John Domec

Ole Glory’s last Athlete of the Month for 2019 is Mr. John Domec! John first learned about CrossFit from his brother. He was getting tired of “bro-lifting” and needed something to keep him motivated. He instantly loved the challenge that CrossFit provided and has never looked back. He’s been a faithful member of our Ole Glory family for roughly seven years now!

Although he doesn’t quite remember his first true WOD, he did state that “I couldn’t finish and was really out of shape.” He never gave up and kept working at it. He recently finished 4th during the 2020 Open at Ole Glory. Hard work pay off! Way to go, John!

Since his brother is the one that first introduced John to CrossFit, of course there will be a bit of competitiveness between the siblings. “Beating my brother in WODs is always a win for me, we have always been competitive and compare times and weights.” In years to come he plans to continue testing his body. “It is amazing what we can accomplish if we are willing to try.” John attends our 5:00 AM class most morning and comes in with the mentality to be better than he was yesterday.

Since beginning his CrossFit journey, John states that “overall, I am probably in the best shape of my life!” He further added that since starting at OG he pays more attention to diet and stretching, as well as, focusing on his technique so he can move weight properly with good form.

John’s athletic background includes sports for majority of his life and participating in lifting weights and conditioning for football. So naturally, if you know John then you know his love for the barbell, power cleans especially! Running however, is not one of his favorites, although he is taking extra time each week to improve his running and reach new goals he set for himself.

In John’s non-CrossFit life he is 36 years old and married with 2 beautiful daughters. He states that “I love spending time with family.” Anything outdoors is a huge pastime of his as well.

When we asked what he enjoyed most about Ole Glory this is what John had to say, “the community and the coaches are second to none. Very easy to be motivated when you are surrounded by so many amazing people.”

If you or anyone you know is looking to make a lifestyle change and join CrossFit, here are a few words of advice from John. “All you have to do is show up. The coaches and community will take care of the rest. I think the biggest misconception is that people think they have to be in a certain shape to do CrossFit, which is not the case at all. Every workout is scalable and can be modified to suit any person who just shows up.”

Congratulations again, Domec! Keep up the excellent work!

“Attitude and effort are the only things you can control.”

5 Simple Steps to Stay On Track

With the holidays upon us and the new year quickly approaching, we often lose sight of our goals and get off track. Here’s a few simple tips to keep you on track during this busy season of the year.

1) Work, work, work. Dreams won’t work unless you do – No doubt talent is absolutely needed, but it is hard work that is crucial for success. If determined to succeed, then it’s time to turn the working mode on. The true results don’t come from hitting that EPIC PR, Regionals or the games, the results come from simply showing up day in and day out doing the BEST you can each and every time.  Even if you have an off day, or twenty, keep at it! The results don’t come unless you keep consistently moving forward.

2) Be stubborn and persistent – Little by little, day after day, triumph comes at a steady pace, dressed in small efforts. Follow your success road faithfully and take tiny achievable steps, each one at a time. Winners are those, persistent to progress, obstinate to never give up and be patient to wait for the results.

3) Discipline matters – Self-imposed control are required to keep the rhythm up. That only means one thing: get ready to be fully devoted to achieving success.

4) Plan and organize in advance – Good planning equals to 80% of success. Learn how to arrange your priorities and manage your time. Put small targets and chase them until fully completed. Learn how to optimize your time schedule so you can make the most out of it.

5) Concentrate on the goals – As Henry Ford says “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” In other words, the best you can do is to dismiss fears of failure and duly focus all your energy and efforts on the targets. Letting no other distractions stay in your way, will save you precious time for what really matters.

If you’re interested in starting your health journey in 2020, schedule a free ‘No Sweat Intro’ with one of our coaches today! We will have a 15 minute consultation with you regarding your goals and how to achieve them! Come check out Ole Glory CrossFit!

Are you already a member and want to set some goals to get on track in 2020? Schedule your appointment for a Strategy Session with one of our amazing coaches today! We would love to help you get on track and have a plan for greatness!

Ham Sweet Potato Frittata

If you have left over ham from the holidays then you’ll want to put some to the side for this savory breakfast dish!

Ingredients

  •  2 cups peeled and 3/4-inch-chopped sweet potato — about 1 medium
  •  2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — divided
  •  1 cup diced leftover ham — or swap 5 ounces chopped Canadian bacon
  •  1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion — about half a medium onion
  •  1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  •  8 large eggs
  •  1/3 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese — about 1 ounce
  •  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  •  1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  •  1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese — plus additional for serving

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven broiler to high.
  2. Place the chopped sweet potato in a microwave-safe bowl. Fill the bowl with water to a depth of 1/2 inch. Cover the plate with a paper towel (or use a reusable microwave-safe cover). Microwave on high until the cubes are slightly tender but not fully cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then drain.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or similar ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the ham. Cook, stirring often, until the ham is browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the ham to a plate and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, onion, rosemary, and sweet potato. Sauté, stirring often, until both the onion and sweet potato are lightly browned and the onion is softened, about 7 minutes.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk in the cheddar, black pepper, and salt.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Slowly and gently pour in the egg mixture. Sprinkle with the ham and feta.
  7. Place the skillet in the oven. Broil until the eggs are set and the top is golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Watch very carefully towards the end of the cooking time to ensure it doesn’t burn (don’t walk away!). This time may vary depending upon your skillet (different materials hold heat differently). If at the 5 minute mark your frittata is not fully cooked, switch the oven to BAKE at 350 degrees F and continue cooking until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven (be careful, the skillet handle will be hot). Let cool a few minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

You can find the whole recipe here: https://www.wellplated.com/ham-sweet-potato-frittata/

Balance and Accuracy

Welcome back for our final week on the ten general physical skills! Over the past several weeks we have touched on how eight of the physical skills are improved through CrossFit training. Throughout our discussion of endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, speed, power, coordination and agility, you may have noticed a common topic repeated frequently. “Aging” or “Getting Older” was discussed quite a bit. Why is that? Let’s face it, we aren’t getting any younger and everyone wants to “age” gracefully.  All ten physical skills improve our quality of life and as we age we must focus more on building those skills to ensure that quality is up to par. The final two skills are no different, balance and accuracy, both begin to fade away the older we get. 

Balance and accuracy are not often thought about unless they become issues for you or a loved one. Most likely you’ve known an elderly person that uses a walker, cane or even a wheelchair because they can’t place one foot in front of the other to walk without assistance or support. Balance refers to the body’s ability to control the placement of our body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base. (CrossFit.com) While accuracy refers to the ability to control that placement or movement in a given direction or at a given intensity. (CrossFit.com) These two skills allow us to place one foot in front of the other to walk or run, and not fall over. Taking a simple step requires you to balance your full body weight on one supporting leg, while accurately placing the opposite foot forward. On days we work unilaterally, such as single leg deadlifts, we’re working to improve not only our strength, but our balance as well. Every time you throw a medicine ball to the blue line on the wall or the target you are working on accuracy. 

Are there other factors in life that can affect our balance and accuracy? Of course. Various things in life can affect these skills; such as our vestibular system (equilibrium), alcoholism and medication. All of these things can affect balance and accuracy, but proper training is imperative for the unknown and unknowable in life. If your functional fitness is maintained, then your risk for injury will drastically decline.  Now do you understand why we refer to CrossFit as “functional fitness”? All of the physical skills build upon one another to create an athletic, able-bodied, functional human being.  Let’s continue to train all of these skills so that we can truly enjoy our “golden years”.