**Photo taken by Sailor Schifferli @ the 2012 OC Throwdown.
**Picture above from left to right: Clayton Andrew Kinnick, Jeremy Andrew Kinnick, & Carson Lee Kinnick
In Crossfit we get caught up in the competitive side and try to beat others or get the top score. I think this is a huge part of getting better. I am in no way saying this is a bad thing. Its a good way to keep you working hard but the reality is that just doesn’t matter that much. I don’t think the goal for 99.999999999% (this percentage is merely a guestimate) should be to be the best in the world or region or even your gym. Rather it should be to be YOUR best. Less focus on what others are doing and more focus on what you are doing. This kind of goes along with my previous Blog “Win Everyday“. Again its merely a mindset shift. Looking at what others are getting can unleash possibilities. Like seeing someone of similar strength or speed accomplishing something you never thought possible allows your brain to realize that the feat is possible. Once its possible you have a chance. Once you believe you can do it you now have a chance of actually doing it. But at the end of the day you should do everything you can to be the best YOU possible. I challenge you to try to reach and surpass your genetic potential. Failing only means you are challenging yourself. So fail and fail frequently. See what YOU can become. Oh and be sure to spread as much BUTTER as possible as often as possible!!! #kinnickbutternation…
“Win everyday” ~ Me. Enjoy the journey. Embrace the struggle. Endure the pain. Reap the rewards. Something I have been saying lately is rather than getting overwhelmed with thinking about all the future goals or plans that you have rather try focusing on today. Focus on what needs to be accomplished for you to take one step closer to that end goal. Having a direction you are heading is important but if you are not taking the steps forward daily you will not reach your goals. Its fairly simple and merely a shift in focus. Win today and do that consistently and before you know it you will be on your way to spreading much BUTTER!!! #kinnickbutternation…please pass the BUTTER!!
Here is a great picture of my family. This is right after completing 13.2 for the OPEN at Crossfit Kinnick. It was so incredible to be destroying myself in the workout and be able to see out of the corner of my eye my wife and boys watching me and supporting me. Knowing that they get to see me practice what I preach daily is such a huge blessing. They are so beautiful and just completely INCREDIBLE! Love you guys.
If you haven’t heard it before I am known for my reference to all things BUTTER. Its not because I am a huge fan of BUTTER per say but rather because I like to change the mindset of things that are tough or challenging and call them BUTTER or essentially say they are easy like BUTTER. This has morphed and evolved into an very rare and special form of BUTTER known as KINNICKBUTTER which then when added to a large group of Crossfitters has turned into the #kinnickbutternation…please pass the BUTTER!! So naturally one of my best or favorite movements is the Butterfly pull up and coincidentally I have created a different and what I believe to be a more effective approach to learning the Butterfly Pull up. When done properly and based on the pre-requisites that I set forth in the video is a very safe and effective way to get more work done in less time. Some of you may have seen this video but I thought with the OPEN only a couple days away you might as well get started learning and then mastering the Butterfly kipping pull up because we all know there will be pull ups in the OPEN! After watching the video and immediately learning the Butterfly kipping pull up please post up your video with your new PR. Let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy! And make sure you all sign up for the OPEN! www.games.crossfit.com
“Hey… My name is Michelle Carrasco and I’m 21 years old. Since I can remember I’ve always
been overweight: from elementary school to high school. My sophomore year in high school I
made a change to be healthier and lose some weight. I managed to lose 40 pounds and I was
comfortable. I wasn’t the happiest but I was okay. I still had that voice in my head telling
me “you’re still the fat girl.” I don’t think it ever went away actually. After I graduated high
school in 2009, I started letting myself go. I got a full time job and went to college full time. I
was eating fast food religiously and got lazy to get a workout in. I was making excuses for
myself… “I’ll just start next Monday.” “One bad meal won’t hurt.” “I’m too tired to work
out.”… These were many of my excuses. I tried all the “diets” out there. I tried weight watchers,
failed. I did weight loss pills, they worked for a 15 pound weight loss then I would gain it back
within a week. I did no carbs and sugars for a month then binged and gained it all back. I even
tried nutri system and failed. I felt like such a failure. I turned to food for my comfort. Going
through drive thrus and eating in my car so no one would see me. I always was wearing black
clothes because supposedly it made you look thinner, lol. I always wore a jacket as if that would
cover my body too. I would just look at myself in the mirror and I would feel so disappointed in
myself. There were times I would just cry. I was not happy for a very long time. I was just
breezing through life and not living my youth. I would see my friends go out on the weekends
and made excuses to not go out with them. I didn’t want to get dressed up because I did not
feel pretty, let alone have any clothes to wear out. I got introduced to CrossFit a couple years
ago but I wasn’t fully committed because I found an excuse for it. “I was just too busy with
work and school.” I would go to the box and get a workout in but then eat garbage! My weight
didn’t go down. As a matter of fact from January 2012 – August 2012 I managed to pack on
50lbs from eating out EVERYDAY! I remember watching YouTube videos of people’s CrossFit
and weight loss transformation videos and saying I want to be that person. I am going to be
that person. I remember the day, clearly, when I wanted to change my life. It was sometime in
October 2012, the day I saw pictures from my brother’s wedding in August 2012. I couldn’t
believe how big I was. I cried for hours! Something had to change! I reached out to Jeremy to
reactivate my CrossFit membership again in November 2012. Since then, I’ve been sticking to a
STRICT Paleo lifestyle and I CrossFit 5+ days a week now. Today is February 25, 2013 and I’ve
managed to lose 64lbs so far in a matter of 3 1/2 months. My whole outlook on life has made a
360 degree turn. I am beyond happy again and it shows. I am only halfway to my “goal weight.”
I am very observant of what I am feeding my body. It is crazy seeing my body change week after
week and to see myself improving at the box. I’m running again and I’m lifting too. I’ve
motivated so many of my friends and myself every day. I never thought I would be that girl
motivating people to lose weight and get healthy when just 3 months ago I was that person
looking for an inspiration. YOU are your own inspiration and motivation. YOU have to want it
and YOU have to work for it. It isn’t easy but it is worth it. I find myself getting mad at myself
for missing a workout now, lol. I never have a “cheat meal.” I don’t find it worth it to trash my
body after fueling it with healthy food. I’m beyond dedicated to this lifestyle change. I want to
share with everyone that anything is possible if you put the effort into it. Thanks Jeremy for
believing in me, thanks to all the CrossFit Kinnick Trainers for all your help and the extra push
and to the amazing people at CFK I have met for the support and encouragement. And most
importantly, myself for believing I can do it. I’m halfway there… I am NEVER turning back into
that girl that was just coasting thru life and not living.”
I really don’t know what to say after reading that. Michelle is such a wonderful person to have at the box. She is always smiling and doing her best. So happy and proud of her for all that she has done and all that she will continue to do! This is just the beginning. Mark my words she will be crushing kipping pull ups in no time! NO LIMITS Michelle! Thank you so much for sharing those inner thoughts. I know it moved me and brought me to tears thinking about that struggle and relating to the struggles that I have had with weight and eating in the past. Its not easy and you can’t do it until you decide to make a change. Its is your choice and no one else’s. #kinnickbutternation!!
Jeremy Kinnick 