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PREGOFITCrossFit & Pregnancy

DO or DIECROSSFIT CENTRAL IS GAMES BOUND

PERFORM THISPLUS

www.CrossfitLove.com

www.arcticease.com®

“Recovery is one of the very important aspects of CrossFit.

Arctic Ease helps me ease the pain!

And the pain is inevitable.” - Joe Petrusky, Cross� t LoveFishtown, PA

the teamFounders:Carey KeplerJeremy Thiel

Editor in Chief:Nicole Hughes

Art Director:Zac Hughes

Contributors:Katherine Grosshaupt Ingrid KantolaJessica Stephen

Photography:Tim BougieJared Tennant Brian Sullivan

Contents PregoFit: CrossFit & Pregnancy

DO or DIE

PERFORM THIS At Murchison Track

Upcoming Events

Striving for Perfection

Contact us @ 512.507.6450 | info@crossfitcentral.com | For more information on CrossFit Central go to CrossFitCentral.com

CrossFit Central will turn seven years old this October. When Carey and I started our first Boot Camps and CrossFit classes, the community we now have was only a vision. I was a young, single twenty-four year old. Carey was thirty-one and she and her husband, Kris, were expecting their very first child. Fast forward seven years later - Carey has 2 kids (Stone, 4 and Savannah, 6) and Lisa and I are expecting. We will welcome our first child into the world this September! As our CrossFit family has grown, so has our own family. When we got started in 2005, The CrossFit Games did not exist. Now, seven years later Carey and I have both competed in The Games, I took home 3rd place in 2008 and Carey finished 3rd in the world in 2009. Three out of five years our team has advanced to The CrossFit Games. This July will be our fifth year to travel to California to compete. It will prove to be a unique experience as Carey and I will both compete on Team CrossFit Central. We have been training hard over the past year and expect to have fun, work hard, battle together and represent our community in this international arena. The summer and fall of 2012 posses a new future for CrossFit Central as we continue to mature as owners and as a community. We look forward to building lasting relationships in Austin!

Jeremy Thiel & Carey Kepler

from the team

Meaning behind the name:The TRIUNE (pronounced try-yoon): means one in three, triad or trinity. The TRIUNE will set out to chronicle the trifecta that is Culture, Community and CrossFit.

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the contributors

Ingrid Kantola studied Sociology at UCLA, and was a two-time All-American Pole Vaulter in 2007. She began CrossFitting in 2009 and is CrossFit Level 1 ANSI Certified. Ingrid is CrossFit Central’s Event Director and the Director of CrossFit Sport, fostering the growth of the sport of fitness across all levels. She is dedicated to creating events that focus on the athlete’s experience, the community and providing the opportunity to grow through participation.

JustCallMeGretchen.blogspot.com | @JustCallMeGretchen*THIS ISSUE - DO or DIE

Katherine Grosshaupt is a Relentless Bootcamp Coach and has been working with pregnant women as a Doula and Childbirth Educator for the past 4 years. As a proud mother of two, Katherine strives to empower and encourage women throughout pregnancy and beyond. This summer she will hold her first CrossFit Pregnancy Workshop for the CrossFit Central community! KatGrosshaupt.tumblr.com | @KGrosshaupt

*THIS ISSUE - PregoFit: CrossFitting & Pregnancy

Jessica Stephen is a CrossFit Central coach, personal trainer and the head women’s coach at CrossFit Central ATX. In 2011 she founded Strength and Beauty, a highly focused, intense 4 week program for women who are serious about getting results and getting them fast. Jessica is dedicated to helping others achieve a happier and healthier life and specializes in functional training and strength development for life.

StrengthandBeauty.com | @JessStephenSB*THIS ISSUE - Striving for Perfection

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“I’m pregnant! Now what?!” Pregnant women are bombarded with information when it comes to their pregnancy. Walk into any bookstore and you will be amazed at the vast amount of books that inform, promote and advise you on everything from nutrition to choosing the name of your baby. For active pregnant women, there is a wealth of conflicting advice out there - especially when it comes to high intensity CrossFit workouts.Many women approach exercise during pregnancy with extreme caution. Common questions that arise are “Will it hurt my baby? Can I do it safely? What does my care provider think?” And what about CrossFit? “Is it too intense? Is it dangerous? How do I modify my workouts?” When it comes to exercise during pregnancy, the general rule of thumb is that if you have been doing it for at least 6 months, you can continue to do it during pregnancy.

PREGOFIT CrossFit & Pregnancyby: Katherine Grosshaupt

There are at least fifteen women in the CrossFit Central community who are in various stages of pregnancy and continue their workouts - some of them up until the day before delivery! Having said that, it is important to remember that every woman’s body is different and responds to pregnancy in different ways. You should always listen to your body and don’t go to extremes. While some women are comfortable with running, others may find it too difficult or uncomfortable. For many women rope climbs and GHD (Glute-Ham Developer) sit-ups are out. Some women prefer not to go upside down for handstand pushups while other women continue these movements. The beauty of CrossFit is that any movement can be scaled and/or modified to meet the demands of the Athlete. Instead of burpees, do sprawls. Instead of double unders, do low box step ups. Leslie Wingo attends Coach Jen Shaw’s Lean Lifting program and is nearly 8 months pregnant, “My coaches (Jen and Nyki) are in constant communication with me before, during, and after the workout. If I need to modify anything, they always come up with a challenging alternative based on how I am feeling that day.”

The most important thing for pregnant women to do is to pay attention to how they are feeling each and every day and be in constant communication with their coach. Some days will be easier than others. Use common sense as a guide. You also want to be sure you do not become overheated, especially in the summer. As Lisa Thiel stated, “I give myself built in rest periods during my workouts by doing such things as Every Minute on the Minute.” (Every Minute on the Minute: perform a movement with a specific rep scheme at the top of the minute every minute. After the reps are complete use the remaining part of that minute as rest). A pregnant woman’s blood volume increases by as much as 50% during the course of pregnancy. Take into account your body’s need to take in as much oxygen as possible during your workouts.

CrossFit & Pregnancyphotos by: Tim Bougie & Jared Tennant

One of the greatest assets in CrossFit is our Community. Women can be seen, at any CrossFit gym, supporting and encouraging each other. We have a great support system, and this can make a huge difference for someone who desires to be active but feels pressure to cease their workouts or regular activities. As one Mom said,

“I love being able to show that pregnant women are powerful and strong and that we can do much more than people think.”

This was evident at the photo shoot for this article. Every woman was glowing, proud and looked healthy and fit. Parenthood can be overwhelming. The confidence that these women have will undoubtedly carry over, making them confident in their new role as parents. One expecting Mom put it best when she said, “Finding out just how strong I am and believing in myself are two amazing life lessons for which I am forever grateful to CrossFit Central.”

Monitor your reaction to workouts and your environment and use your judgment. Some days you will feel great, some days nauseous and other days fatigued. If something is uncomfortable, modify or don’t perform the movement at all. Your body is growing and changing at an astronomical rate. Give yourself a break if you’re

“not feeling it” and take it one day at a time, just like in a workout.

In the 20+ labors I have attended as a Doula, I have seen a considerable difference in the labors of women who consistently exercise in a CrossFit-type manner and who eat well. Their labors are shorter and their recovery is quicker. They have more energy, less postpartum issues and an overall confidence in their body’s ability to withstand the physical and mental demands of labor. Birth is a primal, physiological process. It only makes sense that if your body is in optimal condition it will be able to better perform during labor.

In general, women who CrossFit during their pregnancy also tend to have a more determined attitude surrounding the mental challenges of labor. Carey Kepler once told me “Labor is like one really long CrossFit workout.” I laughed at first, but she has a point. We know that CrossFit requires a great deal of mental focus and fortitude. The same is true for labor. The key is to stay in the moment. Don’t think about how much further you have to go or how difficult it is. Take it one breath at a time (one rep at a time) knowing that we are strong and that our bodies are made to carry out this incredible feat of strength.

CrossFit takes your body and mind to places you would never experience on the treadmill or on a long, slow distance run. It is through challenging workouts we often learn how to push through mental barriers and come out on the other side, surprised and elated at what our body is ultimately capable of. An active expecting CrossFitter says of her experience, “Looking back to my first class day at CrossFit Central, I thought how will I ever be able to do any of that stuff? Only a few months later I was doing things I never thought possible.”

If you are looking to get “back in shape” after having a baby it is very important to give your body a chance to heal from Labor and delivery. Your body has spent the past 9 months growing, shifting, and changing to accommodate your growing body and baby. Rest as much as possible for the first few weeks, then gradually start easy with walking. At your 6 week checkup, your Care Provider will give you the green light for exercising. Until then, walking and other light workouts are ideal. Check out CrossFitMom.com for ideas on light postpartum workouts as well as scaled workouts during your pregnancy.

Getting Back to the Gym Postpartum:

(above: Kayla 10 weeks, Carrie 11 weeks, Havalah 12 weeks, Lisa 28 weeks, Nicole 29 weeks, Linda 30 weeks, Karla 30 weeks, Leslie 30 weeks, Kathryn 33 weeks, Ruth 35 weeks)

CrossFitCentral.com/ TRIUNE

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photo by: Brian Sullivan

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DO or DIEWhen it was time to choose their war paint for the Regionals workout, Carey Kepler asked, “What is the most intense, we mean business image we can put on a T-Shirt? What is the most direct mantra that has the ability to strike fear into the hearts of our opponents!?” Skull and Crossbones. DO or DIE. Easy. The message was clear, the CrossFit Central Team was not there to mess around, this was serious business, dead serious. And as the final hours of the Regional completion crept near, the team received the opportunity they had been waiting for.

Going into the 6th workout of the Regionals weekend, Michael Winchester informed the team that there was only one way to ensure a trip to the Games: To WIN Workout 6. This meant that the team had to win, second may not be good enough and the team had to go all-in, DO OR DIE, for the last workout. Michael, Travis, Carey and Jess Estrada knew their mission and donned their skull shirts for the occasion. The Team was tied for 4th going into the final workout, only one point out of the top 3 and one point away from a trip to the Games. Moments before the final workout began, Jess Estrada told her teammate Jess Stephen, “I hope you’re ready for a show.” Her words would materialize that afternoon, when she performed 10 unbroken muscle ups to push Team CrossFit Central into the lead for workout 6, ultimately winning the workout and solidifying a place for CrossFit Central on the podium.

2012 will mark the fourth year that Team CrossFit Central will make an appearance at the historic CrossFit Games. This is a team that has placed as high as second in the world in 2009. However, this Games Bound team has their eye on more than an appearance at the Games or taking a shot at the podium. Team CrossFit Central is focused

on becoming the Affiliate Cup Champions. The plan for this year’s competition is simple: DOMINATE.

TEAM CROSSFIT CENTRAL MATERIALIZES This year, the elite training group at CrossFit Central made a commitment to the Team effort. After the 2011 Games, every individual who had ever attended the elite training sessions made a declaration of their intention for the upcoming season. They chose to “Go Team”,

“Go Individual,” or be a “Supporter.” This open declaration of each person’s intention through training amplified the training level of the 1PM group. There was an overwhelming interest in “Going Team” and it was apparent that the vision of the entire group had aligned to restore CrossFit Central as the forbearers of the Sport of Fitness. One of the more surprising commitments to the Team was CrossFit Central co-owner Carey Kepler. Carey placed 3rd in the world in 2009 and had qualified again and again as an individual in 2010 and 2011. “We are CrossFit Central. We are coaches and athletes at CrossFit Central, and representing the Double C’s is who we are.” Carey said of her decision to compete on the Team. Her commitment meant that CrossFit Central was guaranteed to have one of the best female athletes in the world anchoring one of the three women’s spots.

Team CrossFit Central took on the Open at a blistering pace. Female athletes placed in the Top 13 spots in each of the 5 Open workouts, solidifying Team CrossFit Central at the top of the South Central Regional Leaderboard. By the end of the Open, 14 different individuals had scored points for Team CrossFit Central Competitors and qualified the Team for the South Central Regionals in second place.

The decision of who would comprise the final 6 at the South Central Regional competition was a carefully calculated process. The elite training group held week-long “tryouts” to measure the skills and strengths of the athlete. Every day during one week in January and February, every performance was recorded and ranked against each other. These tryouts ranged from max handstand push-up measurements to finding top performers in long workouts to finding their CrossFit Total. These tryouts were combined with the athlete’s individual performances in the Open workouts to determine who would be most effective at positively contributing to a well-rounded Affiliate Team at the Regional competition.

It was determined that Carey Kepler, Jessica Estrada, and Jessica Stephen would fill the women’s spots, while Jeremy Thiel, Travis Holley, and Michael Winchester would represent for the men. Carey was chosen because she is by far the best engine at CrossFit Central. Her metabolic work capacity is unmatched and her raw strength in the power lifts is remarkable for her size. Jessica Estrada filled the gymnastics role. She uses her gymnastics background to crush pull ups, dips, muscle ups, handstand pushups, and other body weight movements with ease. Jessica Stephen was chosen as a utility player. She is proficient at all areas of fitness and can fill any role when needed.

CROSSFIT CENTRAL IS GAMES BOUNDby: Ingrid Kantola

The spot of alternate was filled by Crystal Nelson, with hopes that she would be recovered enough to fill in for any of the top three that might have suffered an injury before the Regional. Karen Pierce chose to go individual, after originally indicating that she was trying out for a team spot. She placed well enough in the Open to participate as an Individual and attacked the Regional with convincing strength and metabolic performances. I also chose to go to Regionals as an Individual, as it has been my goal to go to the CrossFit Games as an individual since 2009.

After he fell short of qualifying as an individual, Jeremy Thiel filled the muscle role on the men’s side. He has been back squatting 500lbs since high school and is adept at metabolic workouts. Travis Holley played a utility role for the men’s side. His proficiency in gymnastics as well as strength movements complemented Michael Winchester’s metabolic strengths. Michael was another utility player for the men’s side and the three males presented a solid front against the Regional workouts. Conner Moore was placed as the alternate, based on his solid abilities in Olympic lifts and his continual progression as a developing athlete.

As the team was confirmed and training continued, an important team ritual developed. At the beginning and end of every session the team would come together, hands in, and give a cheer: CENTRAL. The athletes united as one to verbalize their inclusion in one mission, one goal, and one focus: to represent CrossFit Central as the forbearers of the Sport of Fitness.

TEAM TRAININGMidway through the Open, a few members of the team became aware of the incredible programming coming out of Alexandria, Virginia, by Outlaw CrossFit, aka Coach Rudy Nielsen. His programming is based around building proficiency in Olympic lifts, traditional CrossFit workouts for conditioning, and supplementary strength work derived from the conjugate method. The team took notice of his free programming on his website and planned to hire him to coach Team CrossFit Central after Regionals going into the Games. As soon as the team qualified for the Games, we connected with Rudy and confirmed that he would program for and coach Team CrossFit Central. Coach

Rudy brought his knowledge, and baby son Deacon, to Central for three days of quality time. He led the Affiliate Team, plus Karen and me through workouts, learning our strengths and weaknesses and teaching us his specific methodology.

Coach Rudy reminded us that the one thing we had lacked at Regionals was a “moose” on the women’s side. He meant that we did not have one really strong Olympic lifter who could handle big weights. He also thought that athleticism would play a big part in the success of the Teams at the Games. With this in mind, we directed our focus toward getting really strong and improving our overall Olympic lifting abilities. We have gone through three weeks of unpleasantly long and hard workouts. Coach Rudy has really been beating us up in the gym with the intention of quickly building a base of metabolic work and pain tolerance. He asked us to think of what we are going to spend our $30,000 prize purse on when we win. We’re thinking a team trip to Mexico, Travis wants to get engraved six shooters, the girls want to buy some time at the spa and I want to use any extra money to pay Michael to shave his beard.

By the first week of June, we had to submit our 8-man roster for the Games. Under the direction of Coach Rudy, we submitted a team of Jeremy Thiel, Travis Holley, Michael Winchester, Conner Moore, Carey Kepler, Jessica Estrada, Karen Pierce, and myself. From these eight, only six will check in to compete at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

GAMES BOUNDFour weeks away from the Games and the team is feeling a mix of emotions. The most prevalent is the excitement of competing on the world stage. We are all incredibly giddy about being a part of the “big show” of CrossFit. This excitement is mixed with some anxiousness about the event as a whole: What will the workouts be like? What will it feel like to be on the floor of the Home Depot Center? This anticipation of the event fuels us through 3-hour training sessions, knowing that each task we complete in practice prepares us more and more for managing the unknowable tasks that could come our way. A bad day in the gym is comforted by the thought that, “It doesn’t matter because we are going to the CrossFit Games!!” While our bodies are tired and

CROSSFIT CENTRAL IS GAMES BOUND

photos by: Tim Bougie

reaching the brink of our abilities on a daily basis, we grow more and more aware of how strong we really are becoming as a group. Despite limited recovery days, we show up with a new leader in each workout. We continue to prove to each other that we are ready, that we have the necessary personnel to compete with the best. With such a high volume of training, we hardly have time to be nervous. Our focus is constantly on what is next and what the next day’s training holds for us. Any doubt in our path is quieted by the resounding sound of, “Say YES.” Yes, we can get through tough training. Yes, we are going to The Games. Yes, we will do whatever it takes to become Champions. YES!

Each of us has different motivations for wanting to compete on the Team. For Travis, Jeremy, and Carey is it a trip back to the Games. Travis was on the team in 2010, and sees the 2011 team standing as a motivator. He walked away from last year ill at ease with the team’s performance and 2012 is about redemption for him. Jeremy competed individually in 2009, and Carey competed individually in 2011. The Games is a homecoming for each of them and a chance to improve on previous performances. Michael, Karen, Jess E., Conner, and I are looking forward to making a statement as newcomer competitors. The thing about CrossFit is that it’s not just about the workouts. It’s about doing the workouts together, it’s about the community. We all want to prove that we are a part of the community of elite CrossFitters, to stand up to the challenge of the sport itself. We each want to be here pushing ourselves to the limit - toward the ultimate goal of being the best at CrossFit!!

We have bonded over the willingness to commit and show up every day. It is through shared experience that we grow outside of ourselves and into a team. Our chemistry has developed from the essential leadership abilities of each member through expression of their individual strengths. We look to each other to share our knowledge and talents as athletes, to inspire a teammate who is struggling, and to lead from the front.

As a team, co-workers, friends, and family, we push each other to be better every day. We are more than just teammates, but partners in different aspects of our lives. As Conner and Jeremy share a platform in the gym, Travis and Michael share an affinity for dense facial hair, and Karen and Jess E. share a love for their dogs. We spend more time training together during the day than we do with the people we actually live with! We share our lives through community rolls of tape in the gym, a desk in the office, drinks at dinner. Team Central has bonded over more than just the physical aspect of training as we learn from each other as professional coaches, best friends, brothers and sisters.

This week, Don Ricci, who has been helping with Olympic lifting sessions, reminded us that no one has mentioned us on Internet forums as a team to watch for. No one else out there believes in our team as strongly as we do. And that’s okay, because we know that we are capable and we know that we will not be overlooked again.

CrossFitCentral.com/ TRIUNE

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PERFORM This @ Murchison Middle School

5 Rounds:10 BurpeesHill Sprint

then rest for the amount of time of your hill sprint

Your Score: Total Time from all 5 Rounds

Record your score and post it to facebook.com/RelentlessATX

RELENTLESS TRAINING SYSTEMS

Affiliate Cup Team History:2008 CrossFit Central 4th2009 CrossFit Central 2nd2010 CrossFit Central 5th

Individual Games Performances:2007 Jeremy Thiel 6th2008 Jeremy Thiel 3rd Michael Gregory 51st Lance Cantu 53rd Zach Thiel 79th Kris Kepler 135th Richard White 189th Lisa Bender Thiel 27th Crystal McReynolds 33rd2009 Jeremy Thiel 16th Lance Cantu 34th Carey Kepler 3rd Lindsey Smith 5th Crystal McReynolds 9th2010 Lindsey Smith 12th Carey Kepler 16th Jen Cardella 26th Jessica Sharratt 31st2011 Lindsey Smith 16th Carey Kepler 28th Lisa Bender Thiel 32nd

Watch TEAM CROSSFIT CENTRAL

take on the

2012 CrossFit Games

JOIN US for a Games Watching PartyJuly 13th, 14th & 15th

@ Cuatros 1004 West 24th Street Austin, TX 78705

7.4 - Gym Closed

7.7 - Visiting CrossFitters Charity Workouts - SeeFit & Road to the Games @ CrossFit Central 7. 13, 14 & 15 - CrossFit Games @ The Home Depot Center Carson, California 7.13, 14 & 15 - CrossFit Games Watching Party @ Cuatros 7.11 - 7.17 - Gym Closed 7.28 - Relentless UTB & Free Community Workouts

JULY

8.18 - Iron Belle @ CrossFit Central

8.25 - Relentless UTB & Free Community Workouts

8.31 - Zilker Relays

9.22 - Red, White & Blue Fundraiser Event

9.29 - Relentless UTB & Free Community Workouts

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

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EMPOWERMENT*Lost 25 pounds*Ran a 10K for the first time*Cholesterol dropped over 40 points *Blood pressure is wicked low

“Pushing myself through barriers in a workout gives me a lot of confidence to take on new chal-lenges, whether physical or at work. I have so much more energy now, which helps while trying to get through tough days at work. It is a tremendous help to have a stress relief at CrossFit Central ATX after challenging days at the office. Nothing makes you forget your stress like putting a heavy iron bar over your head repeatedly.” - Philip

#EMPR12

EVENTS

View all CrossFit Central Empowerment Stories at crossfitcentral.com

The fitness world is rapidly changing people’s perspective on women and body image from “skinny” being the ideal body type to “strong” as the new ideal body type. Which is great! Until it’s not.

The slogan “Strong is the New Skinny” is filled with great intentions, but recently I’ve noticed that people have turned this slogan into the new disorder. Before, starving yourself was the problem for women because everyone desperately desired to be thin. Now, we have the same root problems - body image and unrealistic ideals - we just traded one extreme (stick thin) for another (10% body fat, ripped muscles and 6 pack abs). I see posts on Facebook that compare a “skinny girl” to a “strong girl” and they rip the skinny girl to shreds and then post “strong is the new skinny” like this is a positive thing. What if the skinny girl is healthy and fit and just has a naturally thin body type? This is not a knock on the Strong is the New Skinny creators, this is a wake up call for every woman who desires an unrealistic body type or image versus health, functional fitness and wellness.

When are women going to be happy with being HEALTHY and FIT and not place so much importance on being PERFECT? Pre-CrossFit the “old me” wanted to be stick thin with a fashion model body. I would spend hours in the gym and starve myself. It sent me into a destructive cycle and slight eating disorder. Working out was only about looking a certain way. From time to time, I myself am guilty of slipping back into the “old me”, wishing my legs were smaller or my butt was more round. CrossFit really shifted my focus from working out for aesthetics to working out for performance. It was more about feeling good and my body responded in positive natural ways. We need to nourish ourselves with the right foods, work out hard and be thankful for the bodies we have so we can enjoy what really matters, family, friends, loved ones -> LIFE. Instead of focusing on morphing your body type into someone else’s, get down to the real problem - figure out what the issues might be on the inside. Often times when we are mentally unhappy with our life or ourselves, we turn all of our energy to body image instead of being honest and figuring out why we are unhappy to begin with.

Here’s what I know – I’ll never be 6’ tall and I’ll never be stick thin. I’ll never have 4% body fat and feel great. I’ll never have arms like Alicia Marie or legs like Lindsay Messina. And that’s okay. I know that if I work out hard, eat good clean foods and take care of myself I will be the best version of myself, no comparisons, and I’ll feel amazing.

Let’s get rid of the “nothing is ever good enough” attitude, and instead be happy on the path and know that you will never be PERFECT, because nobody is. Have goals but be sure to enjoy the process along the way. Appreciate what you have today because there might not be a tomorrow.

“Yesterday’s the past and tomorrow’s the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present.” - Bill Keane

I created Strength + Beauty because I strongly believe we need to train the head up as well as the body. My hope is that I can inspire women to be happy and healthy on the inside as well as the outside!

Inspire. Empower. Believe.

Striving for Perfectionby: Jessica Stephen

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Striving for Perfection

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