Ok - so my good friend from college Justin, (a former Div. I Football player), is doing something great. I've decided to sponsor and support him as he takes on a huge physical challenge this weekend - a nation-wide fundraising event called FIGHT GONE BAD 6 in support of the awesome charity "Special Operations Warrior Foundation"
Here's their mission statement ::
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was founded in 1980 to provide support and assistance to the families of fallen and wounded Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations forces, which include (but not limited to) Army Rangers and Special Forces (Green Berets), Navy SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers and Special Tactics, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and Marine Corps special operations personnel.
The SOWF provides the surviving children of fallen warriors with a full college education, including tuition, books, fees, room and board, and a computer and printer.
We also provide immediate financial assistance to the families of severely wounded special operations warriors.
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Justin will be participating in Fight Gone Bad - executed by CrossFit in Washington, DC this weekend (9/17) to raise money for SOWF..
What exactly is CrossFit? Well - it's tough. And TOUGH. AND TOUGH. Here's how they define it...
CrossFit is a strength and conditioning brand that combines weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, plyometrics, rowing, and medicine ball training.
CrossFit athletes run, row, jump rope, climb rope, and carry odd objects. They frequently move large loads quickly over short distances, and use powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting techniques. CrossFit athletes also use dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells, and many bodyweight exercises. CrossFit is used in nearly 2,000 affiliate gyms worldwide by many fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and military organizations.
And...
This part will blow your mind...
The workouts? They are only 15-30 minutes maximum each day. Think it sounds easy right? Think again.
Try doing this for 17 minutes straight...
or how bout this maybe?
I know... crazy right?
Here's how Justin describes his workouts...
"I started CrossFit at the beginning of June. Typically you have a WOD (Workout Of the Day). A WOD is usually a string of exercises that's either timed or you're trying to do as many reps as possible. On any given day most WODs take anywhere between 10-30 mintues long. Yup, that's it. Trust me, I consider myself an athlete and the intensity that you push yourself, after 2 minutes you're trying to catch your breath!
CrossFit is more focused on pushing yourself, changing your lifestyle, and after a few days, you're like family with all other CrossFitters in your "box" (gym). These family and friends (teens to the elderly) push one another to achieve something that you didn't think you could do in the past.
Let me give you an example. I would consider myself in fairly good shape (6'2", 235 pounds), and before I joined CrossFit I worked out by lifting at the gym 3 days a week and playing basketball and flag football once a week, as well. I've deadlifted before, but never more than 275 pounds.
Well, at CrossFit you learn your 1 rep max (the most weight you can lift in 1 rep on any given exercise) in most Olympic lifts. I was able to get to 465 pounds, but I almost killed my back in the process just out of sheer competitiveness trying to get the bar off of the floor. I didn't even attempt weights close to that weight for a while. Then one of our WODs was to figure out our new 1RM for deadlift. I was shooting for 435, but when it came so easy, my fellow CrossFitters pushed me to keep going higher. I did, kept pushing, and was able to max out at 500 pounds, and my back was fine! That was something I was truly proud about, but I wouldn't have even come close to it it my new friends weren't pushing me that day.
You may have read that last paragraph and said, "Olympic lifts? Deadlifts?! Pull-up?! 500 pounds?!?! I can't do any of that!" There is a lot of exercises in CrossFit that I cannot do yet, or I do it poorly. That's the beauty of CrossFit, you'll be able to complete these exercises over time, along with some practice and hard work.
Trust me I know the difficulty of starting something new. Within the first 4 minutes of my 19 minute - first day, I thought, "What am I doing?! This is hard! I don't want to come back tomorrow!" But when I was done with the workout I felt like I achieved something. I was proud. I even had people cheering me on who I'd met only 5 minutes before I started my workout. I couldn't NOT come back. I wanted to come back to feel motivated by those cheering me on, and to see what else I could do!
I guess I never told you why I joined CrossFit. And you thought I was finished! I wanted to challenge myself like I was when I was a college athlete, playing football at Penn State. In the past, I would typically go to the gym 3 days a week. Honest truth, yes I went to the gym, but it was so monotonous that I would take off a month or months once I got to a critical point of boredom or "man I look good! I don't need to workout for a while!", which would turn into, "Man I'm fat! Why did I stop going?!"
With Crossfit I never do the same WOD. I've been going to the "box" for 3 months now, 3/4 times a week, and I've never done a single workout twice. Eventually, I will do the same WOD again, but it might not be for 6 months to a year. NEVER boring. CrossFit pushes me to want to do it every day just to see what I'm capable of. I found myself wanting to do WODs while I'm on vacation! Crazy, I know!
I can't wait to challenge myself this weekend AND help out a great cause.
I know times have been tough for many, but I'm fortunate to know many wonderful people that also donate their time and money for great causes. I'd like to ask you for a donation (tax deductible), large or small.
Here's the link where you can donate
DONATE NOW
Let's never forget to honor those who have sacrificed for our freedom.
Sincerely,
Justin Ingram
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Well said, my friend.
In addition to making my own donation - I asked Justin to share his story on the blog today and I'd put out the call to my readership and see if any of you could get on board with him.
I know roughly how many of you read this sorry rag each day... and I know if each of you gave $10 we could get Justin to his $1500 goal by Friday easy peasy. $10? That's a cup of coffee and scone at SBUX.... C'MON you can do it!
I've also decided to sweeten the pot for you readers who do decide to open up your pretty wallets...
If you make a donation - come back and leave a comment here below saying so and I'll enter you to win one of my latest - and yet unreleased Fine Art Prints...
This one, called "Tied Up" comes 5x7 printed on metallic paper and mounted on 2mm styrene backer board. (*Note: print will not be watermarked.) Veerrrry niiiiiiice.
I'll pick a winner on Monday or Tuesday and report back with the money Justin has raised for SOWF and how he made out at the Fight Gone Bad competition this weekend.
To read more about EXACTLY what Justin will be doing this weekend - click on the DONATE NOW button above and get the scoop on his 17 minutes.
With all that has happened in recent events from the eradication of high level terrorists to the recent helicopter trajedy of our elite Navy SEAL teams, to the anniversary of 9/11... I can't think of a better time to show our support.
GO JUSTIN GO!!!
