Jesse O'Brien

Active ATX

2009-10-07T19:38:00.002-05:00

I am starting a new blog off a website that I am building. ActiveATX

Figh Gone Bad IV

2009-09-23T23:17:00.003-05:00

Fight Gone Bad IV - Do It Right Now from Sportsgrants on Vimeo.

On September 26th, Westlake Crossfit along with CrossFitters across the nation will unite for the fourth consecutive year to honor and support our injured service men and women and the thousands of people fighting and living with prostate cancer: Fight Gone Bad IV. One day. One workout. One Purpose.

Fight Gone Bad IV benefits Athletes for a Cure and the Wounded Warrior Project. There's no stopping us from making a difference and I hope you will support our efforts with any contribution you see fit. Last year we raised $627,000. This year, we are going for $1million. This goal will be reached one dollar at a time, in amounts ranging from $1 to $1000.

To make a donation click here.

Westlake CrossFit

2009-09-21T21:51:00.004-05:00

.

Westlake CrossFit has been somewhat of a home the past few months. Many exciting things to come...

2009-09-10T09:04:00.001-05:00

Fran

2009-09-07T14:28:00.004-05:00

I wholeheartedly believe that each demanding CrossFit WOD that you complete, that you get something out of it. Whether it is the confidence to put on the pants that fit you ten years earlier to knowing that you have the mental and physical fortitude to push through something that seems impossible when you are in the midst of its grueling pain. Today I experienced Fran which always seems to get the better of me. Fran always grounds me and brings me back to reality. I have the tendency to think things are easier than they will be going into them and overstate my abilities at times. Through sucking wind, concentrating on anything but the burn in my legs, forearms, and shoulders and trying to push myself past the proverbial wall that I inevitably hit going through Fran always is a reality check. Although 4:39 isn't bad, I'm not impressing anyone either. Instead of feeling inferior after this performance that I don't feel represents me, I need to change my cognition and focus on the positive points of this day:

1. This is the time to really work on some of my weaknesses. Looking at Fran as more of a learning experience rather than a poor performance. I have had a problem developing my leg strength and think that really took it toll on me. I tried to compensate by using my relatively stronger upper body which really wore me down. By the second round I had to break the Thrusters into 3 parts because my shoulders were gassed! I should be to the point where I can go straight through this workout without feeling like I am going to die. Part of CrossFit is efficiency of movement and I needed to power off my legs more instead of relying on the stronger part of my body to do most of the work.

2. One of the most positive things that I felt today was the energy that all of my fellow CrossFitters and trainers have created at Westlake CrossFit and I really want to thank everyone. For the first time I really felt this deeper meaning to what Westlake CrossFit really represents. I wanted to do Fran today after two days of rest, but I wanted to be accountable for what I am constantly pushing on others and what I am preaching. I know that Fran always kicks my ass and I wanted it to do so in front of everyone else and everyone stayed and watched. We're all human and by demonstrating our innate capacities, specifically through a WOD we despise, can help push the collective efforts of everyone. Having everyone there encouraging me helped push me past a mental wall that I have been living at for a long time now and I blasted through it. Although my performance didn't end where I would like it to, I gained so much today. Going through Fran, I felt that not only was I letting everyone else down when I put the bar down prematurely or dropped off the pull up bar, but I wasn't living up to my standards and the standards I was holding everyone else to. I was able to push through and finish the workout and although I was discouraged about my performance, I had Mariah, Willem, Devon, Judson, Mark, Joss and even my Dad there who made me feel so good about the effort that I gave. As cheesy or cliche as this might sound, I felt more connected to everyone else in that room at that final moment of Fran than I have to anyone else in a very long time and it was cleansing and refreshing. The encouragement, the accountability that was demanded, the energy and summation of pushing past mental barriers, injuries and pain. We all feed off each others energies and personalities and I believe that it is only a matter of time before we will be producing some elite CrossFit athletes.

Thanks to all who were there today and thank you for everyone who have contributed to what everyone at Westlake CrossFit have collectively created. It is more than a gym to me and something that is too unique to be completely recreated. I am sure that Westlake CrossFit will grow and will help change people's lives as it has mine but I hope that they will always be able to keep their individuality in the process.

I challenge everyone to push others to something that they want to accomplish but more importantly, challenge yourselves each and everyday. It is only by living outside of our comfort zones do we grow. Sometimes the most powerful experiences are the most uncomfortable.

Emerging Fitness

2009-08-31T23:30:00.006-05:00

I was going through some of my projects from College and came across my business plan for a commercialized fitness presence that targets emerging markets such as Vietnam. It is called Emerging Fitness. I remember thinking about how good of an idea I thought it was at the time, but I feel like I would change so many things if I executed it today. It is funny about how our ideas are expressions of what we know, and who we are at that particular time. What if Howard Schultz decided to start Starbucks before he experienced the Italian coffee drinking experience--Starbucks would not be what it is today, or possibly nonexistent. Timing seems to plan such a crucial yet harmonious role in our lives but we fairly recognize our excellent timing in lives. Maybe it is because it is impossible to tell what would have occurred given an infinitely different sequence of events. Not sure where I am going with this but there is something to it.

1.0 Executive Summary

Emerging Fitness is a novel, holistic business entity in the fitness realm that will establish a limited chain of 4,000-square-foot fitness studios in large international cities in emerging markets such as Vietnam. The target market predominantly includes the burgeoning professional classes as well as expatriates, business and leisure travelers and fitness aficionados. There are currently no other fitness studios that aim to create and consolidate holistic fitness in an international realm, particularly in emerging markets. This plan will attempt to determine the feasibility of the business and outline its start-up procedures in order to make Emerging Fitness operational.

1.1 Highlights

1. Small investment of less than $130,000

2. Financially successful proven CrossFit model

3. ROE of 25% in the first year

4. First mover’s advantage globally

5. Fitness virtuosity

6. Revenue is 60% membership generated/40% generated off our amenities

7. We are not only selling our customers a place to work out but also the ambiance and feelings associated with optimal health. We are merely the vehicle that helps provide those feelings and health solutions

ActiveATX

2009-08-29T17:00:00.003-05:00

I have been trying to find a creative way to blend entrepreneurship, fitness and aspects of Web 2.0 and what I have come up with is ActiveATX. The website that I created is a prototype that I will build off of, but it is a good start. ActiveATX will serve as an online forum for what active is happening in Austin, Texas.

CrossFit

2009-08-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

I came across to this article and it is a concise and to the point article that describes and attempts to explain the rationale behind CrossFit.

Why Start Crossfitting?

For those of you who are not familiar with Crossfit, it is basically a bad ass conditioning program that many of the worlds elite athletes, police officers, firefighters, and the guys for 300 used to get into shape. It pulls functional movements from many disciplines such as gymnastics and weightlifting and builds from those movements to make work outs that leave you on the ground gasping for air laying in a pool of sweat. This program is not for the faint of heart or the weak of spirit!

Many Crossfit work outs only take twenty minutes leaving you with time for other things. Also, many of the work outs can be done at home, at the park, or just a regular gym with no or minimal equipment.

The Three E’s

Crossfit can be said to have 3 main Benefits it will Make you:

Effective
Efficient
Efficacious

With short work outs you may be curious to know if it is enough work, well it is! Since most work outs are timed you are forced to do as much as you can in an allotted amount of time, which equates to more power.

Competetive

Your in a class with 10 other crossfitters. The work out is Angie, which is 100 pull ups, 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 air squats. You can not move to the next exercise until you have finished all 100. The trainer yells “3-2-1 GO!” and the music starts. Everyone starts moving so they can have the best time on the board. You realize that this is more of a competition than a work out. With any competition that athlete is motivated to change their life style to get better. Does your current work out give you that mindset?

Functionality

Crossfit utilizes movements that your body is meant to do. For example, you are probably sitting in front of a computer right now, what are you going to do when you stand up? Squat! When your ancestors were running from danger and had to get into a tree to evade danger what did they do? A pull up or muscle up! By utilizing movements that are ingrained in your gene pool you get the most bang for your buck.

Community

If you decide to join a Crossfit gym you will develop a camaraderie with other members. Shared suffering creates strong bonds. The friends I have made through Crossfit is the best part about doing Crossfit.

Aesthetics

Though Crossfit is almost exclusively concentrates on athletic performance, a result of this training is a very lean muscled look. For instance, the actors in the movie 300 did Crossfit for 3-6 months before the movie and they were ripped!