Progress and Calming Down

I started exercising and moved on to training because I wanted to get stronger, faster, and healthier, not unlike most people.  For a while I just wandered around the gym trying to figure out what I was doing, what form I should be using, and what I enjoyied, not unlike most people.  I made some progress but things really started coming together when my schedule became organized.  I decided to become stronger using the Deadlift and the Squat so I Deadlift and Squat every week.  Every week I increase either the weight on the bar or the number of reps per set.  I never perform more than than 5 reps per set because my goal is strength.  This plan is simple and brutally effective, and I have been using the same plan for over 2 months.  For a training plan to work you need to use it more than 1 week, more than 2 weeks.  After a month you should start seeing results, then you stick with the plan until the results stop.  
Too often beginners have exercise ADD, they work out for a week and wonder why they have not lost weight or become stronger.  Well, it took your body years to become the way it is now so you cannot expect some miracle transformation in 7 days!
The same applies to runners, some person decides to start running then they think the only measure of how good they are is distance covered.  I cannot apologize for saying that running 4 or 5 miles at a 10 minute mile pace isn't doing jack for your running ability or your health.  You would be better off increasing your speed over a shorter distance before you add distance.  Use a methodical plan, learn about intervals, run fast, stop wasting your time; you will burn more fat, waste less time, and look less like a jogger!

The Importance of Strength and Flexibility

I feel as if I have reached a breakthrough, and it seems minor, but I feel as if I understand what base is necessary for one to do well in Crossfit. I extends beyond Crossfit, though, to anyone looking for a good level of physical well-being. It is also vital to most athletes.
This 'magic' is the melding of strength and flexibility, and everyone that claims they are mutually exclusive does not understand the mechanics of the body. Flexibility allows the body to move and strength causes those movements. An increase in both will improve your quality of life far outside the doors of the gym, but I'm more concerned with the goings on in the gym.
If you are not flexible then you have no business doing a laundry list of strength exercises that are brutally effective movements to include anything Olympic, Back Squats, Overhead Squats, Thrusters, and if you can't keep those heels on the ground during the hip break you should not be doing Push Presses. When you are working with weight of any significance your weight needs to be on your heels because that is where you are most stable. Stable is good, stable prevents you from falling over and throwing a loaded barbell and some poor guy's head. Of course, being able to display this ability requires flexibility in the hams, calves, and Achilles tendon. If this is a weakness, then check the ego at the door and use a light load and do various forms of stretching based around the necessary mobility.