FTF Community

AB Challenge- FTF gets after it!

The FTF Community takes on the AB Challenge put out by CrossFit

 

This Challenge was put out by "The CrossFit Games" via video the other day and FTF decided it was time to have a little fun with it.  How many can YOU line up for your gym?  

PRE-ORDER YOUR FTF SHIRT NOW!!!

We are now taking pre-orders for new FTF shirts! 
It will be a black Next Level shirt
male shirts ($25)and 
women's tanks ($20). 

Please submit any sizes you would like  email to <a href="mailto:info@crossfitftf.com">info@crossfitftf.com</a>
OR you can purchase through the paypal button below!! 

 

FTF Shirt selection

Men's Medium $25.00 USD Men's Large $25.00 USD Men's XL $25.00 USD Women's small $20.00 USD Women's Medium $20.00 USD Women's Large $20.00 USD Women's XL $25.00 USD

 

 

Welcome to our Newest Members Steven and Cynthia!!

We would like to introduce and welcome our newest members to FTF.  Steven and Cynthia just recently finished their On-Ramp with Coach Jasmine and are excited to be coming to classes.  When you see them around the gym, please take a moment to introduce yourself and give them some helpful tips as they continue on their journey with the FTF Family! 

 

Welcome Cynthia and Steven! 

 

Welcome to the old/new website of FTF Fitness.

Hello and WELCOME to the all new site of FTF Fitness, where we will update you on anything we feel pertinent.  Yes, it may be some good information and some good times, but we will ensure that you are constantly learning on your journey into fitness.  Remember that Fitness IS a journey.. and never a destination.  another post to come...

FTF Fitness is a fitness facility ranging in fitness from high intensity functional fitness, boot camps and High Fitness, to individualized meal plans, personal training programs and kids programs.

Our coaches come from a very diverse background in fitness including but not limited to Olympic weightlifting, general fitness training, experience in a popular high intensity fitness program, boot camp instruction, a variety of professional training certifications and even offering kids classes and High Fitness.

For more information, please email us or call us from our contact iform..

CrossFit King of the Beach Hurricane Sandy Relief Drive Continues:

Hello fellow FTF-ers and CrossFit Community members 

We are a few days into the Hurricane Relief Drive for CrossFit King of the Beach.  This box was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.  Not only are we looking for items such as clothing, non-perishable food items and other items you might need during a disaster relief drive, but I am also on a personal mission to help them replace some of the equipment that was damaged due to the storm.  

I am wanting to make an equipment purchase for them of at least $500 and need your help in raising funds for this cause in addition to gathering items.  PLEASE make even a $10 donation so we can help raise funds to help our community.  I have chosen this CrossFit because of their incredible story.  Most of their members had to relocate, their gym was flooded with 4 feet of water and they lost a great deal of equipment. 

Please donate below and I will be making the purchase the first week of December, to help them re-open in a new facility! 

Hurricane Sandy Relief Item drive for CrossFit King of the Beach

Hello all. 

I wanted to share with you a story of an Affiliate on the East coast, CrossFIt King of the Beach. The relief items we are collecting will be to help this affiliate with recovery for the members and their families. They were flooded with 3-4 feet of water and are still without power and electricity.

 

Earlier this week, i posted that i was looking for an east coast affiliate that had been hit by the storm to work on a project. I contacted them after Michelle Kasten said she had seen they were hit pretty hard by the storm when she had read my post about wanting to do this for the community. So I sent an email and got a response today from the affiliate owner. The building their affiliate was located in has now been condemned due to a diesel fuel spill and many of their members are not living in the area right now due to the flooding, power and electricity challenges. Thankfully, they are working on getting a new place to open their affiliate. However, the families and friends of this affiliate are needing items.

 

Molly, the owner, will be giving me the most needed items for the families, but for now, please bring in any clothing, blankets, canned goods, non-perishables and other item you might need if you were in a disaster so we can send it to them the day after Thanksgiving. If we were in the same situation, I would hope someone would reach out and help us as well. Please donate graciously and generously. Also, if you are interested in helping make a donation for the purchase of a rower or some med balls, they lost some equipment in the storm as well and I will arrange a fund to donate to the affiliate itself to help with equipment replacement. this will ALSO be posted on both of our websites, the old and the new. 

If you are in the Fresno area and want to just help a good cause and do something for an amazing communtiy, please stop by and drop off a donation. I would even encourage toys as I am sure the kids will probably be without for a while. 

Thank you FTF Community. We are a community built on people helping people, let's come together and make a strong showing to help out an affiliate who is going through a rough time. 

Coach K

Here is a link to an update from their gym as of Sunday:

 

King of the Beach update 

Member Spotlight- Jessie Laux

This week, in the member spotlight, we take a look at another of our dedicated members, Jessica Laux.  Jessie has been coming to FTF for over two years now and with the help of her coaches Kevin Hughes in the beginning of her CrossFit Career and most recently with Michelle Kasten, she has accomplished major life changing achievements.  Here is her story! 

I have been an athlete most of my life starting with swimming at the age of five, and continuing all the way through college. I love sports and being physical, but after not being on a team my weight increased and my health decreased. I had been going to "globo gyms" on and off for years, but had a hard time committing and self motivating to keep a consistent workout schedule. I was needing something more. I first heard of CrossFit from a friend, and it sounded like fun.

Like I do with all things, I google searched local crossfits in the area to see which one was closest to where I lived and go to school, and one that fit my college student budget. I found CrossFit FTF to be the perfect match on paper. I then found out that a close friend had just become a member and she talked very highly of the gym and all of the coaches. After completing my onramp and starting classes I realized that crossift was like nothing else. After every workout I felt like I had given it my all, and I accomplished something I never thought I could. That's what keeps me coming back to FTF.

From the first time I stepped foot into CrossFit FTF I have always felt so welcomed and a part of the "family." Evertime I walk through the door I always see many familiar faces. I love that I can walk into "my" gym and be surrounded by people who not just know me, but care about me as well. Even though we are all individuals in this, we strive for a common goal together as a team. I'm not from Fresno, and it's so comforting to know that the members and coaches at FTF have become my new family that support me in so many different ways. With this amazing familly by my side I have been able to accomplish so many things I never thought were possible.

I have been battling cancer since I was 18 and my health had been declining at a rapid rate since then. But once I started at FTF, I have been on the steady climb back to good health and have never felt so alive. I have lost 30 lbs, completely changed my eating habits and overall am a much happier person. With the help of Coach Kasten I have been able to accomplish many goals I have set that I never thought were possible.

There are many thing that I have accomplished, but my journey isn't over yet, not anywhere close. Once I realized the best thing I can invest in is myself... money, time, pain... it's all worth it in the end. I have one life to live and I am not going to sit back and just watch it pass me by. I would like to give a special thank you to Kevin and Michelle for always believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. I hope everyone is as forunate as I am to have these two amazing people in their lives!

FTF Member Spotlight- Adrienne and Mikel

Each week, we will be highlighting members of our facility and their accopmlishments.  we feel it is extremely important to recognize our members and what their goals and accomplishments are here at FTF.  FTF is built on the community of people that come to the gym and what better way to continue to build the community than to recognize the efforts of it's members.  We would like this first one to be on not just the following couple but the recognition of their kids entering the world of fitness as well! 

Our First member Spotlight at FTF- Adrienne Nelson and Mikel Giles-  

Adrienne and Mikel consistently show up to not oly FTF for workouts but to FTF community events and their whole family (all 5 kids) usually show up with them .  Currently Adrienne, Mikel, Kenzie and Cody all work out at FTF.  Their presence at FTF definitely shines and we are excited and grateful they are members at our facility. Here is their story: 

My name is Adrienne Nelson. I am 34 years old and a Scentsy consultant and currently a stay-at-home mom of 5. My boyfriend, Mikel Giles, is 36 and a Nursing student. Mikel has been running since he was 4, starting track in 5^th grade and went to the National Junior Olympics twice in 8^th and 9^th grade. When he ran track in college at UCSB he was first introduced to Olympic lifting, the most memorable being the snatch. My exercise history is short. I’ve never been the athletic type. I hated PE in school, didn’t play sports. I was always a spectator when it came to physical activity. When I met Mikel is when fitness was brought into my life. He started me running several years ago, though I did it as rarely as I possibly could. We had a membership at a gym here in town and I HATED going there to workout. The atmosphere was not friendly and it seemed more like social hour than workout time.  We started CrossFitting a little over a year ago here at FTF. Mikel plays lacrosse for Central California Lacrosse Club in Fresno and Jarod Johnson , a teammate of his, set up a workout for whoever was interested. We started looking into it and Mikel went to try it out. He was fortunate enough to start his CrossFit experience with the Fight Gone Bad WoD.  A week or so later, he got me to try.  I still remember my first workout with Kevin…who knew 2 minutes of squats could hurt so badly for so long haha. We did our on-ramp with Jared and I fell in love with working out. During ramp-up Barbells for Boobs took place.  Mikel participated in it and scored a 4:09 at 115 lbs.  Even his mom came and did the workout, but I still hadn’t convinced myself I could lift heavy weight.

We’ve never had such a great experience with exercise as we’ve had at FTF. We’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t friendly and supportive and motivating to us, not to mention helpful. It feels more like a family than just a bunch of people who get sweaty together. As an FTF member, I have been pushed to achieve things I never imagined I would even try, much less succeed at. I’ve climbed the rope a few times, I’ve lifted heavier weights than I even thought possible and I’m currently pushing myself to do kipping pull-ups.  When Mikel first started, he wasn’t allowed to squat with any more than the PVC pipe. He’s finally able to do kipping pull-ups. We have had help with our diet and nutrition, which has led to weight loss, 20 lb for myself and 30 lb for Mikel, and a boost in our performance. This year we both took part in Barbells for Boobs, Mikel scored a 3:41 at 135 lbs and I scored a 3:40 at 50 lbs. Our two oldest sons, Mikel, who is 15 and Cody, who is 14, have both completed on-ramp. Our youngest daughter, Kenzie, who is 8, is going through hers now. Since their on-ramps, Mikel has gone on to win the South Dakota Class A State Soccer Championship and Cody got his first muscle up during his on-ramp. Kenzie ran the Cross City Race 2 mile in 20:06 right before she started her on-ramp.

In all, our whole family loves FTF. Everyone is great and supports and cheers us on in all that we do. We couldn’t ask for a better place to get ourselves in shape! 

 

Don't have the "I Can't Sir" in your world. Re-post from April

I have been working with so many people on the words they tell themselves recently as well as the situations that come up in our training and our lives.  I even faced a situation like this today, practicing ring handstand push-ups, where fear and the way I was talking to myself was getting me nowhere, so just attempting and failing was the best option..and having fun with it.  

Having said that, I re-read this post tonight and wanted to re-share it with you.... I wrote it back in April, right after the opens... It is VERY Passionate and filled with colorful words that I would never EVER use :) :) 

Be passionate and never say I Can't!!!

 

"In order to succeed, your desire for success must be greater than your fear of failure"- Bill Cosby (thanks Coach Tim Lester for this one)

For those of you reading for the first time or evaluating CrossFit FTF or any other CrossFit affiliate, let me just say this.  This article while directed at our athletes whom are already attending classes and the gym is for you as well.  It is for you to recognize that no matter what skill level we have as people, we all have our challenges.  We all have moments of growth, moments of challenge.  It is these challenging times we MUST not allow words into our vocabulary that continue to hinder us from going in a forward direction.  This article may hurt a little, may make you take a look in the mirror but that may be exactly what you need in order to get to your local CrossFit Affiliate.   

'I can't becomes a condition we tell ourselves, a belief, a limiting thought.  Stop telling yourself you can't and be prepared for possibilities"- Coach K 

I say this with this story in mind.  I was coaching a group of athletes the other day on probably one of the biggest fears in the gym- box jumps (wouldn't you agree that most people freeze when they get to box jumps at that one height when their mind goes into shut down??)  Box jumps happen to be one of the biggest barriers I have seen where they mentally fuck themselves right away.   So each person within the group, whom I told they could achieve this height (30") attempted... and ALL of them made it.. at some point.  BUT the way they made it was amazing.  

Each person walked up to the box,  took a step, loooked at the box, turned away, attempted to start jumping, but then stopped themselves mid jump (because they THOUGHT they couldn't make it) and then after coaxing, each one began to succeed on top of the box.. WITH EASE.  Here's the great part.  As a coach, I am used to hearing people whine and complain.  Whether I pay attention to it or not... ok, well i never do, so in this particular moment, one of the athletes walked up, looked at the box and shook her head... " I can't"   it was at this point that I looked at her (now bear in mind she is probably on 4'2" (not really but the box did look pretty big on her) and I said "Get the fuck up there, just pick your feet up and go!!"  -  So she did.  Here's the best part about it.. SHE MISSED!!!!  My look of less than slight concern was masked only by the words "shake it off and get up there!"  

"I can't"

"Are you f-ing kidding me, you missed by an inch.. get your ass up there! "

"But......"

" I don't care... get up there!"

so she stood back next to the box, shin scraped and pride shattered... and she stood there looking at the box... "You Can Do this.. let's go" 

So with a different look, not one of fear, not one you know as the look of "I Can't" , but with determination, and focus... and she landed it with EASE!!!  YES... After falling the first time, we NEEDED to curb the I Can't attitude in the face as soon as it started to get there for her again, ... We NEEDED to STOP her from listening to the voices and fears 

You see, the I can't Sir.... is the challenge we run into in not only box jumps, but in EVERY thing in life.  We are limited not by what our bodies or capabilities are, but truly only by what our mind perceives we are able to do.  We MUST be able to maximize our abilities.  If we tell ourselves that we can not, then we will not.  You are what you believe you are.  I have used this example with several athletes lately when it comes to strength workouts.  If you tell yourself you are getting weaker,  what does your body do?  It gets weaker.  This is why, I can't becomes a condition, a belief, and a limitation.  

I Can't is not a feasibility if you just allow yourself to BELIEVE in yourself.  You see... maybe approach it as one of my athletes does "I am unable to at this moment" HOWEVER even within that you MUST be careful in how you approach it.  You MUST take caution of even the ATTITUDE in which you say it.  For if you TRULY believe you can, then you will.  HOWEVER if you tell yourself, you can and don't BELIEVE it, then you will continue to face the same challenge.   Every moment, every time we make a decision, every time we go after a goal and it gets difficult, do you stand up and say I WILL, or do you back down and say " I Can't Sir".  Do you allow the negativity to seep into your soul or do you look at the challenge with ferocity, tenacity and a complete desire to conquer?  Do you allow that to DRIVE the "Can'tsir" away? Do you allow it to take control of you so you have NO IDEA WHAT JUST HAPPENED and HOW YOU GOT there and know that YOU JUST DID???

So many of us in life struggle with challenges every day.  We try and try and continue to say I Can't.. the reason i call it the "I Can'tSir" is because it is what affects our whole entire being much like a cancer.. It seeps into every cell, every ounce and thread of your being and affects each nerve, each muscle fiber, each mitochondria.  It is cancerous because much like cancer cells, MISERY LOVES COMPANY, so we look for sympathy and hope there is someone who will say the same thing.  We hope someone will pay attention and feel sorry for us.. "Can'tSir" is a Cancer.  (Have you seen the studies on how much mentality plays a role on the remission of cancer?????  Hmmm... coincidence?? I think NOT)

Moments in which you feel you can't go on or you are challenged, stop yourself, turn around, and allow yourself to lean on the belief of those who coach and mentor you.  You want to know the reason the CrossFit Community is so stinking successful as a community?  BECAUSE WE BELIEVE WE CAN and we don't give a SHIT what anyone else says.  If it can be accomplished, we will give it a shot.  So many people in life beat you down, tear you up and want you to NOT succeed... we are here to tell you.. YOU CAN.  YOU WILL, YOU ARE.  

 

For those of you involved in ANY Fitness Program, do yourself a favor and stop telling yourself how hard it will be, or that you CAN'T lift that weight, or it will be difficult because it is 4 in the morning and I need to get my workout done.  WHO CARES?   Really?  when you FINALLY figure out that YOU are the ONLY THING stopping you from getting what you want, then the "Cant'sir" goes away!! period.. and now it becomes deeper than .. as Coach Tim Lester forwarded to me earlier.. your desire become greater than your fear!  IN ANYTHING!!!  Channel it, use it, make it propel you forward.  Stop listening to those who negate the power you have in you.  Stop allowing fear to fill your soul.  We know not fear, we know not failure, we know not can't.... 

For those of you who HAVEN'T Checked out a CrossFit affiliate yet because of your excuses.. and yes, let me tell you, they ARE excuses.. It's time to stop saying I Can't do CrossFit or i have to be in shape in order to do CrossFit.    If you are saying I can't do CrossFit or it intimidates me, it's time to stop saying I can't and get to an affiliate and get your ass in gear.  What are you waiting for?  All We can do is get our hands on you once you're here.  We can't help you until then.  And in reality.. does it have to be a CrossFit affiliate?  We want it to be of course!!!  But here's the reality of the situation, stop saying I can't cook, I Can't work out, I don't have time... and start telling yourself the reality.. it's a choice.. Make THE choice to stop saying I can't and get yourself moving... period. no matter what. 

Grow your "Stache"- Help Central Valley Firefighters raise funds for a cause

 

Hey everyone. 

I wanted to let all of you know what your firefighters in the Central Valley are participating in.  We are in the midst of a fundraiser for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (http://www.aarbf.org/).  The foundation is a California based non-profit organization dedicated to preventing burns and fires and providing services to those who have been affected by a burn injury.  AARBF brings together health care providers, firefighters, emergency workers, burn care professionals, burn survivors and others to enhance the quality of life for burn survivors and to make burn injuries a thing of the past.  The fundraiser is called Grow Your Stache for Cash.  (Sounds dirty and on some of us it is.)  The premise is we will grow our mustaches for 6 weeks and try to earn donations for them.  The donations are used to send burn survivors to champ camp. http://www.aarbf.org/Survivor-Services/Champ-Camp.htm.  You can tohttp://www.growyourstache.com/ to check out some amazing staches, the progress of every-ones staches, and to donate through paypal.  At the end of the 6 weeks we will have a huge shave off party, which everyone is invited to.  We have over a 100 participants in the Central Valley alone!  If you have any questions feel free to ask me. 

Thank you

Zack Ziegler

 

You can get ahold of Zack through the gym.  He is a member of FTF and a firefighter at Clovis Fire Department.