Bar under chin. Chest to deck. Excellence in action.

“It is the sea herself that fashions the boats.”
– Unknown

Deep Squats (Thoughts)

The CrossFit Games has its origin in early 2007 when CrossFit Director of Training, Dave Castro, invited CrossFit founder Greg Glassman to his family ranch in Aromas. Glassman suggested holding a “Woodstock of Fitness” at the ranch for the CrossFit community. In July 2007, the inaugural CrossFit Games, which had the feel of a backyard BBQ with a few sporting events thrown in, took place at the ranch. Around 70 athletes and 150 spectators turned up for the first Games. The first two years, participation was open to anyone who signed up and made it to Aromas.

Yours truly competed in the 2008 Games, finishing 85th out of 196. In 2009, I competed on CrossFit Silicon Valley’s team with our (now) Dr. Matt Smith from Everathlete. Here’s a brief video of me doing overhead squats at The Games in 2009.

Interest and participation in the event continued to grow, and in 2010, the qualification was adjusted to include multiple Sectionals, a series of events open to all athletes who wanted to qualify for one of the 17 Regionals.

In 2011, the open participation Sectionals were replaced by an online qualification called The CrossFit Open. In the first year, 26,000 athletes signed up to compete.

March, 2011. CrossFit Palo Alto had existed for approximately 18 months. I had been full-time with the gym for 9 months. CrossFit came out with The Open. 6 workouts over 6 weeks. The best qualified to Regionals and then to The Games at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. A small group of us completed all the workouts. We even sent Maddie to the rain soaked Regionals at The Santa Clara Fairgrounds that year!

We barely knew what we were doing as a business. We kept showing up and learned along the way. The competition, camaraderie and challenge made us work on weaknesses and develop new skills along the way in order to prepare for the “Unknown and Unknowable” of CrossFit and life. CrossFit was barely 10 years old as a company and was trying to figure out how to find the “Fittest on Earth” through a multiple stage selection process. They kept showing up and learned along the way. We all continue to learn, grow and adapt along the way.

The Open is described as the largest participatory sporting event in the world. This is your chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself on a global scale.

Why so much Open talk, Tim?

Trust. That’s what this is about. I’m asking you to trust me. Trust me that you are going to be so glad you competed in The Open. You already trust us with your strength, fitness, conditioning, safety, loved ones and your children. Trust me when I say that you will not regret doing The Open. Even if you can’t make all the workouts, sign up and do at least one. Then, next year you’ll want to do them all.

I spent close to four years preparing to qualify for The 2016 Games when I would be eligible for the 40-44 age group. I fell short by 6 spots. I learned. I got better. I made it in 2017 and 2018, ultimately finishing 7th and 8th in the 40-44 age group. I learned so much from the years of training and competing. But, I believe the best lessons were learned from the people of CrossFit Palo Alto. The support was incredible. Whether competing to be a Games athlete or to get your first pullup, the people here want to support you. And you should let them. Put yourself out there. Attempt something new and GET SIGNED UP.

See you in class.

Tim

What’s Going On?

New Year, New Teen Class

Who: Boys and Girls aged 12-17
Dates: January 7 – February 27th
When: Tuesdays/Thursdays at 4pm
Led by: Coach Rebecca
*Email [email protected] to sign up*

CrossFit Open
March 1st – March 15th, 2025
9am at CFPA

REGISTER FOR THE OPEN HERE!!

Nutrition Coaching
Coach Rebecca is now offering nutrition coaching which will include:
Initial assessment, InBody testing and weekly check-ins. Contact her for details.
[email protected]

Overheard in Class:
“Good reps make good rounds.”

Timfluencing

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

In the spirit of Alvin Tofflers’ Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. Whether we’re buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401K, everyday decisions have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains why too much of a good thing has proven detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz explains how a culture that thrives on the availability of constantly evolving options can also foster profound dissatisfaction and self-blame in individuals, which can lead to a paralysis in decision making and, in some cases, depression.

Instead of increasing our freedom to have what we want, the paradox of choice suggests that having too many choices actually limits our freedom. Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.

Tim’s Takeaway: Understanding more about WHY I make choices or what my natural tendencies might be is helpful. I feel like I can give others more grace when they may be frozen in the decision making process, which is exactly what I’d like when I get stuck.

Thank you for your support.

I look forward to what we will do together.