CROSSFIT SUFFOLK: Powered By SPARTAN PERFORMANCE

20
Mar

CROSSFIT SUFFOLK: Powered By SPARTAN PERFORMANCE

REMEMBER THE LITTLE ORANGE CAPSULE The author is involved with the supplement company that is advertised within this article, be advised. This does not change the fact that there is scientific evidence that Curcumin is an effective supplement and it’s worth you taking a look at it.

IF IT FITS YOUR MICROS

IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

Whenever I’m asked how I’m so incredibly good-looking (and I’m asked often) I give all credit to God as He has lent me this vessel, face included, for a short time and to my award-winning barber, Joey Adler from Mike’s Custom Kuts in Smithtown. I couldn’t let some pesky virus keep me from getting my haircut. Joey performed masterfully with his filtered mask on.

No. I’m not shaving for a few days. Maybe a few weeks.

Here’s the continuation of the weirdness from yesterday. I parked my car in front of Mike’s Custom Cuts, exited my vehicle (that’s police talk for “I got out of my car”) and walked up to the front door. Before I could grab the door handle, Joey runs out to intercept me, “George, would you mind waiting in your car until I’m done with the guy before you?”

Now, mind you, if I ever have to wait I usually do so in the typically busy, noisy barbershop. After all, Joey was a CrossFit Suffolk athlete way before he became the official barber to handsome CrossFit Suffolk men. In fact, Joey was wearing a CrossFit Suffolk/Spartan Performance hoody. Yet, here I was, unceremoniously banished to my car to prevent unnecessary contact and breathing in the shop. Weird, but I didn’t mind. I only waited for about 5 minutes.

I stayed awake for my entire haircut. It was quiet and only one other guy was getting his haircut. The other patron and I didn’t speak to each other. We exchanged menacing glances as if to say, “what are you doing out here?” Usually, I exchange pleasantries with Joey, fall asleep and wake up sometime later with my hair deftly cut in a way only an award-winning barber could cut hair, including my beard and mustache trim. Of course, we spoke about living in a post-CoronaVirus world. We used to talk about Game Of Thrones…you know…when I stayed awake. What a world.

I left Joey and traveled 2 blocks down Terry Road. I stopped in to check on 2 CrossFit Suffolk athletes who happen to be tattoo artists. No, I have no tattoos. I don’t like them but I like hanging out with people who have them. This is where my family and friends come for the best body art to be found. I walked into Authentic Arts and was greeted, quite enthusiastically by the owner, Tommy Simonetti. Tommy didn’t greet me with a mask on. Germs, bacteria, viruses cannot live in Authentic Arts. It is super-sterile. Viruses are afraid to enter. I felt protected. Mike, one of our newer athletes, and a tattoo artist at Authentic Arts was there as well. We all kept at least 8 feet from each other and spoke about the current state of the world, rumors that we’ve heard and the good-old-days of being able to clear your throat without causing panic. It was good to see them and be around humans that are a usual part of your day. There’s that normalcy thing again.

Mike and Tommy

The ride home from Smithtown was uneventful. I started doing things around the house and today ventured into the wilds of my backyard. Of course, I brought the Mighty Finn with me. This is his domain. I’m only the caretaker. He is the king here. I worked first, cleaning up, then it was time to work Finn out. Finn has two thick, knotted ropes that he likes to have tug-a-wars with. We spend a few minutes doing that as a warm-up. The real workout starts when I run with the rope while Finn bits down on it. After ramping up the speed and making sure his legs are fully prepared I let him “hold” one rope while I grab the other. I crossed the yard and wave the rope until he’s interested. This takes about 3 seconds. Finn drops the rope he’s biting and charges me. I run looking over my shoulder, holding the rope at full arm extension so I don’t get my arm ripped off. I wait until Finn leaps for the rope and I pull it away. Finn requires a few feet to slow himself and cut the other way as I run while he’s adjusting. I make him do this 6-8 times, sprinting and leaping before he grabs the rope. This goes on for 20-30 minutes and it’s exhausting for both of us. Then we wrestle.

It’s not really wrestling. I turn the hose on to bathe him. He doesn’t care for it. Today I’ve tired him out pre-bath time. I learned that lesson the hard way. He barely gives me a fight. I wet him as quickly as possible, shampoo him, rinse and towel dry. Then he gets peanut butter so he understands I wasn’t trying to torture him. Then it’s back to another 15-20 minutes of playing. Finn must have been pleased with his bath and playtime because he spent about 10 minutes trying to hump my leg when I told him it was time to go in. Yeah, he was a happy dog.

Speaking of good-looking animals….
Come on without
Come on within
You’ve not seen nothing like the Mighty Finn!

Today Lisa made dinner. That’s 2 days in a row of having dinner together during the week…at dinner time. Nice! After dinner, it was back to workout programming (which I enjoy) and texting and the website.

Not a bad day.

Heard this on a podcast the other day. It was written by C.S. Lewis in 1948 when he was asked about living in a time of the Atomic Bomb. Clearly, his words apply to our present situation.

In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”

In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.

This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.

— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948) in Present Concerns: Journalistic Essays

Have a wonderful day!—George

We are offering our members a Spartan Performance Bodyweight-Only home workout plan and a Spartan Performance Limited-Equipment plan for those with home gyms.  Text me or leave a comment in the comment section of this blog if interested.

10 Responses

  1. Ben

    Sounds like a good day!

    I’m finding it hard to motivate myself to workout. I’m going to try maybe scheduling a workout at 11am instead of waiting till 4 and then procrastinating until I deem it too late.

    Also I felt scattered yesterday, couldn’t focus on a task too long. Did things but ultimately seem unnacomplished.

    I’ve got another chance today I guess.

  2. JaneM

    Working out alone in the den is just not the same as being at CrossFit Suffolk. I am an 8PMer so there have been too many times that I have worked out alone. So you would think working out alone wouldn’t bother me but it does. I have also procrastinated when it comes time to working out. One night I did it at 8:00 not because I missed working out at that hour but things got in the way. I also find it hard to be motivated to do my job every day. I sit at the dining room table all alone listening to the sound of silence (BTW I literally listened to Disturbed’s version the other day). At work I sit in open concept and hear all the chatter of my co-workers as they conduct conference calls across the globe. Now maybe I hear the garbage collectors or the mail person. Oh and the neighbor’s dogs that seem to bark all day long. My new normal.

    Enjoy your day Spartans.

  3. Bevin

    Self motivating is hard right now. I need to get it done in the morning now and I was an evening person before. I think part of it is that you know at our box if you don’t show people will ask where you are, they want to make sure your ok and sticking to training. Now I’m like eh, I’ll do it tomorrow. Especially because sleeping is now an issue, thanks to my old friend insomnia returning. Today’s plan is to run and clear my head. Have a good one everyone!

  4. Cathy

    Hello my fellow Spartans!!!!! I agree with what everyone is saying! It’s much more difficult to motivate yourself when no one is ensuring you get it done! SO….My 6:30 AM crew decided to hold each other accountable to some sort of exercise/workout each and every day! We check in with each other every day and let each other know what we plan on doing, what time we want to do it, and for how long we’re going to do it. So far so good! We have been riding our peloton (Amie and I actually took a class together, the only 2) hiking with the kids, dancing in our living room, and of course working on George’s home WODs! It definitely is not the same, but at least we’re getting something done! These are different times, but remembering to take care of ourselves is extremely important! It helps the mind, the body and the stress level!! (Plus it helps ease the guilt of indulging in wine and sweets ?) With that being said, we are also sharing recipes for delicious desserts and meals! Thank you George and Lisa, for continuing to inspire us with daily workouts, and of course the day would not be the same without the life chronicles of George Demetriou! Take this time to get some much needed rest and relaxation, you have been working hard for a really long time! Miss you all! ❤️❤️❤️

    1. George

      These are all normal feelings. Fear not. We’re the type of people that like working out with a community, that’s part of the reason we CrossFit. I may have an answer. I’m exploring a product call ZOOM. It’s an app that allows you to connect with a large group of people via the internet and using your device’s camera and microphone. We can conduct sessions at designated times where we can all see each other. Let me know what you think.

      And yes MIke, I often sleep during entire haircuts. Joey will wake me up to trim my beard and mustache. I find haircuts extremely relaxing.

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