Citius. Altius. Fortius. Simul.

Since I don’t foresee The Huffington Post or Grantland contacting me anytime soon to freelance write for them, I’ll have to make do with Patel It Like It Is.  I’ve gotten several messages lately from around the world asking me what the heck type of workouts I’m up to based on my Facebook newsfeed.  Well, let me tell you about CrossFit. 

I’ll start at the beginning and preface this by saying I’m one of those people who drank the CrossFit Kool-Aid.   I joined CrossFit in fall 2012.  It was a weird period where I hated the world and felt like life was “happening” to me.   So, I joined CrossFit to get some sense of control back and fill the void left by the end of my rugby career.   Eighteen months and thousands of squats later, I can’t imagine not CrossFitting for the rest of my life.  So, what is CrossFit?   Well, in a nutshell, Crossfit is a fitness regimen of constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity in a communal environment leading to better health and fitness. 

Whenever you walk into a CrossFit gym (aka “box”), you’re guaranteed one of the hardest workouts you’ll ever have.  Crossfit.com and each box tends to publish their daily workouts (great for workout ideas if you travel for work).  The hour usually goes something like this.  Everyone does a warmup together to get you loose and ready for the rest of the exercises.  Then comes the strength and/or skill exercise portion for ~20 minutes.  This could include anything from back squats, pull-ups, handstands, bench press, snatches, pistols, etc.   Then comes the workout of the day (aka “WOD”).  This is usually a set of exercises done for time or a fixed time workout done for as many rounds as possible (aka “AMRAP”).  The challenging and fun part is that these workouts vary every single day.  At the end of each WOD, it’s common for people to be sweating profusely spread-eagled on the ground trying to catch their breath and hoping not to upchuck.   As we say, CrossFit never gets easier, it just sucks less. 

Squat cleans, December 2013

Ass-kicking lessons

I’ve played sports or pursued athletic endeavors as long as I can remember.  CrossFit is the only thing I’ve found to be a guaranteed ass-kicking each time while also being the most motivating thing you can do.  I’ll get to the motivating aspect in a bit, but to expand on the ass-kicking element, I’ll say this.  In a given class, you will see people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels.  That gives you some accountability and something to aspire to.  As we say, you’re always chasing someone while someone’s always chasing you.  My times, weights, and scores are not close to anything worth bragging about, but they are improving.  And, I have role models for the type of CrossFit athlete I’d like to be eventually.  There are beastly 30/40-something year old mothers who kick my ass every day in the WOD.  I think that’s great that these women are doing this for themselves and becoming stronger both literally and figuratively.  

One woman (a former DI college athlete) from my box once quipped, “Honey, never lose your figure because it’s so hard to get it back.”  Haha.  Regarding figures, I’d say CrossFit is doing a world of good in redefining what “beauty” is for women of all ages.  Maybe the day will come when teenage girls desire to be “strong and lean” vs. “skinny”.  Since I began CrossFitting, I’ve gained ~16 pounds and my (expensive) jeans no longer fit.   Except for the pricey collection of 7s and Citizens that I now need to replace, I’m OK with the weight gain and pants size increase because I know it’s muscle.  My 15-year-old self would’ve reacted differently.  

I love CrossFit workouts because they are so audacious.  I remember when I was beginning grad school in London, I met an alum who was an Italian navy officer turned Bain consultant.   He said something that was so profound and something that has always stuck with me.  

“It is only when we operate at the edge of our limits can we exceed them.”  

I would argue that most people (including me) are operating in cruise control mode for the majority of their endeavors at work, school, hobbies, etc.   I look forward to CrossFit each day because I know for that one hour, I will be physically operating at 100%.  Over time that 100% relatively becomes my 90%, and I can see and feel that improvement/growth. 

I mentioned previously that CrossFit can be one of the most motivating things you can do.  Part of that is because it’s a fitness philosophy or system that works.  We also have great coaches that cheer you on and push you to do your best.  Trust me, if you have someone like Coach Logan yelling behind you “Run like is bear is chasing you!” or (my favorite) “Payal, row like your ass is on fire!”, you will run and row faster.  Haha.  Coaching that emphasizes form and safety, snarky commentary, and someone just pushing you to do better actually makes you improve.   


Squatting well below parallel, August 2013

Furthermore, I’ve found that CrossFit has helped me to identify the subtle differences between smart strength and brute strength.   In strength training, form matters in that there are better/more efficient ways of doing things.  It’s a bit of smoke and mirrors.  An example would be the first time I did power cleans in a WOD.  I had no idea really what I was doing, and afterwards, Coach David came up to me and told me to treat a power clean like a kettlebell swing by using my hips to pop the weight up.  He told me, “Payal, put a little ass into it, and the heavy bar will float up”, and it did!  Another example would be when Coach Yannick from CrossFitAKA in Amsterdam taught me how to conserve energy by landing in the squat position when doing 20” box jumps.   I can think of so many examples of this type of great coaching I’ve received from the official coaches as well as other CrossFit members (very common for us to teach and learn from each other).  

 



Kettlebell Swings, January 2013

CrossFit Camaraderie 
I’m motivated to CrossFit largely because of my fellow CrossFitters and the culture of the organization.   It’s not uncommon for people to tell me that they think CrossFit is a cult.   Everyone is allowed to have their opinion, and I’m not offended by this comment.  I choose to think of CrossFit as a community.  Throughout my life, I’ve always found that anytime you can work, study, worship, or live in community, good things will happen.  I believe CrossFit is a community full of achievement junkies who just believe in better.  It’s a community where people encourage and cheer each other on in the box, in competitions, and in life.   It’s a community where failure is celebrated.  It’s a community where people say “please” and “thank you”.  It’s an egalitarian and accepting community where your socioeconomic status and place in life matter less than what you value and where you’re headed.  And like my alma mater, it’s an incredibly positive environment.   Whether you call it a cult or community, I’ll self select into that type of place any day of the week.

It is a bit weird to think that people who individually workout together can have such a strong feeling of connection, isn’t it?  I remember one of my co-workers once quipping, “We connect through our vulnerabilities.”  I almost laughed out loud and thought that was some royal bologna.  But, on second thought, I think there’s a nugget of truth to it.   CrossFit is not “glamourous”.  Most people look terrible at the end of the hour.  Sweat, blood, dirt, vomit, spit, grunting, etc. are all familiar to us.   And you publicly struggle.  And it is this vulnerability and shared set of experiences that create intense camaraderie just like in any other team sport.  


CrossFit Evolving (London) birthday party, October 2012
http://www.crossfitevolving.com


AllSport CrossFit Football Combine Workout + Flag Football, August 2013
http://allsportcrossfit.com

Earlier this year, a friend forwarded me this provocative New York Times article on why it’s so difficult to make friends after the age of 30.  Sociologists since the 1950s have identified these three conditions as crucial to making close friendships: 1) proximity; 2) repeated, unplanned interactions; and 3) a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other.  Through this lens, it’s easy to see why it’s so easy to make friends in college.  And, I’d argue the same for CrossFit.  Your fellow CrossFitters likely live or work close to your box.  And while you do see each other fairly often, you never know who’s going to show up in your class as peoples’ schedules are always shifting.  And again, as mentioned, when you’re working out, you’re gross and a bit vulnerable, which encourages people to let their guard down.   If any person from either my London or Houston box ever came up to me needing a favor that I had the ability and means to provide for, of course I would.   And that sentiment to go to battle with/for each other is a very common shared feeling.


CrossFit as a Global Sport (and Business)
When you think about it, there aren’t that many sports out there that have global appeal and participation.  Baseball may be America’s past time, but you won’t find many jerseys in Poland.  And while netball is popular in Europe, you won’t find many playing the game on this side of the pond.  The sports I think of as "global" tend to be popular ones in countries that were part of the British empire (e.g. soccer, cricket, tennis, rugby).  Or mainstay Olympic events like track & field.   And while there are examples of certain sports actively pushing for exposure beyond current boundaries such as the Premier League now broadcasting games on NBC Sports or the NFL committing to three regular season games being played in London at Wembley in 2014, it takes a while and loads of investment to build (and monetize) those brands globally. 

And then I look at CrossFit.  I had a chance to meet Adidas CFO Robin Stalker when I was in London.  He spoke about the rationale for Adidas’ brand Reebok for partnering with CrossFit and the investment that went into re-positioning Reebok as a fitness brand.  CrossFit from day 1 was the global sport of fitness.   Think about it, ESPN broadcasts the CrossFit Games every year, and athletes from all over the world compete for $1 million and the title of “fittest on earth”.   

I think of CrossFit as the McDonald’s of fitness in that wherever you go in the world, you will have a consistent fitness experience delivered by an organization with a strong culture and deeply ingrained values.  Whenever I travel domestically or internationally, I’ll log onto crossfit.com and type in a zip code in the affiliate finder tool.  I can usually find a box and will then email the owner to see if I can drop in for a workout (and usually pick up a t-shirt too).    I’ve done this for about 20 boxes in the US and also in 8 countries.  And, everywhere I’ve gone, it’s very much plug and play.  I know what to expect in terms of movements, general routine, and standards.  And because unique terminology and acronyms are used, there is a common CrossFit language wherever you go in the world.   And there’s further standardization with the benchmark girl WODs and Hero WODs named after military heroes.  Think of it like hurricanes, if you say “Hurricane Rita”, people instantly know what you're talking about.  Same thing with benchmark and hero WODs.  When my coach in London tells me we’re doing Fran, I know instantly that’s 21-15-9 of thrusters and pull-ups.  This workout standardization also allows for global comparisons of my times/weights/scores to other people regardless of nationality.  That's part of the secret of building a global sport.


CrossFit Aggieland, April 2013  (Fantastic box!!)

http://crossfitaggieland.com


CrossFit NYC Black Box, March 2013 (Don't bother going here!)

The other part about CrossFit that has always intrigued and excited me is that it promotes entrepreneurship.  This very well-written article explains the business and ethos of Greg Glassman’s CrossFit.  Essentially each box or affiliate is independently owned and operated.  The “affiliate franchise fee” tops out at $3,000/year and because the equipment tends to be free weights in locations that tend to be warehouses or strip malls, the startup costs are "reasonable" compared to other small businesses.   

As this affiliate map shows, there are somewhere around 7,000 affiliates around the world.  From my own observations, most tend to be single-location businesses, so that means there are likely 6,000+ people making a living running their own CrossFit business.  (As an aside, I have seen a few CrossFit “chains” like CrossFit Copenhagen which has about eight separate locations).  I think that’s awesome.  

CrossFit affiliate map, January 2014
Furthermore, CrossFit has a strong military element in it with the number of military members who CrossFit, the hero workouts, and common values.  I’ve noticed that several of the boxes I’ve visited are owned by ex-military personnel.   In business school, I noticed how our country doesn’t do that great of a job helping our soldiers find their next career after they’ve served their time.  I’m glad that many ex-military personnel have found their calling as CrossFit owners.     

Better Together

All else equal, I love CrossFit because it’s made (and continues to make) me a better person.   I’ve learned about my mental weakness but also my mental toughness.  Anyone who has done Murph has learned that, and I give credit to my London coach Stretch for first teaching me how to “chip away” when I desperately wanted to quit Angie.  

CrossFit has encouraged me to increase my protein consumption.  As a vegetarian all my life, I’ve just accepted being protein and iron deficient, but nowadays protein shakes, eggs, and nuts are part of my daily diet.  

CrossFit has made me a better runner, and if I still played rugby, I know the same.   I think of CrossFit as a “multiplier” in that it helps you in the rest of your fitness and sporting endeavors.  I imagine that’s why many professional athletes incorporate CrossFit into their training regime.  As a personal example, I ran my best half marathon time this fall in Istanbul with very few training runs.  I believe CrossFit is the missing link in that paradox.  

CrossFit has made me less of a hermit through our happy hours, birthday parties, road trips, Facebook conversations, and daily interaction.   My CrossFit friends are certainly not my closest friends, but in an odd way I count this motley crue as some of my dearest friends.  


AllSport CrossFit Christmas Party + White Elephant Gift Exchange, December 2013

CrossFit has given me a refreshed confidence.  It’s hard to explain, but just knowing that you can deadlift 1.5x your bodyweight or squat 1.3x your bodyweight is empowering.  I sometimes find myself “sizing up” other females in the grocery store or around town and thinking to myself “I could take her”.   

And as a woman who has always struggled to find other women I can identify with, I’ve certainly found some ladies who exhibit behaviors I’m trying to build into my character.  One woman in particular is my Houston coach Susie.  Twenty years down the road, I hope my kids, family, friends, and professional colleagues are impacted in the same way that Susie has impacted those around her because she’s certainly living my dream. 

The official tagline of CrossFit is “Forging Elite Fitness”.  That’s good, but if it were up to me, I’d borrow from the Olympics and amend to “Citius, Altius, Fortius, Simul” meaning “Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together.”  



SDHP, December 2013


Ring swings during the "12 Days of Christmas (fave WOD ever!), December 2012


Squat therapy, August 2013

AllSport CrossFit Fine Looking Friends!  December 2013

Payal Style

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet the famous and highly regarded Mrs. Moneypenny (her real name is Heather) at a TEDx event in London.   I was still new to Britain, without a television, and  preferred to read the WSJ over the FT each morning, so I wasn't aware of her celebrity at the time.  In any case, I was able to impress her unknowingly with my TED talk, and recently she was very generous in offering me some advice as I'm hunting for the right next career move.   I feel very lucky that I had that privilege, and this blog post is to share some of the privilege to the 5 people that actually read this blog (haha).   It's based on some thoughts I stewed over after reading Mrs. Moneypenny's Careers Advice for Ambitious Women and my own operating strategies of being a woman in a man's world.   Everyone needs to develop their own "style" taking things that work for them and borrowing ideas from others.  This is my "Payal style".

Confidence matters.  Alot.  Men tend to carry themselves with more confidence than women.  I don't know precisely why, but from my sample of classmates, friends, and co-workers, it's clear to see.  This confidence thing is an uphill battle I'll likely face the majority of my career.  But, at least I'm more aware of it, and can work to boost it in situations that matter.   Saw this a few weeks ago on Pinterest, and it's my new motto.

Theory #1.  I have a theory that you're an average of the 5 people you hang out the most with.  The company you keep speaks of you as well, so make sure you surround yourself and spend time with people whose values are similar to your own and will make you a better person.

Accept that life's not fair.  In 2010, a report was published by Huran listing the top 20 self-made women billionaires.  11 out of the 20 were from China.  There are a couple of contributing factors including high GDP growth in China, a culture that values ambition and hard work, and one special thing that I hadn't thought about before: cheap and stigma free childcare.  In America, it's much more difficult to outsource your home life, and I for one wouldn't ever want to.   That means I'm going to have to dial down my career at some point.

Be gracious.  One of my favorite Directors that I worked with is a woman named Courtney.  She once paraphrased a quote (I think by Laura Bush?) that has always stuck with me, and something I try to live my life by.  Forgive the inaccurateness of it, but it goes something like "True grace is making anyone, no matter what stage of life they're in, feel comfortable."

Everyone has to eat.  As a sophomore at Texas A&M, I was a student leader/mentor in a prestigious freshmen leadership organization called ASSIST.   I had 64 freshmen that I looked after, helped, and invested time in so that they would not only have a great college experience but also grow as leaders.  This was a life changing experience for me (and alot of fun), but it was an incredible time suck.  A guy in the class ahead of me named Brian gave some advice over a campfire handover session that has always stuck with me.  He said that while this experience would be incredibly time consuming for me the following year, remember that everyone has to eat, exercise, study, shop, do laundry, etc.  And, you should take others to do those things with you.  I've found this advice to be incredibly effective for me over the years.  In college, I ended up taking freshmen to go to the grocery store with me, go run around campus, or spend evenings in the library together.  What we did mattered less than the fact that I wanted to spend time and invest in them. Over the years, I've adapted this to my professional and grad student life.   I think it also brings a sense of genuineness and realness to relationships.  While I do enjoy going out to a fancy cocktail lounge or club in London, sometimes I'd much rather go explore apartments or help a friend prepare for a salary negotiation.

Get your rear in gear.  And go join a gym or sports team.  Physical fitness makes me feel better and is an endorphin rush.  Going for a run is how I de-stress and think about things.  And, my new favorite fitness programme CrossFit also helps build confidence and gives me a sense of community.  I feel all women should carve out at least 3 hours a week for physical activity.

Read something.  All. The. Time.  I have very low tolerance for people who don't read.  I'm busy, but I always have a book (fiction and non-fiction).  Reading helps me continue learning and "escape".  I think it also gives me interesting things to add to conversations.  I love trading book recommendations with friends.

Pay it forward.  I'm blessed to have a number of champions and mentors that have watched out for me over the years.  I can never repay them for the profound impact they've had on me, but I can pay it forward to the next generation.  Mrs. Moneypenny had a great saying for this targeted at females, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Amen, sister.

Be proactive.  An incredible Managing Director I used to work with named Chuck mentioned something to me in my first month working out of college that has always stuck.  He said that I should be proactive in managing relationships with professional colleagues.  In his words, "The relationship has to be there before you need it."

Accept that men will not cross-stitch.  Some of my hobbies like painting and cross-stitching are very girly.  No man will ever want to do those things as a company outing or social event.  Develop (or at least attempt to develop) an interest in their hobbies.  It turns out I actually love playing poker, and I'm glad I learned the game in business school while playing with a good group of friends in a weekly small buy-in game.   I suck at golf (and managed to hit my study group mate Pete in the face with a golf club...not my finest hour), but eventually I'll get there and progress past the driving range.  I've always loved American football and joined my business school classmates in a fantasy football league this year.  My good buddy Sheldon (aka Mr. Whippy) came up with this great idea as a mechanism for us to all keep in touch given that we're spread over several continents.  It's been great to play fantasy football with them (and I have a great team that is dominating the league!).  They've been very accepting of me being the only female in our league too.  I think women sometimes play the "they won't accept me in their realm" card too hastily.

Ask for favors. I learned this in my Paths to Power class (GREAT class!) at London Business School.  Men are much more comfortable and willing to ask for favors, negotiate salaries, request special treatment, etc.  Women need to do this too (in our own unique ways).  We played a game in Paths to Power that has always stuck.  Essentially, we were put into breakout rooms with 10 people.  Each person wrote two things they needed help with on Post Its and then placed them on the outline of a giant circle drawn on a white board.  The Post Its had everything from requests for interview help to places to live to asking for a coffee during the break.  The students then drew lines from their names in the center to those they could help.  Once all the Post Its were cleared off, you could see the end result was a giant web.  Humans systematically underestimate others' willingness to help, AND we underestimate the happiness that performing favors gives them.

Know the PIE equation.  I went to a fabulous London Business School / Committee of 200 conference recently.   An accomplished fellow woman from the South named Tanya Fratto mentioned something to me that has stuck.  She had a very distinguished career at GE and told us how GE folks use the PIE equation for career progression.  Performance. Image. Exposure.  Each is equally important, and women should not only focus on the P.  Performance will not take you to the top, and the sooner females become comfortable playing organizational politics, the better.  Also, they can demonstrate organizational savviness in the their own unique way.  Tanya gave the anecdote of how a macho man questioned her ability to turnaround a GE plant in small town America.  Tanya coyly remarked that she was selected because she knew how to shoot guns and drove an F-250.   When put into situations like that, women can either get defensive and go into heinous bitch mode or react in a lighthearted way and win people over.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too.  I've always strived to be a renaissance woman of sorts, and I have an unrealistic belief that I'll be able to balance a career, family, personal development, etc.  Mrs. Moneypenny drives home this point that you can't have it all.  List your priorities and make decisions based on them.  You will have to say "no" and disappoint others.  I believe there's alot of merit in this, but it's incredibly difficult for me to do. 

CrossFit Day 1

So, I decided to join CrossFit here in London to challenge myself recently.

What the heck is CrossFit?  It's a fitness craze from the US that is going global.  I had heard about it from my friend Holly in 2010 just as I was leaving Texas.  All my young friends were joining these gyms where you would go to a glorified warehouse to do a pre-determined intense strength and conditioning workout of the day (WOD).   The equipment isn't the fancy stuff you find in upscale gym clubs.  At CrossFit, you'll find free weights, bars, kettlebells, balls, rigs, rings, cables...the basics.  And, you'll find highly skilled trainers who keep you accountable and motivate you.  It's open to people of all fitness levels (because each exercise can be modified), but it is not for the faint of heart.

Through my friend Phil, I found out that CrossFit had opened in London.  There are only a handful of clubs right now.  The one closest to me (CrossFit Central London) has a huge waiting list and not the best customer service (they don't answer the phone or call you back).  And the woman I finally got ahold of was rude to me when I inquired how to get started and asked for a more affordable way to go through the fundamentals course (vs. the 180 GBP option she gave me!!).  So, I ventured a bit farther to CrossFit Evolving in Islington area.  I'm so happy I did.  The owner Scott was very welcoming when I called (he answered).  He said I could pop by the next day and get started right away. 

My fabulous trainer today was Mark.  AMAZING guy who teaches good form, is fun, and motivates you to complete the exercises to the best of your ability.   There were alot of squats and deadlifts today...quads and hamstrings will feel it tomorrow.  Can't wait for my next session!!

Overhead squats, 8/25/2012