Time for a New Year, but Why Wait?

So, as 2010 ends, it is time to start thinking about 2011 and what I want to do.  I have been disappointed with my weight loss this year and only have myself to blame.  With that being said, why wait until Jan. to begin changing my ways.  It starts with a day, and today was that day.  Not in 2 weeks.  There is no reason to procrastinate just so that I can overindulge for the holidays.  To make a life style change you need to be able to be comfortable in any situation, including the holidays.  So, I am not waiting 2 weeks.  I have begun trying to better myself in all aspects of my life as of right now.  Because if I put it off, it makes it that much easier to keep putting off.

A big goal of mine besides the weight loss, is to learn the POSE method of running.  I attended a 3 hour clinic this past Sat.  One thing that I learned is that I suck at running, but with a few tweaks and some practice, I can become efficient at it.  It is going to take some practice, but not an overwhelming amount.  I figure after these next 6 weeks, which would be around Feb. 1, I should have a grasp of it and be on my way to more efficient running.  While I have several things that I plan on working on in this upcoming year, these are my 2 biggest.  Once I am lighter, a lot of the other exercises and everyday tasks will just be easier.  So I ask you, why wait until next year when you can start right now?

The Inevitable Tear

Pretty much every crossfitter knows that some time or another you are going to rip the skin open on your hand or hands.  There are ways to try and combat that, either chalk, hand wraps, gloves, etc.  Yesterday's workout had 100 pull ups in it, so I was afraid of the dreaded tear.  The worst part about tearing your hand isn't the pain, but depending on the severity, the amount of time it takes to heal.  And since I took a month off, of course I tore my hand mid workout.

The workout was 10 rds of 10 pull ups/10 ring dips or 20 min., whichever comes first.  I had to use a band for assistance with the ring dips, but did the pull ups without a band.  A band for assistance is a giant rubberband that you stand in or for dips, string it between the rings and put a knee on it for assistance.  About round 5 is when I looked at my left hand and saw the dreaded tear, and it was a big rip.  I tried to continue with regular pull ups, but it kept ripping.  So, I changed for the next rounds to do jumping pull ups.  For me, pull ups with a band are a pain, so I decided to do jumping pull ups.  That's where I jump from the ground to over the bar while doing a pull up.  After 20 min, I got 7 full rounds and 10 pull ups.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't get all 10 rounds in, but I know next time I will.  I just need to let my hand heal up a bit before doing that many pull ups again.

No Shoes, No Problem

Today's workout consisted of squats and lunges.  First was strength work, 5 sets of front squats, 3 reps.  I got 215 lbs for my last set.  I'll take that since the last time I did it in Oct, I got to 185 lbs.  Then it was on to the actual workout, which today, was squats and lunges.  1000 m row, 100 m walking lunges, and 100 air squats.  Not too bad on paper, but sucked.  About 40 reps into my squats, I got a pain in my arch of my left foot.  So should I quit, nope, just take my shoes off.  I kicked my shoes off and finished the squats.  19 min 44 sec, done.

Now, in a globo gym, taking your shoes off mid workout would get you some strange looks.  People don't even look twice if you do that during a wod.  Whatever it takes to finish.  So no shoes, no problem, just as long as you finish the workout however you need to.

My Angel Has Returned

It has been awhile since I last posted anything.  The reason being is because I haven't done anything worth posting about, like working out.  Today I returned to the crossfit gym by my house, Coca Crossfit, for a daily wod.  I knew it was going to suck because let's face it, if you don't work out for a month, the first few workouts suck.  And today I was not disappointed.

The workout was 5 rds of 21 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDLHP), which is a combination of a sumo squat into an upright row, and 12 pushups.  I started out like a gator, quick right out of the gate.  Then the realization of my lack of working out kicked in.  I got through the first 2 rounds pretty quick.  And that is when I ran into the wall and slowed down.  I finished in 13 min. 44 sec.  Not great, but not terrible.  As I finished the workout, I yelled "Time" and collapsed onto the floor.  After a few minutes of catching my breath lying on the floor, I got up and there it was on the ground, my angel.  The angel I am referring to is my sweat angel.  For me it is a sign of a good workout, and today was no different.

You Are What You Eat

I found that out today when I went to Coca Crossfit for my morning torture/workout.  I would say that for the last 2 months or so, I have eaten like absolute garbage.  Bar food, beer, and pretty much nothing really that healthy.  At least not on a consistent basis.  I would eat a good meal or 2, but then I would eat garbage for a week or so.  Today's workout was 10 rounds of 10 pull ups, 10 burpees.  I knew it would suck.  The first 2 rounds weren't too bad, but then all my crap eating came into play and I only made it another 2 rounds.  Not even halfway.  I was disappointed to say the least.

Today proved that diet plays a vital role in my fitness.  I can't just workout and eat unhealthy food.  Not only do I feel like crap all day, but my workouts really suffer.  I was reminded this morning that it's not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times that you get back up.  I got back up today and I don't want to get knocked down anymore.

My New Kicks

Recently, I bought a pair of Nike Frees.  They are supposed to be more of a minimalist shoe, simulating the feeling of being barefoot.  I wasn't sure how I would like them, since I have been used to running shoes my whole life.  But, I must say, I am starting to really like them.  The shoes are good for pretty much most Crossfit workouts.  And today was the first time I tried running in them.

I am setting a goal for myself of running the half marathon in Cleveland this May.  So, with setting that goal, it was time to start running.  I ran a mile today in my Frees.  It took me 11 min.  Not great, but not horrific either.  My shoes were really comfortable to run in.  It made me excited to continue running.

Born to Run

That does not describe me or how I am built.  It is the book that I am currently reading.  It talks about finding the joy in running.  As I was reading it today, I came across a quote in the book that made me think of Crossfit.  The quote was describing a young breed of ultra runners and how they loved to push their bodies.  It was from William James:  "Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."

This quote describes a lot of my Crossfit workouts, and why I enjoy doing them in a group.  Working out by yourself is fine for some people, but I prefer to be in a group.  The reason is summed up in that quote.  When I am fatigued and feel like I have nothing left, there is someone telling me 1 more rep, just pick up the bar.  If I was working out on my own, I would stop.  I would never think that I could do more or really know what I was capable of.  Having a group there to help push me past anything I ever thought possible for me is why I enjoy the group workouts.

And if you haven't read the book Born to Run, I recommend it.

Lesson Learned

A big lesson I learned at the certification was to play around with your programming.  Some will be good, some will suck.  The key is to experiment and see what works and what doesn't.  My plan for today's workout was to do a Tabata style workout with deadlifts, push press, and front squat.  All I have at home is 115 lbs., so that is what I will use.  For those that don't know, Tabata workouts are 8 rounds of 20 sec. of work/10 sec. of rest.  There are 2 ways to keep track, you can count your lowest rep during the 8 sets, or you can total all of the reps.  I decided to use the lowest rep.  

There were 2 lessons learned today.  1. 115 lbs is too heavy for tabata push press and front squat for me right now.  Most importantly lesson 2.  Move your head out of the way before you push the bar up over your head.  Now I know that there are people that have cut their chin doing this.  Fortunately, I was lucky enough to just graze my chin, but hit it hard enough to not make that mistake again.  

Today's programming I don't consider a failure, but it definitely was not my best effort.  Next time I pair these exercises, I can just use a lighter weight, maybe 95 lbs.  For me, I enjoy the programming aspect of Crossfit, learn from your mistakes and make changes as needed.  The possibilities are endless.

It's Like Coming Off of Crystal Meth

That was what was said at the Level 1 Certification I attended this past weekend in Ann Arbor, MI at Hyperfit USA.  First off, that gym is awesome and all of the people that instructed the class were awesome.  It made me realize a few things though.  First off, I have been a half ass crossfitter.  Meaning, I work out, but haven't really dialed in my diet.  What does all that mean?  It means that I am not unlocking my potential and in essence, I am only doing this thing half ass.

Back to why it is like coming off of crystal meth.  That is referring to changing your diet and how food is an addiction.  When you cut out sugary snacks, it can cause some real issues.  Mood swings, headaches, and can just make you an all around miserable person at first.  But once you get past that initial withdrawal, your body adjusts and you are on your way to a healthier person.  I have been ok with my diet, but I know that I have been far from strict.  I still eat sugary snacks and have not, for no other reason than being lazy, have not 100 % committed myself to it.  This weekend at the certification was a wake up call for me.  Nobody can change me but me.  And I gained some extra motivation and tools to do it this past weekend.

Fall Down, Get Back Up

I have been pretty decent with working out and my diet.  I am human though, and I will make mistakes.  When I fall off of the wagon, it has a tendency to snowball into bad days and sometimes weeks.  If I am eating bad, then I feel like crap and don't go to the gym.  It seems like if I don't stay on my diet, I don't workout.  That for me makes it twice as bad.  And vice versa, if I eat well, I want to go work out.  This week I fell down.  For a few days I have eaten like crap and as you can guess, no gym.

Today I am back on track.  Breakfast was good, and I am going to the gym before work.  I have made some meals to pack with me, so I have prepared myself for my meals.  When I don't make meals, that is when I steer off course and just grab something.  It is setting myself up for failure.  The key is to not dwell on my mistakes, but to learn from them.  I can't change the past, only what I can do from this point on.

Today's WOD:
500 m run
100 box step-ups w/db press
750 m run
100 box step-ups w/db press
500 m run

Kids are Funny

Today's workout I decided to do it at home.  I only have 115 lbs, so it is a little too heavy for me to do a full Nancy, which is 5 rounds of 15 overhead squats with 95 and a 400 m run.  I did a little different version.  I only did 4 rounds and was able to do 7 overhead squats w/115lbs.

My wife was babysitting a friend's kid today.  He came outside while I was working out and was watching me.  I almost laughed out loud in the middle of my workout because he was standing there watching me, saying "That's really heavy."  He said it a few times.  As I was lifting it, I thought that he was right, 20 lbs. makes a big difference.  And then he wanted me to watch him walk backwards.  He reminded me today why I love Crossfit, because it is fun for me.  I have fun when I workout and can laugh while I am doing it.  

Today's time-21 min. even
Tomorrow's workout-go for a run

A Great Feeling

Anytime you can get a PR (personal record) in a workout or lift, it is a great feeling.  It is motivation that the work you are doing is paying off.  This week has been great for me, because I got 2 PRs.  One in a workout, and one in a lift.  The first is workout is one of the most feared women, Fran.  It is 21-15-9 reps of thrusters w/95lbs and pull ups.  The last time I did this workout was at the station, and it was a disappointing 19 min. and some change.  Elite athletes do this under 4 min.  Also, there is a 12 min. cap for it at the Level 1 certification that I will be attending at the end of the month.  This was great for me to gauge where I am at.  All I was hoping for was to do it under 12 min.  I got it done in 11:30.  Nice.  I am hoping for an even better time at the certification.

Today's workout was Power Cleans and dips for 7-7-7-7-7-7, followed by a 1 rep attempt if you choose.  I chose to try it.  I was able to work up to 175 lbs. for my last set of 7.  Now to try and beat my PR of 195.  I got 185 x 3 reps, so I was feeling pretty good.  I jumped to 205 lbs.  and nailed it.  10 lb. PR!  This week I hit 2 PRs.  It really motivates me to continue along this journey because I can see improvements and I know that it is only going to get even better.

Get it Done

The thing about my job is the fact that I don't work normal hours.  My day today begins at 3 pm and I work until 3 am.  Not your typical 9-5.  I am not complaining because I love my job, which is more than a lot of people can say.  But, my hours don't always coincide with the hours of the gym.  And today that was the case.  I did buy some bumper weights and an olympic bar to have at home.  I have 115lbs that I can work with.  I also have a jump rope.

I wanted to keep is short and sweet today.  WOD for today: 21-15-9 reps of 115lbs ground to overhead and double unders.  After each round, I ran to the end of my street and back, .2 miles (a little less than 400 m).  I did it in a little over 18 minutes.  Not too bad.  My cool down was 30 strict deadlift w/115, working on form, and 150 singles with the jump rope.  The heat played a factor in the workout today too.  It was hot today.

I also have some added incentive for the next 30 days to kick it in to high gear.  My best friend Joe and I have a 30 day contest on who can drop the most percentage of body weight in the next 30 days.  Winner gets 9 holes of golf and a cart, but more importantly they get bragging rights.

The Great Outdoors

The weather here has been amazing the last few days.  Today I went to the gym for the Saturday morning workout and the weather was perfect.  Not humid, about 75 degrees.  Today's workout was 3 rounds of 500 m row/21 burpees/400 m run.  The entire workout today was done outside.  What a world of difference a little fresh air makes during a workout.  Sometimes, just stepping outside of the gym refreshes the whole workout.  Some fresh air makes you feel a little less constricted, confined by the walls of the box.

I also introduced a friend of mine, Tim,  to Crossfit today.  He was pretty athletic already, so this workout was good for him.  He did beat me by 3 minutes, but I had revenge on the cool down.  At the gym, they have a 375 lb. tire.  The owner, Bill, said he had a cool down challenge for us.  Since my friend Tim was new, we would flip the tire back and forth til 1 person quit.  I flip, then Tim flips, I flip, and so on.  We got to the 3 min. mark of flipping and Bill upped the ante.  After each flip, jump up on the tire and jump off, like a box jump.  Tim was done after a few of those, and sweet revenge was mine.  What a great way to end a great workout, with a little friendly competition.  I think today Tim was bit by the Crossfit bug.

The more you go, the less it sucks

The more you do Crossfit, the less it sucks.  Now I'm not saying it gets easier by any means.  I mean that the more you go, it still sucks, just not as bad as when you first started.  Do you still get winded and sometimes want to puke?  Yup.  But you start to get your body used to working in the uncomfortable.  When I first started, I could barely do anything.  No pull ups, ring dips, hand stand push ups.  Yesterday I did 36 pull ups.  That's a huge improvement.  I now can do ring dips and hand stand push ups are right around the corner.  It's those type of improvements that I wouldn't have made if I didn't workout consistently.  Do the workouts still suck?  Hell yeah they do.  But they suck a little less then they did back in March, which is a good thing.

Today's workout:
Grace
135 lbs. ground to overhead-30 reps
4:45

The Girls are Bitches

Some of the worst WODS are named after women.  When you hear the names you know that it is going to suck.  Fran, Eva, Annie, Helen.  All of these workouts have one thing in common, they suck.  Today's workout was Helen.  3 rds of 400 m run, 21 kb swings 55 lbs., 12 pull ups.  My best time was 15:38, and last time I did it was 19 min. and some change.  Today I got it just over 17 min.  A 2 min. improvement from last time, I'll take it.

It's always good when you can see improvement.  That is why I write down my workouts and the times, so I can track my progress.  2 minutes faster then last time I did Helen is definitely a step in the right direction. The only bad part, I ripped my hand doing pull ups.  It hurts like hell, but it will heal soon enough.

Holy Crap It's Hot Out

That was my thought today as I began my warm up.  It was 30 double unders and a 500 m run for 3 rounds.  Double unders are a strong point for me because I am good at jump roping.  The only problem was that it felt like a 120 degrees outside with the humidity today.  It wasn't brutal like FL humidity, but it sucked.  And because the warm up and cooldown were done outside it sucked more than the WOD, which was inside.

Today's workout was as follows:
500 m row
21 push press 115 lbs.
500 m row
18 push press
500 m row
15 push press
500 m row
12 push press

It took me 17:49.  Not too bad for doing rx'd weight.  Now the cool down.  60 walking lunges outside with a 20 lb. db in each hand.  Lunges suck without using any weight, so these suck even more.  This week I will be finishing up my 2nd full week at Crossfit Cleveland.  I can notice a difference already in my workouts.  My intensity is up and I am really enjoying it, which keeps me motivated.  I can't wait to see my progress with my workouts in the upcoming months.

Wall Balls Galore

I decided to take an hour off work early today so that I could workout at the gym.  I normally get off at 7 am and the last class at the gym is 630.  So I got to the gym about 545 this morning.  Today's workout, 150 wall balls with a 20 lb. medicine ball.  For those that don't know what a wall ball is, it is when you take a medicine ball, squat down until your butt goes below parallel to the floor, then stand up and throw the medicine ball 10 ft. in the air off of the wall.  And today's workout called for 150 of them for time.  It may not sound that bad, you think it's only 20 lbs.  After awhile, it gets really heavy.  About halfway through my shoulders were burning.  15:36 and I was done.  Rest 3 min. then 150 sit ups.

The sit ups took a little longer because my abs are still fairly weak, but they are getting better.  Overall, I am glad that I decided to take the hour off to make it to the gym instead of working out on my own.  It is much better to suffer in a group then by yourself.

Working Out on a Full Stomach

I feel like I ate too much food today.  It wasn't that I ate bad, but I felt too full when I went to workout.  Breakfast I had 6 egg whites, 2 slices of Ezekial toast with almond butter.  Before I left for work I had 1 cup of cottage cheese and blueberries.  Dinner was a tuna steak salad.  I had a protein bar a few hours later, then I had some whole wheat, gluten free pasta with lean beef and sauce.  The only bad thing that I ate was a piece of chocolate cookie cake that was at work.

I didn't eat anything about 2 hours before I went in to the gym to workout.  Today's workout I took from my buddie's gym, Crossfit Militia.  It was 4 rds. of 500 m row and 10 thrusters w/95 lbs.  Total time was 14:50.  Not too bad.  The only thing that was bothering me during the workout was that I felt like crap.  I felt that I just ate too much food.  It is all about trial and error.  I am glad that I worked out, just tomorrow I won't eat as much food.

Suck It Up Sally

Last night I got off work around midnight.  I had about 2 hrs. of sleep and then worked side jobs from 3-midnight.  It would have been easy to just say screw it and not work out.  I could have justified to myself that rest was more important.  But I know what would happened, I would have skipped yesterday and then probably not worked out today because I have to work again.  So, I told myself to suck it up and just work out.

Today's WOD:
Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3-3-3
run 200 m after each set and rest 2 min.

I had a disappointing workout.  Not in the aspect of pushing myself, but with the weight.  I was hoping to get around 385-400 lbs for my last set of 3...not even close.  I did 335 for my top set of 3 reps.  I am glad that I worked out last night.  Thu. is a rest day for me.  Back to the gym tomorrow.

It Hurts Like Hell

I ripped my hand open today during the WOD.  If you have never ripped open your hand working out, let me tell you that it hurts like hell.  Most tears usually occur from doing a lot of pull ups.  That's what happened today.  Here's the workout:
15 rounds of Cindy:
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 air squats

This workout is usually done in a 20 min. AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible).  I usually get 10 in that amount of time.  I figured today's workout would take me around 30 min.  About 5 rounds into the workout, my right hand ripped open.  It hurts like hell, especially when you sweat.  There is only really one option when that happens.  Suck it up and keep going! I managed to make it through all 15 rds. in 36:26, and I did it rx'd, which means I completed all the reps without any assistance.  I was absolutely smoked from the workout.  Cooldown was a 1 mile run.

Try to be Better Than You Were Yesterday

Today's workout I had the dreaded DNF.  Does it suck?  HELL YEAH it does.  But, it beats passing out.  If anyone has pushed their limits to where they get light headed when they work out, then you know what I am talking about.  I think it was a combination of pushing myself and maybe not eating enough for breakfast.  Today's breakfast I had a protein shake and 2 pieces of Ezekial toast (it's an organic bread) with almond butter.

Here was today's WOD: 30-25-20-15-10-5 pull ups
                                        10-20-30-40-50-60 jumping squats
                                        25 min. and some change, DNF during the 50 jumping squats

Jumping squats suck, especially that many.  And to top it off, my legs still hurt pretty bad from Weds., so they especially sucked.  My legs felt like lead today.  As for the pull ups, I did the first set pretty much rx'd, but then I switched to jumping pull ups for the rest.  When I got to 40 jumping squats, I started to get a little light headed when I would rest.  I made it through those and went on to the next round.  I was still getting light headed during the 50 squats, so I decided that it was in my best interest to stop.  So, I didn't finish the workout, but I know that I pushed myself to my limits today.  I'm ok with that.  DNF sucks, but there is always tomorrow.  That's the main thing, try to be a little better each day.

Sometimes You Need to Listen

After doing the Turkish Get Ups and OH walking lunges, me legs have been killing me.  My body is sore from pushing it the last 2 days.  Today when I got off work, I was going to do a quick workout before I had to go to court.  I had about 30 min. for a warm up and WOD.  As I began warming up, my body was aching.  My legs were sore, to the point where I could feel the lactic acid build up in my legs with each step.  It was that soreness you get when you haven't worked out a part of your body for awhile.  The rest of my body was pretty fatigued and sore too.  Combine that with the 12 + hour day I had at work, and I was a  hurting man.  I decided to listen to my body and take today off and work on a few movements.

I decided that I would practice my snatch today.  So I put 65 lbs. on the bar and did a few sets, practicing my form and explosiveness.  After that, I decided to continue my work on hand stand pushups.  I was able to do a few 5 second holds in the hand stand position today.  This was an improvement from last time.  The thing that I learned today was you can't always keep going and going.  You can have a set schedule for your workouts and stick to it, but sometimes you need to listen to your body instead.  And today, that is what I did.

Group suffering is so much better

The great thing about Crossfit is that you can do it on your own.  The workouts are posted online, I know how to do the exercises, and I have a free gym at my work.  But something was still missing.  It was the competitive aspect of it all.  I don't have a problem pushing myself to do the workouts.  The problem is when you do it by yourself, you may rest a little longer or not push yourself quite as hard.  That is the best part about going to a Crossfit gym, the atmosphere and community.

Today I went and joined a great gym today, Crossfit Cleveland.  It is in Lakewood and right down the street from work for me.  They have classes that I can attend pretty much every day.  Today reminded me why I get so much more from working out with a group then by myself.  I can't make any excuses.  The other people in the class cheer you on, making you want to give it just that little bit extra that you wouldn't if you were training by yourself.  There is something about suffering in a group that doesn't make it suck so bad because there are other people going through the same thing with you.  And there is always someone there to make sure your form is correct, which is extremely important to prevent injury.  I also like that I don't have to think.  I just show up and whatever is on the board, I just have to do it.  I can't wait to see the results in 8 weeks, when I go for my certification.

Today's WOD:
3 turkish get ups (google it, plenty of videos on you tube) with 1 arm, then 3 push press, then 12 walking overhead lunges (holding the weight straight up over your head and doing walking lunges).  Then you switch arms and do the same thing all over.  Take a 1-2 min. rest between sets and repeat for 5 rds.

It was the first time for me doing turkish get ups, which are a great core exercise.  My rds. were 20 lbs, 15,15,20,25.  Then the cool down:
33 jumping squats
33 jumping ball slams
33 jumping squats

A Step Towards the Dream

Today I took my first step towards my dream of opening up a box.  I signed up for my Level 1 Crossfit Certification.  It is the end of Sept. in Ann Arbor, MI.  Being Level 1 certified means that I can teach Crossfit and more importantly, need it to become an affiliate.  I am nervous and excited at the same time.  Will I be ready?  Will I pass the test?

The certification is 10 weeks away.  I now have a timeline for my goal.  I am hoping to go to the certification about 20-30 lbs. lighter than what I am now.  That means busting my ass and making it happen.  It is a little scary to think that in only 10 weeks, I will be 1 step closer to what I have been working for.  I know it is going to be 2 days that are well worth it in the long run and I can't wait to be there.

2 WODS, 14 hrs. apart

I could only imagine how hard it is for people that do 2 to 3 workouts in a day.  I squeezed in my workouts for wed. and thurs. in to 14 hrs.  I went in to work an hour early to complete the first WOD.  It looked a lot easier on the board then it really was.  It called for 21-15-9 reps of the following:  double unders, thrusters w/95lbs, ab mat sit ups, burpee box jumps and slam balls w/16 lbs.  The double unders are easy for me, so those weren't a problem.  Neither were the thrusters.  It was the burpee box jumps that suck.  I hate burpees to begin with, but adding a box jump with each one makes me hate them even more.  I managed to push my way through in 25 min. and some change.  Then it was time for work, 12 hour shift.

After I was done working, I headed to the gym at work for my Thurs. workout.  It was Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (SDLHP) for max effort. 1-1-1-1-1 reps.  First set was 155, pretty easy.  I jump to 185 and fail.  Try it again, got it.  Now 190.  First time fail, second time I got the rep.  I was pretty happy with that.  So for a quick workout after, I decided that I would do 250 kettlebell swings with a 35lb. kettlebell.  That sucked.  It took me 17:55.  Not too bad.  I had wanted to stay under 20 min. and I accomplished that goal.  Now it was time to head home and rest.

How's your Snatch?

How is your snatch?  That is something you have to ask yourself before performing the olympic lift.  Today's workout called for power snatches, which is lifting the bar from the ground to overhead, without a full squat.  Form and technique are more important on this lift then the amount of weight.  Once your form becomes second nature, strength gains will happen.  But it is the technique that prevents injury.  You can't let your ego get in the way of what people will think if you don't have a ton of weight on the bar.  I was fortunate enough to find Crossfit Hardcore when I was in FL.  They always made sure that technique and form took priority over weight.  This allowed me to become comfortable with the olympic lifts.

Here is today's WOD:

5 rounds

10 Power Snatch-105 lbs

200 m run

20 push ups

It took me 22 min. 58 sec.  It was a great workout.  I got some strange looks at the gym from people that spend more time talking then working out, but I don't have time to worry about that.  I was just trying to finish my workout.

This is a video of a proper Power Snatch

A Little Rain Never Hurt Anybody

This morning when I woke up, it was raining.  I had wanted to do a track workout concentrating on sprints.  I could have easily said, "Forget it, I don't want to run in the rain."  But it wasn't raining that hard and a little rain never hurt anybody.

In my line of work, I need to be able to sprint.  So today I decided to do a track workout that concentrated on sprinting.  I had done this workout a long time ago back when I was in college and I really liked it.  It started with a 1/2 mile warm up run.  Now on to the fun stuff.  2x400 m sprints, 4x200 m sprints, and then 6x100 m sprints.  The warm up took me 5 min., not too bad.  My goal was to keep the 400's under 2 min, 200's under 1 min, and the 100's under 20 sec.  My first 400 was 2 min. exactly.  The second one was 2:13.  The 200's were 56 sec, 58 sec, 56 sec, and 58 sec.  Nice!  And now the 100's.  All but 1 of my first 5 were 20 sec. with 1 being 21 sec.  My last one I knew that I wanted sub 20 sec, so I gave it my all.  17 sec. I'll take it.  The workout was over after about 45 min.  It was a great workout.  There was also a 200-300lb tractor tire at the track.  What a better way to cool down then do 120 yards of tire flips for time.  8 min. 16 sec.  Done!

Today's workout was awesome.  And the light rain during the majority of the workout was actually pretty refreshing.

Completely Wrecked

That is how I felt during and after my workout.  Today was much better than yesterday.  I was not the recipient of a DNF again.  It took me longer than I wanted, but I finished.  The workout today had 3 of my better/favorite exercises-Power Cleans, Double Unders (2 revolutions of the jump rope every time you jump), and Kettlebell Swings.  I was hoping to complete the workout in about 35 minutes, but I'll take the 42:35 from today.  The workout was as follows:

Power Cleans-Dubs-KB Swings
5-15-25
10-15-20
15-15-15
20-15-10
25-15-5
20-15-10
15-15-15
10-15-20
5-15-20

95 Lbs. was Rx'd for the Power Cleans and 53 Lbs. for the Swings

This workout wrecked me.  I was smoked after.  It took me about a half hour to gather my bearings and return to a normal state....I love that feeling

DNF

Did Not Finish.  Those are the 3 letters you never want next to your name as a Crossfitter.  Today I had a big, fat DNF.  The workout wasn't that bad, but I think the lack of working out these past few weeks combined with my crappy diet lately are 2 big contributing factors.  I was going along during my workout and when I got on the treadmill for the run portion, I started to get light headed and didn't feel good.  That was when I knew it was time to call it quits.  After a 3 week layoff, it was too much too soon.

My diet has been put back on track.  I will probably do some other activities tonight, like walk the dog and take a bike ride.  That is the big thing with Crossfit.  It promotes a healthy lifestyle.  You can't just workout and eat a crap diet.  Your entire lifestyle needs to be healthy to make you the best you.

Today's workout:
3 Rds.
30 reps 75 lb. squat clean
30 pushups
1/2 mile (800 m) run

I did 1 round then DNF.  That will not happen again!

3 rounds

That was my workout today, 3 rounds.  3 rounds of jump rope, 3 rounds of shadow boxing, 3 rounds of the heavy bag, and 3 rounds of the double end ball.  12 rounds total.  Each round is 3 minutes, followed by 1 minute of rest.  48 total minutes.  My goal is to continue with the 3 rounds of everything this month, and then bump it up to 4 rounds next month and 5 rounds in Sept.

I will be working out after work tonight, at 3 am.  I have found it easiest to just bring my clothes with me and force myself to go to the gym after work.  Once I warm up, the tiredness goes away and I wake up.  After the holiday weekend and a little too much indulging, today was just what I needed.  Now it is off to work to plan my workout for tomorrow morning.

Blending Together

Losing weight and getting fit, as we all know, is a struggle.  Some people hate working out, and others can't control eating habits.  I am like most, my diet is where I need to really crack down.  I don't have a problem working out.  As a matter of fact, I love to workout.  It is in my nutrition that I am lacking.  My eating habits are just as important, if not more, than my workout regiment.  The key to my success is to blend the 2 together into a healthy lifestyle.  I am following a mostly Paleo diet, which is also referred to as the caveman diet.

Here's an example of what my day of eating is like.
Breakfast:
6 egg whites, a piece of fruit, and 20 almonds.
Snack:
Protein Shake
Lunch:
6 oz. chicken breast, 1/2 avocado or nuts, broccoli or asparagus
Snack:
Zone Protein Bar
Dinner:
6 oz. chicken breast, steak, or fish, small side salad with oil and vinegar, vegetables
Snack:
Casein Protein Shake or 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese

Meals are spread apart about every 3 hours

I am lucky because I don't mind eating the same thing all the time, and I don't get sick of it.  I need to look at my eating in a different way.  I don't need to eat because I am hungry, I need to eat to fuel my body for my workouts.  8 weeks begins today.

What is 8 Weeks in the Grand Scheme of Things?

That is the question that I need to ask myself.  What is my dream of opening up a box and being in the best shape of my life worth to me?  If I give myself 8 weeks, 2 months, of strict diet and exercise, how much weight can I really lose?  20, 30, or even more?  It took a good friend to really put me in my place.  I have been half assing my diet.  My workouts have suffered and I have not made this a priority in my life.  This vacation is just what I needed to get back on track.

I got a chance to see my buddies new box that he is opening, Crossfit Militia.  And I saw how Paleo and Crossfit has gotten him in shredded shape.  We got to talking about what I wanted to do and he told me pretty much to suck it up and just do it.  Give myself 30 strict days of Paleo and Crossfit.  As the conversation continued, I was telling him that I wanted to lose about another 30-40 lbs. before I apply to get my Crossfit Certification.  So we decided that I would try 2 months strict diet and workouts.  In reality, what is 8 weeks when you look at the big picture.   If all goes well,  I will be ready to get my certification by the end of summer.

Time for Vacation

This week, my wife and I are taking a little trip back to south FL.  I haven't been back since I left in Aug. 09, so I am excited to see everybody.  What I am even more excited about is the fact that 2 of my good friends have Crossfit gyms.  One of them is opening in July, Crossfit Milita.  The other one is Crossfit Carnage.  It is nice to know that there is somewhere I can work out while I am there.

I know that while I am there I am going to enjoy a few adult beverages, and probably not eat the best.  That is ok.  I know that I can stay on my workout regiment while I am there.  As for my diet, there is no need for me to get too off course.  I can still eat fairly healthy and enjoy myself.  I will post all about my workouts at the other Crossfit Boxes and my trip when I return.

Face your Fears

Fear-a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.


Sometimes you just have to face your fears and know that doing what you are afraid of will only make you stronger.  I have been practicing ring dips now for a few weeks, and I have been able to finally do them.  I was never afraid of ring dips.  The one exercise I have always been afraid of is handstand pushups (HSPU).


The fear about HSPU is all in my head.  It is not natural to be upside down, then want to lower your head to the ground then back up.  If I slip, I'll smack my head.  My anxiety about doing them is created in my head and I psych myself out of them before I even try.  Today was going to be different.  I had conquered ring dips, now it was time to work on my HSPU.  It took me a few tries.  First I did a tri-pod against the wall and straightened out my legs to get used to what it would be like.  Then I started flipping my body up, but I couldn't get enough momentum to get my feet against the wall.  This was mostly because of my fear about HSPU.  Once I pushed my fear of doing them aside, it all just clicked.  I flung my body forward and my feet hit the wall.  Then I held myself like that for about 15 sec.  Then I did it again.  Nice!  I still have a ways to go until I am comfortable doing them, but today was a great start.  I have proved to myself in these last 2 months that I am capable of much more than I thought was possible.


Today's WOD:
Annie
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Sit-ups
12:12-an improvement of 9 minutes from last time!

What a Difference 2 months makes!

Today's workout was one that I had previously done back on 3/20, which is right before my journey started.  I was fat and out of shape.  The wod was one used at a games qualifier and had a 25 minute cap on it.  When I did it back in March, I didn't even come close to finishing it in that time.  And I didn't use the rx'd weight for all of it either.  At 25 min. I was 2 exercises away from finishing.  Today, I revisited that workout to see my improvement.  Let me tell you, 2 months of Crossfit and almost 20 lbs. lighter makes a huge difference.

Here's the WOD:
30 wall ball-16 lbs (cause that's the heaviest at the gym)
30 ground to overhead 95 lbs.
30 kb swings 53 lb. kettlebell
30 overhead squats 95 lbs.
30 burpees
30 ground to shoulder

In March, I was only able to make it to the overhead squats, and for those I had to use 65 lbs.  Holy crap what a difference today was.  I finished the workout all rx'd in 24:12.  I had done it under the cap and used all the prescribed weight.  I couldn't believe the difference this time around.  After the workout I was pretty excited with my time.  It is nice to see actual results.  The little everyday victories that I achieve are what keeps me going on this journey.  Today was a great day for me.  And these last 2 months have been a fantastic ride.

Chalk it up

After another long day at work, I head to the gym.  It's easier to just force myself to workout right after work, so if I get side tracked I don't miss a workout.  I decided today to revisit a workout that I really like, DT.  The best time that I did this workout in was 19 min. and some change back when I was crossfitting a lot.  I did this workout a little while back when I was starting to get back to working out.  I added 8 minutes and it took me 27 minutes.  I was really disappointed.  Today would be different, I just knew I would improve.

DT is a great strength and cardio workout.  It is 5 rounds of 12 deadlift, 9 hanging power cleans (HPC), and 6 push press/jerk, whichever you want.  The entire workout is done with 155 lbs., which sucks.  I load the bar up and get myself in the right mindframe.  3,2,1 go!  I rip through the deadlifts no problem, now on to the HPCs.  Holy crap is this heavy.  I do 5 reps, then 4.  I'm able to press 155, so I do push presses.  Those I break in to 2 sets of 3.  1 round down, and I still have 4 to go.  This is not going to be fun.  It wasn't a cardio issue for me during this workout.  Don't get me wrong, I was tired.  My forearms were on fire from doing the HPCs and I was having a hard time holding on to the bar.  Not only because my forearms were tired, but I did not have any chalk, so my grip would slip.  I push through the rounds and approach the final round at around 15 min.  I knew that I would finish under 20 min.  I finish my last press and drop the bar, Time!  I look at my watch, 18:50.  I had beat my best time from a while back and took 9 minutes of my last time!

Besides being ecstatic about my time, I realized that I do need to get some lifting chalk.  It will help me with my grip.  I am sure that I could cut another minute off my time if I had some chalk.  I will revisit this workout in the future, and I will be sure to have some chalk.

Today's WOD:
5 rds w/155 lbs.
12 deadlift
9 hanging power cleans
6 push press/jerk

Some much needed encouragement

I have been on this journey for 2 months now.  I have lost around 16-17 lbs.  That isn't too bad, but I know that I can do better.  My cardio and strength have begun to come back around.  Overall, I am very happy with my progress.  I know that I have lost some inches because I have tightened up my belt a notch or 2.  But it is always nice when someone else notices, because looking at yourself everyday looks the same.  Today while at work I had someone ask me how much weight I had lost.  With a smile I told them.   It's a great feeling when someone else notices your hard work.  It let me know that what I have been doing for the last 2 months is working.  That was great, but the real encouragement for me came today in the gym.

Today's workout was Deadlift 3-3-1-1.  Then a short workout after of 21-15-9 Box Jumps, KB Swings w/70lbs, and calories on the rower.  My goal for the DL was 405.  First set of 315, easy.  375 for 3, not too tough.  Then I put on 405.  The first time I tried it, fail.  I was determined to get it, so I left it on the bar and would try it for my last set.  I step up for 1 last pull, a little struggle, but I got it.  I was happy with that.  Still, not the encouragement I was talking about.

I bust through the workout after the deadlifts in just under 12 min.  I was pretty smoked.  Now comes the best part of the workout.  I have been practicing ring dips for a few weeks after my workouts.  I would practice holding myself up on the rings, do some assisted ring dips, things like that.  I haven't been able to do one yet though.  Today was a breakthrough.  I jump up on the rings and begin to lower myself down.  I kept my balance and ripped off 3 dips.  HELL YEAH I thought.  I did another set of 3, and then 1 more set of 2.  I couldn't believe it.  All of a sudden it just clicked.  Practice had paid off.  Today was a great day all around.  Just what I needed to reassure myself that my journey is headed in the right direction.

Built for Comfort, not Speed

GI Jane is a workout that combines 2 of my least favorite exercises, burpees and pull ups.  And this has a lot of both.  The workout is 100 burpee pull ups.  The only 2 rules are that your chest must touch the ground on the burpee, and your chin must go over the bar on the pull up.  Mind you, this workout is supposed to be short and sweet, and I was going to be doing it after a strength wod.

The strength wod was strict shoulder presses, 3-3-1-1.  This is a good bench mark to see where my strength is at and it gives me a building block to improve on.  I do my first set of 3 with 135, no problem.  Second set of 3 with 155, not as easy.  I go up to 165 lbs. for my first set of 1, got it.  Then I try 185 for my last set, nope.  After that failed attempt, I tried 170 lbs. and was able to press that up without cheating.  So now I know that 170 lbs. is my max for strict presses.  Now it was time to move on to Jane.

Now this entire workout should take about 15 min. to do all 100 reps.  The problem is that I am still built for comfort and not speed.  Pulling up 270 lbs. is a lot of work.  I was ready to quit after about 7 reps.  I knew that I would not complete the entire workout beforehand, so I told myself that I would do 1/2 of a GI Jane.  50 burpee pull ups, not modified.  I completed the workout in 14 min. and change.  Not great, but at least I was able to get through it.  Next time there is no 1/2 of the workout when it comes to Jane.  I will be completing the entire workout.

Thank you Crossfit

Today I ran a 5K for work.  It was for the charity C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors).  The last time I ran a 5k, it took me 35 min.  That was 3 years ago.  My goal today was to beat 35 min.  I am not what you would call aero-dynamic.  I haven't run since I did the marathon relay over a month ago.  The only running that I did since then was if it was in a Crossfit workout.  My workouts have been strictly Crossfit and boxing, so I knew that my cardio would hold up.  There were about 400 runners, so the start was a little crowded.  3,2,1 go...and we were off.  I didn't try to keep up with anyone, just keep running.

I hit the first mile just under 10 min., nice.  During the run, I was feeling really good.  It was a beautiful sunny day, which is rare in Cleveland.  I made it to the 2nd mile and still feeling good, but I had slowed down a little.  The 3rd mile I needed to pick up the pace a little.  I came around the corner and the finish line was in site.  About a 1/2 mile from the finish, I got a second wind and picked it up.  I actually passed people instead of being passed.  I sprint towards the finish line and when I crossed, I looked at the clock.  32:57.  I had finished 2 minutes ahead of my goal.  I was really happy with that time.  Thank you Crossfit.  My training has paid off.  Next time I run a 5k, I will finish in under 30 min.

Improvement

Improvement is what I strive for with each workout.  Just a little faster, or just a little more weight then last time.  Today I noticed some improvement in my capacity.  The workout was 5 rounds of 5 deadlifts with 275 lbs. and 10 burpees.  My original goal was to get under 15 minutes.  I smashed that goal with a time of 9:40.  Holy crap.  I was ecstatic about that.  

Another thing that I noticed during the workout was that I felt stronger.  The deadlifts at 275  6 weeks ago were extremely heavy.  Today, not so much.  I was lifting with greater ease and I wasn't feeling quite so sick during the burpees.  Don't get me wrong, burpees still suck, but just a little bit less.  And a big thing I noticed was after the workout.  My recovery time has gone down.  I still lay on the floor when I'm done, but not as long as I used to.  The workout called for some ab work after, 50 floor wipers, which is holding a bar up while laying on the floor and moving your feet from side to side like a windshield wiper.  I used 65 lbs and was able to do 30.  Not too bad for never having done them before.  I also practiced my ring dips.  I still can't do them, but with continued practice they will come around.  Working on your weaknesses is part of Crossfit.  I have a lot of those so I'll just tackle them 1 at a time.

Just walk in to the gym

I work 12 hour shifts, so on the days that I am working, it is hard to get to the gym.  Between sleeping and getting ready for work, it doesn't leave a whole lot of time.  After being in a car for 12 hours, it is hard to get yourself to work out.  There is a gym at work which has Crossfit equipment, which means that I have no excuse.  If I put on my workout clothes and just walk in to the gym, I am good.  Once I am there, I might as well work out.  That is what I had to tell myself this morning.

I finished work and was really tired, but I knew that I needed to work out.  I walked down to the gym and started warming up.  Then a great thing happened, I started waking up and didn't feel like crap.  After my warm up, I set the bar up for a short and sweet workout.  The workout was 10 thrusters with 135 lbs., then 50 double under jump rope, 8 thrusters, 40 double unders, 6 and 30, 4 and 20, lastly 2 and 10.  12 minutes and I was done.  Next time I do that workout I know it will be well under 10 minutes.  The biggest battle isn't physically for me, it is the mental battle to work out.  Today I won that battle and I plan on continuing my winning streak.

Pure aggression

Yesterday I didn't have time to make it to the gym, so I would utilize my boxing gym.  I had about 45 minutes, which is plenty of time for a good workout.  It is enough time for me to do 3 rounds of jump rope, shadow boxing, heavy bag and the double end ball.  Each round is 3 minutes with a 1 minute rest.  The jump rope and shadow boxing were great to break a sweat.  Now on to the heavy bag.

I don't know what it is, but hitting a heavy bag is probably the best stress reliever for me.  Just the pure aggression of beating on the bag.  It's that primal instinct, the simplicity of it all.  After the heavy bag, I did 3 rounds of the double end ball.  That is a little more difficult.  More of a hand eye coordination exercise.  Still, the feeling after hitting the heavy bag is indescribable.  They call boxing the sweet science, and I couldn't agree more.  To top it all off, I am down 15 lbs. this morning.

Total Devastation

That was the title of today's workout.  So, as you can guess, it was.  The workout was 40 min. long.  10 minutes of squats with 135 lbs., 5 min. rest.  Then 10 min. of 95 lbs. strict press (standing military), 5 min. rest.  Last exercise was 10 min. of deadlifts with 135 lbs.  I did this workout back in jan or feb and I was looking to improve.  From what I remember, since I didn't write it down, I did 50 squats, 30 presses, and 50 deadlifts.

I started out with sets of 10 on the squats.  10 min. seemed like an eternity of squats.  I got 60 reps.  10 more than last time, nice.  After the 5 min. rest, I push through the presses.  52 reps.  A 22 rep improvement, awesome.  5 min. rest and on to the deadlifts.  83 reps.  Holy crap, I improved by 33 reps.  I was pretty pumped about that.  I was spent after that workout, especially after taking a week off.  It felt good to get back in the gym and I remembered why I loved Crossfit.  That exhausted feeling, knowing that I gave it my all.  This workout was exactly what I needed to get me back on track.

Life Happens

I have been in a funk lately.  I don't know what it is, but I have not had any motivation to do anything this week. Life happened this past week.  I went out of town to visit my sister and then went out with some friends this week.  I have absolutely no excuse for not working out.  Even more so, I don't have an excuse for straying off my diet.  I don't know what it was, but I slipped back to some old habits.  The important thing is, I realized what I was doing and I am making sure that I don't fall too far.

I think a big part of it was my lack of preparation.  I didn't prepare my food ahead of time.  Not preparing my meals is just preparing to fail.  I didn't make working out a priority.  I didn't make myself a priority.  That is a big problem.  The fact that I am conscious of what happened and am making sure that I get back on track now is a step in the right direction.  Before, I would have just kept slipping back to my old habits.  I know that this journey will have ups and downs.  It is learning from my mistakes to make sure that they don't happen again. Life will happen, and I just have to adjust to it accordingly to make sure that I continue to have success. 

A Good Investment

A few months ago I bought a home boxing gym to put in my basement.  It is a great way for me to add some variety to my workouts and gives me no excuse for not working out.  I didn't have time to get to they gym before work, so I decided to do a quick half hour boxing workout before I had to leave.  Fairly simple workout, 3 rounds of each of the following; jump rope, shadow boxing, and the heavy bag.  A round is 3 minutes with 1 minute rest in between.  Short and sweet.  A great investment to help keep me on track during the journey.

A bit too much

Today's workout I bit off a little more than I could chew weight wise.  It was kind of like a bear complex with dbs today.  That means you perform all the reps without ever letting go of the dumbbells.  5 rds. of 5 reps each of the following; deadlift, hanging cleans, push press and squats.  I thought I would start out at 50 lbs. and work my way up.  You are supposed to increase the weight each round, and rest as needed in between rounds.

I got the first round done with 50's and it was pretty brutal.  I went up to 55 for the next round, fail at 3 push press.  3rd round fail again, but this time at 4 push press.  So I dropped down to 45's and did round 4, and 40's for the final round.  I should have started lighter, with 35's and gone up from there.  So now I know for next time, start a little lighter.  I burnt myself out with the heavier weights first.  But that is the great thing with Crossfit.  I still got a great workout and I learned from it too.  This was the first time that I did all of those exercises with dbs.  The form got easier as the workout went on because I was getting more comfortable with the dbs.  After the workout, I decided to to add a half mile cool down jog this week to my workouts.  I figured hey, a little extra cardio won't hurt.  Hopefully that will help even more lbs. melt away.

The Ladies

It seems that the worst Crossfit workouts are named after women.  Fran, Cindy, Barbara, Eva, Angie, and many more.  These workouts strike fear.  I know that when I do one of these workouts I am going to be smoked.  Today was no different.  Today was Cindy.  Cindy is 20 AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, and 15 air squats.  The most rounds I have done is 11.  That was when I was in much better shape.

Elite Crossfitters usually do 20 + rounds of this workout.  I am nowhere near that level.  I am not even near 15 rds.  My goal today was to get at least 9 rds.  20 minutes go by and I had done 10 rds.  1 rd. short of my PR (personal record).  I was pretty happy with that.  My cardio is starting to come back around.  I know that the next time I do this workout, 12 rounds is not unrealistic, if not more.  Today's workout was very encouraging for me.  I felt much better after today's workout then I did 5 weeks ago when I started this journey.  I didn't have to lay on the floor nearly as long as before.  My recovery time has decreased. 

After Cindy there as another short workout.  Perform 1 squat clean on the minute for 10 minutes.  Use about 70% of your 1 rep max.  I am right around 200 lbs. for the squat clean so I used 135 lbs. to work on my form.  10 minutes go by and I was done.  The feeling after a great workout is indescribable.  That is how I felt today because I knew it had been a great workout.  I can't wait to revisit this workout in a few months and see how I have improved. 

Progress Pics

Here are pics from Day 1 to today.  5 weeks have gone by and I have lost 13 lbs.  A litlle over 2 lbs. a week is fine by me.  While the amount of weight I have lost is not unbelievable, it is healthy.  These last 5 weeks I have been changing my lifestyle with Crossfit and a good eating plan.  I don't look at it as a diet because I plan on keeping this type of eating as a lifestyle.  I am hoping to lose just as much, if not more weight in the next 5 weeks.  By adding some extra cardio to my regiment should help me with that.

As I head in to week 6 I am pleased with the results so far.  I am hoping to continue with the success I have had and am excited for the weeks to come.

Time to step it up

I am very happy with my progress so far.  In a little over a month I have lost around 12 lbs., give or take a pound depending on the day.  I also have dropped a notch in my belt.  My energy levels are up and my cardio is coming back around.  Also my strength is returning.  I have been following Crossfit workouts pretty regularly, meaning at least 4 times a week.  I think that if I increase a few things I may see some bigger gains.

My diet is pretty good.  I haven't really fallen off the wagon to an extreme, so I will continue on the Paleo/Zone path.  I am going to be following the recommended 3 on/1 off workout regiment that is suggested for optimal results.  On my rest days and non-work days I am going to add some other activities.  On top of a little running, I am going to throw in some boxing and swimming.  And also work on some of my weaknesses on my off days, like ring dips and hand stand push ups.  I am excited and can't wait to see what the next month has in store.

A Realization

Today I realized what I love so much about Crossfit.  It is the fact that you push yourself out of your comfort zone and begin to like the uncomfortable.  It is the feeling that you don't think you can finish the workout, then when you do, you collapse on the floor trying to catch your breath.  It makes me realize that I am much more capable of doing things than I give myself credit for.  It is being scared of your workout yet you do it anyways because part of you loves the fear.

When I was at the gym today, I took some time to look around at other people working out.  They weren't really pushing themselves.  Just going through the motions, whether it be on the elliptical or lifting weights.  There was no real passion about working out.  It was just like they were there because that is what they are supposed to do.  Sure, some of them struggled with pushing weight around, but no one look physically exhausted, or dripping sweat.  That is what you see in a Crossfitter.

I used to be one of the many.  I just went to the gym and lifted weights followed by some cardio.  Crossfit has changed my perception about fitness.  It has taught me to push myself every day when I am at the gym.  Past what I thought possible.  And on the other side is a healthier, better me.  My realization today is that I am a Crossfitter and I wouldn't want it any other way.

You want me to do how many burpees?

That was my exact thought when I looked at the WOD for today.  I follow a lot of my workouts from a gym in Florida called Crossfit Affliction (www.crossfitaffliction.com).  I like the fact that a lot of times, they combine strength workouts, followed by a Crossfit workout.  Today was no different.  It called for deadlifts 5-5-5, then 150 burpees for time.  I had trouble with the deadlift today.  I did 335 for 5, not really a problem.  Then I went to 345 lbs.  It wasn't the weight that was a problem, I couldn't hold on to the bar.  My hands were sweating and I couldn't get a good grip on the bar.  The gym I go to doesn't have any chalk either.  I did 3 and the bar slipped out of my hands.  So I called it quits on the deadlifts.  On to the burpees.

Almost everyone has done a burpee in some shape or form at some point in their life.  It is a lot like doing a squat thruster.  A burpee is when you squat down, kick your feet back in to a push up, lower your body down until your chest touches the ground, push back up, get back on your feet, and jump up and clap your hands over your head.  That's 1 burpee.  There is an outdoor area at my gym and the weather was decent today, so I went outside for the 150 burpees.  Maybe fresh air won't make it seem so bad.  Wishful thinking on my part.  I started out doing sets of 10.  I was halfway through at about 17 minutes.  Eventually I made it through all 150, 37 minutes later.  There were several points during the workout that I wanted to quit, but I knew that I couldn't.  After I finished the last burpee, I was proud of myself for not quitting and getting through the workout, even if other people in the gym looked at me like I was nuts.

The Aftermath

The day after running my leg for the marathon relay, I wasn't too sore.  The only thing that really hurt were my feet.  Mostly because of the pounding.  So I took Monday off to rest my feet.  But Tuesday it was time to get back to the gym.  The workout at first, like most of them do, didn't look so bad.  As usual, I was wrong.  After 3 sets of squats for 5 reps, it was alternating between pushups and situps.  Just bodyweight exercises won't be so bad I thought.

The workout went as follows: 20 pushups/1 situp, 19 pushups/2 situps, 18 pushups/3 situps, etc. until you were at 1 pushup/20 situps.  The first sets of situps obviously weren't bad, but the pushups I really started to feel the pain.  My arms were shaking by the time I got to about 13 reps.  I had to break the sets to 2-4 reps at a time, but I was determined to do the workout rx'd.  No modified pushups on my knees.  It took 48 minutes, but I did the entire workout prescribed.  I was exhausted.  And today I am definitely reminded of the workout, as my chest is sore and my abs hurt too.  All in a good way.  It turned out that I ended up doing 210 pushups and 210 situps.  Not a bad day's work.

Like a Freight Train

Today was race day.  I had committed to run on a marathon relay team in Toledo at the Glass City Marathon.  My leg was going to be 4.5 miles.  I agreed to do this back at xmas, so I figured plenty of time to train.  But I never did, and up until the end of March, I really had done nothing since July.  Earlier this week I ran for 20 min. which was almost 2 miles.  Now I had to 4.5 miles?  No way in hell am I going to make it.  I told myself that it would take me about an hour to run, maybe a little longer if I had a 12 min. pace.  I had other people relying on me, so I had no choice but to go.  I got up at 4 am and made the drive to Toledo for the 7 am start.  I found out that I was the second leg of the race, so I had about 45 min. til it was my turn.

Here comes my buddy Joe to the exchange point.  He hands me the bracelet and it's off I go.  I get about a half mile in and I'm doing alright, only 4 more miles.  About 1.5 miles into the run, my feet and shins hurt and I am thinking to myself that there is no way I am going to make it 3 more miles.  Then I thought that I could walk for a bit, then start running again.  No way.  I knew that if I stopped, starting back up would not happen and I would walk the rest.  I was moving like a slow freight train, but I kept chugging along and didn't stop.  I just kept telling myself one foot in front of the other, keep going.  I came around the last corner and I saw the exchange point.  I had made it without stopping.  I handed off the bracelet to the next runner and looked at my watch.  51 minutes!  Flippin awesome for me.  Just over an 11 minute mile pace.  And to think that earlier in the week I could only run 20 min.  Crossfit has helped to show me that a lot of limitations are only in your mind.  Once I was able to convince myself that I wasn't going to stop, it became easier.  I do know though that had I not been eating a good diet and doing Crossfit, I never would have made the 4.5 miles.  Like a freight train, I blasted through my mental wall and proved to myself that I am capable of so much more than I thought.

The Chief

This morning I got off of work at 545 am.  Instead of going home, I decided that I would work out because I have some things to do today and I may not be able to fit in my workout any other time.  Today's workout is called The Chief.  It is 3 reps of 135 lbs. power clean, 6 push ups, 9 squats.  As many rounds as possible in 3 min.  5 rounds total with 1 min. rest in between rounds.  Not bad, right?  Guess again.

The first 3 min. not so bad.  Then the squats started to take their tolls.  You figure that a min. rest between rounds is plenty of time, a nice little break.  As the rounds went on, that minute rest seemed like 10 seconds.  I got to the last round and my legs were on fire.  3 minutes were up, and it was over.  I did a total of 13 1/2 rounds.  Not impressive by any means, but Crossfit is about the effort and intensity.   I was smoked.  Time to rest up and if I have time, do some extra cardio in the afternoon.

This Sh*t works

Today I have a 15 hr. work day ahead of me.  I needed to get some sleep cause I have to work til 7 am.  A perfect reason not to workout.  Wrong.  I knew I had to do something today, so I figured that I would at least go for a jog.  So I woke up, laced em up, and hit the pavement.  My goal is to add 2 min. each week, which would have me running for 14 min. today.

I hit 14 min. and was feeling really good, so I kept going.  Before I know it, I had been jogging for a full 20 min.  It wasn't at a record setting pace, but I kept running for the full 20 min.  Crossfit really works.  My cardio has increased quicker than it ever did with regular weight training and cardio after.  I know 20 min. isn't a long time to be jogging, but it is 8 min. longer than last week, which is a huge improvement.  And I weighed myself this morning and I'm down 11 lbs!  This journey is off to a great start.

Row, row, row your boat

Today's workout involved using the Concept rower.  Rowing is a great alternative to running.  For me, they both equally suck.  Before the rowing began for today's workout, there was a strength WOD (Workout of the Day) that was 3-3-3-3 OHS (Overhead Squats).  I worked my way up to 135 lbs. for my last set, but only was able to get 2.  I lost my balance.  Then after a short rest, it was 4 rounds of all out rowing for 500 m with a 3 min. rest in between rounds.

My goal was to get all 4 rounds under 2 min. each.  Round 1-1:54, so far so good.  Round 2-1:57, still on pace.  Then the burn in my forearms from yesterday's workout kicked in.  Round 3-1:58, doing good but my forearms are on fire.  The last round was going to really suck, but I was determined to keep it under 2 min.  As I approached the final 100 m, the 2 minute mark was fast approaching.  It was an all out sprint.  Time!  1:59.  Goal reached!  As I fell off of the rower and laid on the ground, I had the song Row, row, row your boat playing in my head and I laughed.

Keeping Track

Today's workout was Helen.  It is 3 rounds of 400 m run, 21 kettlebell swings at 55 lbs., and 12 pullups.  Last time I did this workout was in Nov. 2008.  I did it in 15:38 then.  Of course, I had been Crossfitting regularly for 3 months, not 3 weeks.  I was realistic and my goal was under 20 min.  I started off pretty good, but then came the pullups.  I hate pullups.  I got through the first round in about 6 min.  By the time the 3rd round came, I was smoked.  My forearms were on fire, I could barely breathe, and all I wanted was a drink of water.  I convinced myself that I could drink water when I was done, only a few more minutes.  I finished the workout in 20:30.  30 seconds longer than I wanted to, but almost.  

This workout helped me to realize that by writing down my workouts and times, it gives me a reference point.  Right now, my times are a starting point.  Not the best times, but I know that they will only get better.  In a few months, I will revisit some of these workouts to measure the progress I am making.  As for now, I am happy with my progress.  I am averaging 3-4 lbs. of weight loss a week and feeling pretty good. I am optimistic that when I do these workouts again, not only will my times be better, but I will be lighter too.

A day of Rest

Today is a rest day for me.  I definitely need it.  With Crossfit, they recommend a 3 day on 1 day off workout schedule.  My entire body aches after these last 3 days.  Yesterday's workout took me 51 min.  Only 6 min. longer then my goal of 45.  Next time I will get it. 

This week has been a really good week for me.  I have not steered away from my diet and my workouts have been great.  I am starting to notice that I have more energy during the day and I don't feel so sluggish all of the time.  My cardio seems to be improving too.  While my workouts still suck, I don't need as much time to recover afterwords.  I actually am starting to look forward to the next grueling workout. So,  I am headed in to week 4 of this journey anxious for what's in store and optimistic about the end result.

The Filthy Fifty

Today I decided to do the Filthy Fifty workout.  It sucks, but also incorporates a lot of exercises.  Under 25 min. is what people in good shape do it in.  I am hoping for under 45 min.  We will see.  The problem with my work schedule is that on the weekends that I work, I get up, eat breakfast, and it's almost time to go back to work.  Before I would just sleep a little longer and watch some tv and tell myself that I need the rest more than working out.  What a lie.  I still got 7 hrs. of sleep, ate breakfast today and packed my lunch.  And I still have plenty of time to get a workout in.  


I am learning to make working out a priority for me.  It is all about time management.  I don't need to watch tv for an hour and skip my workout.  What is more important, watching some show, or getting in shape?  For a long time it was watching some show.  Not anymore.  If I really want to, I can DVR it.  So today I tackle the Filthy Fifty, tomorrow something else.  As long as it is helping me to have a healthier me and a healthier lifestyle I am all for it.


Today's Workout:
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood-35 lbs.
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Heavy workouts suck too

Today's workout was a strength workout followed by a heavy lifting metcon.  I didn't think that it would be too bad.  After yesterday's workout, I don't think it could be any worse.  I started with a warmup of stretching out and some squats, pushups and burpees.  I also did a half mile jog at 6 mph on the treadmill.  I felt pretty good after the warmup and thought that the workout would go nice and easy.  WRONG!

I started doing the bench press, which was the strength portion.  Not as strong as I would have liked, but hey, you have to start somewhere.  After finishing the strength portion, I set up the bar for deadlift.  The 15 min. metcon workout called for 5 deadlifts at 315 lbs. and 10 toes to bar, as many rounds as possible.  I can't quite get my toes to the bar, so I modified those and did knees to elbows.  Still, it sucked.  About halfway through, a callous on my hand ripped open on the deadlifts, which makes the rest of the workout a pain in the ass.  I pushed through and got a very disappointing 4 rounds.  Man, was I smoked though.  This workout brought me back to reality.  It taught me never to underestimate a workout, because heavy workouts suck just as much.

Thank You

People have given me several compliments saying that they enjoy reading my blog.  Some have even said that I am inspiring them to work on living a healthier lifestyle too.  Yesterday I was given a great complimnet from one of our friends.  She told me that reading about my journey has inspired her to work out more.  When she wants to quit, she told me that she says to herself, "Come on, 2 more minutes.  If Bill can do it, so can I." because after reading this, she saw that I could.  That motivates me to continue on.  Today was a great example of that.

I decided that I would do the Lumberjack workout.  Holy sh** did it suck.  I got about halfway through the workout and I wanted to quit.  I had been going for 30 min. and I was only about half done.  Then I thought about what my friend said yesterday, "If Bill can do it, I can do it."  That little thing helped to motivate me to get through the workout.  I finished it, 1 hour and 6 min. workout, but I finished it.  And I have anyone that reads any of my posts to thank for that.  Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey and know that I am inspired by the fact that I may have helped someone else start their own journey.

Here was today's workout:
20 deadlift @275 lbs.
run 400 m
20 kb swings 70lbs.
run 400 m
20 overhead squats 95 lbs. (scaled from 115)
run 400 m
20 burpees
run 400 m
20 pull ups chest to bar
run 400 m
20 box jumps
run 400 m
20 db clean and squat 40 lbs. each
run 400 m

I am not a gymnast

So then why do I have to use rings like one?  Crossfit will have you doing exercises that you aren't comfortable with at first.  The key is to try them to the best of your ability and eventually they will get easier.  

The workout I did on Monday was power snatch 2-2-2.  Then after a brief rest period, 8 rounds of 3 front squats with 185 lbs. and then 8 ring dips.  I absolutely hate ring dips.  I have enough trouble with regular dips.  Now I have to do 8 rounds of them on the rings.  I don't know about anyone else, but if you aren't used to using rings, they are a pain in the ass.  Trying to balance myself and do dips is next to impossible for me right now.  But instead of not doing them and doing regular dips, I did modified ring dips.  I stabilized my feet, but still used the rings to work on getting more comfortable.  I know that eventually I will be able to do ring dips.  Right now, I am ok with having to modify them.  I know that I will never be a gymnast, but one day I will be able to use the rings like one.

A step backwards

So this week I didn't do as well as I hoped.  I followed my diet for the most part, but fell off the wagon a few times.  Not in my workouts as much as my diet.  I ate a few things off of my diet.  I had a couple of beers.  I will weigh myself in the morning to see if I lost any weight this week.  If I didn't, that's life.  The important thing is that I realized that I strayed off the path and didn't stay there.  I have to be realistic about my diet.  There are going to be times that I stray, but the important thing is to make sure that it isn't too far or too often.  Once in a while is alright.  It is healthy and a way for me to keep my sanity. 

I head in to week 3 optomistic about it.  I have a refocused mentality for my diet and workouts.  I know that I took a step backwards, but I am determined to move 2 steps forward.  I can't dwell on the past week, because it is now out of my control.  What I can control is how I deal with my set back.  I choose to be in control of my destiny.  I choose to move forward and not let a small step backwards discourage me.  Life happens and it is how you deal with it that ultimately determines if you succeed or fail.  I will succeed. 

1 notch at a time

I am almost done with my second week, and I am feeling pretty good.  Eating a clean diet has given me more energy.  I don't feel so sluggish and tired all the time.  I have even noticed that my clothes seem to be fitting a little more comfortable.  Not so much pressure around the buttons.  The working out has been helping too.  My cardio and strength are getting better.  The workouts aren't getting any easier, but my times are getting better.  Overall, I just feel better all around about myself.

At work, I have to wear a belt with my pants.  Today, when I put on my belt, it was a little loose at my normal notch.  I moved it in a notch and it was comfortable, WOOHOO.  Another little thing that keeps me motivated.  It helps me to realize that this lifestyle change is definitely a good thing.  I am very happy with my progress so far and I know that this is only the beginning.  And that makes me excited about things to come.

Pick em up, Put em down

This week I had set a short term goal for myself.  Not a weight loss goal, but a small fitness goal.  It was to increase my time running by 2 minutes.  I would be going from 10 minutes of running last week to 12 minutes this week.  To me that would be an attainable goal.  So I laced up my running shoes and headed out of the garage to jog around my neighborhood.

It started out rough.  My legs felt heavy and I didn't have a whole lot of motivation today.  As I was listening to my Ipod, the running cadence I was listening to said, "Pick em up, put em down."  That is exactly what I did.  I just kept picking up one foot and putting the other down.  About 5 minutes in to the run I started feeling pretty good.  My legs had loosened up a bit and I told myself that 12 minutes wouldn't be a big deal.  I kept picking my feet up and putting them down and before I knew it, I ran for 12:30.  30 seconds past what I was planning.  I know it isn't a lot, but it is something.  And for me, reaching a short term goal only motivates me more to keep going.  When I look at the end result of where I want to be, it seems almost impossible.  Accomplishing short term goals reassures me that I am headed in the right direction.  All I need to do is to keep picking my feet up and putting them down, moving forward towards my long term goals.

A tractor tire and a bitch named Fran

The bitch I am referring to is a Crossfit benchmark workout.  It doesn't sound bad on paper, but this workout sucks a**.  The workout is a coupling of thrusters w/95 lbs. and pull ups done for 21 reps, then 15, then 9.  Not that bad, right?  WRONG.  And for me, pull-ups are my a big weakness of mine.  In Crossfit, you are forced to confront your weaknesses and deal with them head on.  That is what is great about it.  I easily could have done something else, but if I don't work on what I am weak at, then I won't get any better at it.  So, I sucked it up and did Fran today.  Just over 20 minutes.  That is a terrible time.  Just to give you an idea, an average time is anywhere from 5-10 minutes.  The elite are usually 3 minutes or less.  I did the work out as prescribed, which means that I used the recommended weight and no assistance/bands on the pull ups.  It would have been easier to do assisted pull ups, but I won't get any better taking the easy way out.

After completing Fran, I decided that I would do an active cool down.  At work, they have a tractor tire, probably somewhere between 400-500 lbs.  I thought  it would be a good idear to do 10 minutes of tire flips in the parking lot.  Working out outside is much better than being inside the gym.  And the barbaric aspect of throwing a tire around is very appealing to me.  I got some strange looks from people driving by and co-workers, but who cares.  After the 10 minutes were up, I was completely exhausted.  While I was trying to catch my breath, all I could do was smile because today I knew I had a great workout.

6 lbs.

So, 1 week has gone by and I am pretty happy with things, I am down 6 lbs today.  I have been eating a clean diet and I managed to work out 5 days last week.  I was feeling pretty good this morning when I woke up and headed for the bathroom scale.  And this morning, the scale, for the first time in a long time, was my friend.  I had started out last week at 286.  Today, I weighed 280.  6 lbs. in 1 week!  I was ecstatic.

I know that in the beginning, weight has a tendency to come off quicker.  6 lbs. is a great start.  I know that it will slow down, but as long as the number keeps going down. This morning it was nice to get that little boost of encouragement to know that my lifestyle change is working.  I am hoping that this week I am able to keep moving forward.  I know that this is only the beginning and that I still have a long way to go.

Comfort Zone

For most people, life is lived inside their comfort zone.  Everybody has one.  That place where you can go through the motions and not have to really think about what you are doing.  You are comfortable in that place.  When life gets hectic or things are unfamiliar, you are forced to be outside of your comfort zone.  The great thing about Crossfit is that it teaches you how to live outside of your comfort zone.

Today's workout had 2 things that I am terrible at, pull ups and sit ups.  The pull ups because of my weight, and the sit ups because of my body by Miller.  About 10 minutes into the workout I was leaving my comfort zone.  I was out of breath and covered in sweat.  People at the globo gym were looking at me like I was insane.  It would have been easy to just stop and call it a day.  Crossfit teaches you to keep moving at your own pace, regardless of what anyone else is doing.   It teaches you to realize that life outside your comfort zone is not always a bad thing.  So I stopped being concerned with the people watching me and what they were thinking and continued, 1 rep at a time until I was done, 48 minutes later.  I needed to be outside of my comfort zone because being in that zone is the reason I am where I am today.  Being outside of my comfort zone is the only way to make any changes or progress towards where I want to be.  I am learning that the more you life outside of that zone, the more comfortable it is to be there.

Today's workout:
7 rounds
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 air (body weight) squats
20 sit ups
25 double under jump ropes

Welcome Back Old Friend

Why is it that it takes so long to get back in shape, but it seems like no time at all to lose it?  That is how I felt during yesterday's workout.  I was about halfway through when I thought, "No one else is here, I could just stop now."  The old me probably would have and used the excuse that I was just getting back in to working out so I don't want to be too sore.  I knew that if I wanted to make any progress, I couldn't quit.  I pushed through and finished the workout, 41 minutes.  Not a great time by any standards, but I had finished and not quit.  And laying on the gym floor in a puddle of sweat, trying to catch my breath and not have a heart attack, I smile because I know that I will soon be seeing an old friend.

That old friend I am referring to is the ache in your muscles the day after a good workout. My legs are really sore today and my body really aches, but I know that old friend has good intentions.  I know that old friend has come back into my life to help push me towards my goals.  And I welcome back that friend with open arms.  That pain makes me feel good about what I have done in the last few days and it makes me want to go back again.  So today I did.   

Intimidation

Intimidation- to make timid; fill with fear.

For me, intimidation relates to weight loss and working out.

Setting weight loss goals can cause intimidation.  Looking at what seems to be impossible can make a person timid.  I know that it has for me in the past.  I always looked at the end number and total lbs. that I wanted to lose and thought to myself that it was impossible.  I would start out strong, but when I would start to lose a few lbs. I would still realize that I had a long way to go.  I would get discouraged and afraid of falling short, intimidated by my seemingly impossible task. It was always easier to fall back in to my old routine instead of facing my fear. 

If you have never been intimidated by your workout, you never have done Crossfit.  Just the name of some of the workouts fill me with fear.  Fran, Murph, and so on.  Just typing those out sends a chill down my spine.  Mostly the intimidation comes from the fact that I know how I am going to feel during the workout, like death is around the corner.  I know that a little bit of fear is good.  What I can't do is to let the fear dictate my workout.  Just because I am intimidated by the workout doesn't mean that I should skip it or half-ass my effort.  I will only end up where I always have in the past, unhappy with my weight.

While intimidation is an aspect of everyday life, how you handle it will determine your success.  If I back down from it, I will never achieve my goals.  The key is to take it 1 day at a time, 1 meal at a time, and 1 workout at a time.  In the end, I will come out a better person.

Today's workout
5 Rounds
40 double unders
30 box jumps 24" box
20 kettlebell swings 53lbs.

Excuses

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse."  

I am not sure who said that, but today it was true.  I woke up later than I wanted to today.  Then, after breakfast, I thought, "I should relax a little, then head to the gym."  Then time, like it always does, got away from me.  Next thing I knew, it was too late to go to the gym.  I didn't have time to drive to the gym, workout, come home, eat and be to work on time.  So my old self started with the excuses.

I started to tell myself that if I ate good today, I can start the working out tomorrow.  But I have been telling myself that for way too long.  Excuses have gotten me to my current weight of  286 lbs.  It's always, "I can start tomorrow, one day won't kill me."  It is that attitude that has led to this point.  So I have decided no more excuses.  If I can't make it to the gym, I will find another way to workout.  And that is exactly what I did.

Today I set a goal for myself to jog non-stop for 10 minutes.  For me, time is more important than distance.  I know it isn't much, but it is a start.  I put on my running shoes, cranked up my IPod, and headed out the door.  10 minutes went by and I had made it, without a heart attack.  Inside I did a little happy dance.  After a cool-down walk, I was feeling pretty good with myself and decided to do something else.  100 walking lunges for time.  It took me 7:30.

There is no more excuses.  I proved that to myself today.

Here is my starting (before) pics.  286 lbs.  I will be posting a pic each month to show my progress