 6 am and there is no way I'm getting up that early no matter ow much I love it there) Needless to say I was getting frustrated at that point.
Lucky for me I had no life so there was no way I was going to quit but that very next month (about 10 to 12 weeks in) The weight started FLYING off and I started ti repeat WOD's and seeing that some things got easier (i.e. I could actually do a burpee for real).
I knew I was hooked from day 1 but I realize that not everyone is as "out there" as me so I post this in hopes that if someone is having the same issue they don't feel like the only one. Jeremy was a great source to discuss my issues with when just starting as was Mark. Now that I have met all the trainers, I can GUARANTEE that every one in that building LOVES to help. I have had numerous people take time when they were finished with their workout to answer my inane questions...Thanks Sarah, Carrie, Mark, Michael, Mike P, Nick, Jeremy, Craig, Yvonne, Holley, Laci, Shannon....too many names. Remember newbies it takes a village.

Sorry for the super long post...but you guys just bring the passionate out of people ;o)

Craig ... you really think they would throw in swimming?

Mike the mentor program is a GREAT idea! I know the mentors and friends I had really helped me when I started! I will also try to be more intentional about talking to newbies! Love DCF! On another note FGB the day before my first 5k in years may not have been a great idea, foam roller and I have some work to do before tomorrow morning!

Jazz: will do - and we'll alert all the trainers to do the same.
Mike: excellent idea. Thank you.

Scott: I would. In a heartbeat.

4 Rounds for time:
Swim 50m
25 KB Swings 1.5p
25 Push ups

(By the way, I'll challenge anyone in the shed to this wod, for a six-pack of their favorite ale).

Where is a good pool nearby? Any of them have free access?

Ahhh... a crossfit wod with swimming?! That would be my DREAM!!!!! Too bad I can't try and compete this year, think my competing jitters would go away in a pool. Craig.. you're on to a challenge on that WOD! (But perhaps post baby would be a good idea... then I can take that 6 pack of ale from you!)

Love all the ideas of encouraging newbies. For sure feel free to introduce me to people as well. I know having someone say hi consistently was huge for me!

The mentor idea is awesome Mike! Maybe when a newbie starts we should assign them to 2 of us that are willing to help. I would love to help in the morning classes. I just remember Jaz making a comment on the channel 2 news about starting out, " if you can't do the movements let someone else do it for you for a while."

Malissa we are so lucky you are a part of DCF!

I think the comment was actually, "if you can't believe in yourself, let someone else do it for you...".
Thanks Malissa, and I ALWAYS ask every single person who they are if I do not recognize them or know their name, at least.
Even if I'm not teaching the class, if I'm not sure if they are new or not, I obviously haven't talked to them before. In that case, I just go up and say, "Hi, I'm Mark." (I've yet to have someone act like they were annoyed by it--quite the opposite).
Over the years I've had a couple "second first meetings", but that's better than no first meeting, and it gives us something to laugh about the next time we meet.