Competition pains

     Look at that, day two is here. I may be rehabbing my lower back, but I am strong on getting my blog back on. I want to put out a few things right off the bat. I am no longer posting exactly at 9 AM. The posts will come when they come on a Monday through Friday basis. Why?... because I like my weekends. OK, the rules are officially over, let's ramble.

     So, last Saturday was the "Fittest in the Metro East" CrossFit competition. I placed 8 out of 9... only because there was a tie... so technically 9th (woo, top 10!!!). The first workout was a triplet with thrusters, pullups and snatch. Coming in with a bad low back injury, it wasn't looking  that grand. After an uber painful fight with 30  snatches I finished with literally seconds remaining. After writhing in pain, a trip to the on-site chiropractor, and writhing in pain again... I had to "prepare" for the 2nd event.

     My preparation consisted of napping right up until my heat. the second was a short battle with the jump rope and handstand holds. Again, this went horrible for me, even though these USED to be my most strongest abilities. The next event I was better prepared for, as it was a strength event. Running coupled with 1 Rep Deadlift, Clean and Hang Squat Clean. My worry here was the cleans, because I injured my back doing these 2 days prior. This still lead to a Hang Squat Clean PR and my only 3rd place finish.

     The 4th event was another triplet of moving a prowler, air squats and situps. By now my quads were toast, so I'm surprised I could even do anything. The finally event was a gargantuan chipper of a whole bunch of movements. It really didn't matter, I couldn't get passed the 3rd movement of overhead walking lunge with a 70lb kettlebell. At this point in the day I couldn't even do an unweighted lunge, so this was just 14 minutes of self torture.

     So that is about as brief as a recap I can give. As horrible as I did, there were some beasts out there in both Rx and scaled divisions. Was I ill prepared? For this competition, yes! Have a done a WOD since March? Not a one. So I've gone from placing 2nd of over 60 people in February, to last out of 9. Have my goals changed since February? Yes! Have they changed since last weekend? No... just more of a fire.

     The non-CrossFitters will say that CF competitions are BS, and a normal "fit" person can't just come in a do well because of the crazy movements. There may be a little truth to this, you do have to practice the movements... just like any sports. Fittest man in the world, Rich Froning, will not be able to go play in the NBA, NFL, or NHL (when it's not locked out) without practice. He is a monster at CrossFit... because he CrossFits!

     Is this the end of my competative CF career? I'm not sure. Do I no longer advocate CF? I still do, but it is not my training plan or goal of mine at the moment. Will this post piss CrossFitters off? I'm not trying to be a dick, I'm giving out my thoughts and opinions. I am not bashing the competitors or competition, because who the hell cares? I don't want to start fights or "hardcore" internet battle. I am, however, saying how shit-tastic that I did. I will soon be back to training the Big Three (Squat, Bench and Deads), going after PRs and blogging away... at training, life, CrossFit, or whatever the hell I feel like.

     Anyway, those are my thoughts. If you don't like them... then you already stopped reading this. If you still are, and you still have a problem then leave any questions, comments or thoughts. So the hell with all this, the competition is in the past. It's time to get stronger, train harder... and BECOME UNBREAKABLE!!!

Battle for the Cup (scaled division)

     Good morning everyone, and happy VD... Valentines Day. It has been a long and busy weekend. My work week started with over 10 consecutive days of 4am wake ups, no voice, and three cups of coffee. Was it worth it?... Yes, absolutely. Now I write this two day past competition, my voice has recover... still waking up at 4 am though. Anyway, I bet you all want a recap. Don't let me keep you waiting.

     The day started early, waking up at 4 am... ugh. I got food, clothes and things together. Of course we still left late (my fault), picked up Libbie (CrossFit CWE badass) and headed to CrossFit TNT (with barely any coffee in me). I had seen WOD #1 on Thursday before the competition, but here's what I knew I had in strore for me:

WOD 1: The Triple Clean

Start next to a bare bar. After 3,2,1 GO run/walk to a stack of plates and clips, return them to your bar, load, and perform:

21 Hang Squat Cleans (hang starting below the knees) 95 lbs

Strip weights, return them to their pile, grab new stack, return to bar, load, and perform:

15 Power Cleans 115lbs

Strip weights, return them to their pile, grab new stack, return to bar, load, and perform:

9 Clean and Jerks 135lbs

Strip weights, return them to their pile, run back to your bar and time!

Time - 7:19

     This went a lot better than I would have imagined. I was dreading the HSC, especially starting below the knees. I thought that would have a good chance of making the low back tight for the rest of the WOD. A lot of guys said to just go all the way down to the floor, that it was easier. In warm-up I felt a lot more comfortable not doing that. I felt like my low back went soft if I went to the floor. It seemed to work well for me. Power Cleans were fine, almost unbroked (and should have been). Clean and Jerks were heavy. I really should have pushed it on this. I finished every one in singles and came in 12th place (unbeknownst to me).

WOD 2: Handstand Hold

Hold a handstand, against the wall for as long as possible. Butt cannot touch the wall and head cannot touch the floor.

Time - 3:34

     I was suprised how well I did on this. Unfortunately I was the very last heat and only went with one other person. It helped to have another athlete on the wall... I kept turning my head and watching him. This took my mind off the pain in my elbows. Still, I had know idea where I placed on this, someone said top 5. This was true... I walked away in 2nd on the event and second in the standing (still unknown to me)

WOD 3: Ring and Things

8 min AMRAP

10 ring pushups (rings even with a 20" box)

16 lateral jumps (over a pvc) 24"

Rounds - 7 + 9

     I think this marked the first WOD I really went 100% for. Mainly because the ring pushups were pissing me off. first 3 rounds were fine and all unbroken. I never had a problem with the lateral jumps (more recovery than anything), but the ring pushups got tough come round 4. Needed to break them up pretty good. I also transitioned to a very close grip, which rubbed my arms raw on the straps. However, with this narrow grip I was able to recruit a lot of help from my chest and my triceps, and even get a stretch reflex at the bottom (kinda like bench pressing). I struggled to come up with 14th in the event, dropping me to 3rd overall... and I still had no idea of this. I also had no idea that the 14th place I received would be my lowest placing WOD of the weekend.

WOD 4: Death by Deadlift Ladder

45 second to lift, 15 seconds to transition. Weight AND reps increased each round

1 @ 135lbs

2 @ 175lbs

3 @ 205lbs

4 @ 225lbs

5 @ 245lbs

6 @ 265lbs

7 @ 285lbs

8 @ 305lbs

9 @ 325lbs

10 @ 345lbs

11 @ 365lbs

12 @ 385lbs

13 @ 400lbs

14 @ 410lbs

Last lift - 5 out of 10 reps @ 345lbs

     This one had me excited. If you don't know... I love to deadlift. Unfortunately (against my wife's advice) I left my powerlifting belt at home. Luckily, a super cool dude at CrossFit South City let me borrow his. I saw guys pettering out at the high 200's and low 300 range. My goal was to at least get to 365lbs. However, I don't know what happened to the 345 bar... the crap immediately got heavy! Maybe it was the fact I did do 45 reps in the previous 9 minutes... that could be a part of it. Still (not known to me) I got 8th on this, and bumped into 2nd place overall.

WOD 5: Rope N' Run

4 rope climbs

2 mile run (in 20-30 degree weather)

Time - 14:35

     This was the start of day 2. They announced this the night before online, so I already had an idea coming in on what I wanted to do. Now I knew I was in 2nd, by only 10 points. I had a fire inside... I wanted that podium. With the 6th WOD unknown I knew I needed to do well to keep my place. Seeing the Rope climbs made me jumps for joy. I may not be the strongest guy out there, but I think I have some pretty decent technique. It held out well for me. I hit the top of the 4th rope climb at 1:04 and I was out the door about 20 seconds later. That means I ran my 2 miles in about 13 minues... 6:30 mile split was good for me. My plan on the run was to catch as many people possible (since it was a heat running every 5 minutes) and never get passed. Also, I had heard a lot of people spinting it out on the final turn... so I decided to sprint it out on the turn before that. It seemed to go well, as I got 2nd in the event and retained my 2nd place overall.

WOD 6: Chipper

Complete as many points/reps possible in 10 minutes (680 points possible). Each movement has a max rep count you can achieve for points.

15 Snatches @ 135lbs (8 points each)

15 Ring Dips (8 points each)

20 Pullups (5 points each)

20 Dumbbell Thrusters @ 35lb (5 points each)

30 Toes-to-Bar (3 points each)

30 Kettlebell Swings @ 55lbs (3 points each)

60 Box Jumps @ 24" (1 point each)

Points - 568

     So, right off the bat I knew I would have trouble with that Snatch weight. Sadly, it's my current 1 RM. Matt (from CFe) and I went to warm up on the bar. We could both hit 125lb split snatches, so we came up with a game plan that worked awesome! We turned the WOD into 3 mini-WODs that looked like this:

1 Snatch attempt (which I got!)

5 ring dips

10 pullups

5 ring dips

10 pullups

5 ring dips

1 snatch attempt (which I got again!)

2 rounds:

15 Kettlebell Swings

AMRAP Toes-to-Bar (12 & 18)

10 Thrusters

AMRAP Box Jumps (52 out of 60 completed)

     This went exactly according to plan. GSkell was coaching me on what to do next, which I followed to the T. This was a tough WOD, and I fought tooth and nail for a 6th place... keeping me in my 2nd place overall!!!

     It turned out to be a great weekend. Day 1 was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, and unknown placement. Day 2 I actually saw the prize in sight, and I wanted it bad. Who knows, If I had Day 2's mindset on Day 1 I could have done better. However, I can't take away anything from the guy in first. He was strong all the way around, who only had one finish in the double digits. The athlete in 3rd was an outstrand guy, and can't wait to compete with him again. In fact both of these fellows have been doing CrossFit for 4 months! I have years of this under my belt now! They are going to be a force to be reckoned with. I have to thank my wife for being there for me (even when I wasn't a joy to be around), GSkell, Liner, Matt, Ginger, Tom and all the CFe crew! 

     Now I will take a week of recovery before really getting back to my lifts. I will fight harder now to become stronger and more powerful. Who knows what's next for me. Maybe 1st place? Maybe moving to the Rx division? We'll see in just another year. So get yourself motivated, put some effort into it... and do burpees!!!

TNT Weekend from CrossFit Ironman on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!

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Planking

     Good morning guys and gals. Just a matter of days till X-mas. Just wanted to let you guys know that this will be my last post till after Christmas. It's about to get busy, as you can well imagine, and I don't want to fool myself or you folks that I can throw down some daily rambles. So I'll just stop stalling and get to it.




     Did you check out the video above? Well it's 54 year old George Hood holding the plank position for 1 hour 20 minutes and 5 seconds. Impressive much? I believe so! I mean talk about solid core strength. Seeing as how the first record was set at about 19 minutes, the moved to 32 minutes, then 36, and (prior to George's record) about 50 minutes. That means the record was broken by 30 minutes. So, how does someone get to this.

     It's reported that George spends about 7 hours training. 90 minutes are spent practicing the plank, then he finishes it off with a nice easy 200-400 pushups, about 2,000 sit-ups and crunches... oh and finish it up with about 4 hours on the bike. No one can say that George wasn't prepared for his record breaking feat.

     One thing is also for sure. Aside from being physically prepared, George had to be mentally prepared as well. You can see in the video that George is in some serious pain. Just like a CrossFit WOD can bring the pain, you have to be mentally strong to push through. Hell, anyone that's held  a plank position for 3-5 minutes things can get a little spicy.

     All I'm saying is were all trying to be our own personal George Hood... physically prepared and mentally ready for a challenge. We're preparing ourselves for any challenge that comes along. Post any thoughts, comments or questions below. Be motivated, motivate others... and do burpees!

3,2,1 GO!
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December Burpee Challenge:
22/31 Completed, 253 Burpees Total

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Change it up

     Hey ladies and germs (always wanted to say that). It's time for another ridiculous ramble, beyond compare... actually... you have about 250 plus to compare this with (though I doubt you'd want to). Anyway, pardon my abscence, I'll try to make up for it in awesomeness. And by that, I mean make up for the 2 weeks of rambling I've missed.


Strongathlete from James Cheney on Vimeo.

     So, check out the video above. Go ahead, I'l wait...

...

     ... Done? What did you think? Specifically, do you think something like this is a good idea? Does it give CrossFit a big push by being so virsitile in different sports? Or does it make us look like a lot of fitness nutbags?

     I see this as really cool (and maybe a little nutbaggy). A triathlete 1 week, and a strongman the next?! Obviously he's much better at one than the other. However, I'm highlighting his ability to do two such diverse sports at near the same time! With CF you can do damn near anythying (within reason). We may not be elite competitors outside of CrossFit, however we are competitors.

     How many have you tried something different with just CrossFit as your training? I've done my share of mud runs and obstical races. However, come next month I'll be participating in my first ever Powerlifting competition. Oddly enough this involves no squat, and instead struct curl (you heard me). Still, I'm going to make the most out of it, and I'm sure this will not be my last.

     What about the rest of you? Weigh in on the video above. Give us some personal stories of intrigue. Let's hear your thoughts! Post thoughts, questions and comments below. Don't forget to rejoice!.... the rambles are back and here to stay. So try something new, keep hitting the WOD... and do burpees!


3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's WOD:

Rest Day
Been a little tougher to get the WODs in being back at work. However, I have some good stuff planned later today with the Skelly's.

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X-Fit

     Hey again people. 3 days in a row, look at me. It's like I'm almost on a normal ramble schedule again... let's hope it holds. Speaking of holding, hold on to your seats because we have a story of a local "Xfit" throwdown. With competition season coming up soon next year, it's time to start thinking about it.

     So, yesterday I had the opportunity to judge at a "X-Fit" competition at the nearyby college. It was so called "X-Fit" because they do not have any affiliation with CrossFit. Par on the course for them making that distinction. Anyway, there was only one WOD:

20 minute AMRAP
1 partner run
1 partner Thruster (95/45)
1 partner Burpee
When the partner finishes the run they move to thrusters, the thruster person moves to the burpees and the burpee person goes for a run.

     This may look familiar, I did this WOD a few days ago with GSkell and Mrs. GSKell with a score of 393 reps. A brutal WOD, in which most of your points came from the burpees. However, you couldn't forget about racking up the thrusters as well.

     Anyway, big shout out to any competitors out there. We saw 5 teams go at it, with team CrossFit Edwardsville taking the prize of spray on tans and highlights (not kidding) with a score of 348. Aside from the final team that had been CrossFitting for a few weeks, every other team had little to no experience with CrossFit, let alone the dreaded thrusters (and burpees). More than once did I hear, as I was judging thrusters, "this CrossFit stuff is no joke!" And even once I heard, "You guys are legit, this stuff is hard!"

     Could the even have been run a little more smoothly, maybe so. But, this is the first step in many to establish an even more solid base of CrossFit here in the Metro East. Competitions like these get people exposed to CrossFit. Many out there came for the tangent Powerlifting competitions (Bench and Deadlift... no squat), but saw some pretty inspiring things right next to them.

     My hope is we can have more throwdowns. Ones with maybe more than one WOD and stand alone CrossFit. Cheers again for the competitiors, and don't stop competiting. Post any thoughts, questions or comments below. Get ready, get set... do burpees!


Wodapalooza: A CrossFit Festival from Warrier Boy Films on Vimeo.


3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

Deadlifting
Worked up to a single at 415 lbs
Had plans for a more intricate WOD since I got  some brand new bumpers. However, the rain kept me inside, and the time crunch kept me from actual WODing. Still... nice to have that much weight available at the house.

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Here's the truth

     Hey there fitness junkies, time for another score? Yes, the rambles are back from a 2 day hiatus. I hope I didn't keep the public on the edge of their seat like Paranormal Activity 3 (creepy movie). Anyway, I have some good stuff for you, so lets not waste any more time.

     Well, I'd like to bring you another athlete profile... a spotlight if you will. Have you ever heard of Tom Rowland and "Fitness Truth"? No?! Well, meet Tom:

     Tom was a former High School Wrestler, fishing guide and TV producers. In his 30's he found himself out of shape and wanting to get back to fitness. At that point, the choice was Marathon Running. Even though Tom got down to a 3:13 marathon he couldn't jump, do a pullup, or much of any true tests of fitness.

     His journey took a good turn when he discovered CrossFit. He found the idea of being able to compete from his garage against anyone in the world intriguing. At 43, Tom is in the best shape of his life and a shining example of what your fitness can do for you.

     You may remember Tom's name, or maybe his face. Well, during the 2011 CrossFit Open he and Jessica Pamanian were shadowed by the CrossFit Journal as they performed every WOD on their way to the Regionals. Tom may not have made the cut, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I'm sure I'd get my behind handed to me by this pre-masters athlete.

    Not only is he a Journal Highlight, but he also has his on TV show called "Fitness Truth". Tom opened his garage gym (The RRL), for free, to anyone that wanted to start or continue their journey towards elite fitness. You can read more about Mr. Rowland at his website and see his daily WOD, blog posts and yummy Paleo recipes. You can also find episode of his TV show on Vimeo (or the previous link).

     I'm personally looking forward to Season 2 of Fitness Truth and my personal fitness goals. What do you guys think? Check of all the truth about fitness and post any thoughts, questions or comments below. So strive for fitness, reach your goals... and do burpees!


Mission Cross Fit from Shane Harder on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

Rest Day
Shout out to my wife who squated 170lbs x 2!!!

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Gray matter... matters!

     Hey there people. Yes, I'm back again and got some good stuff planned for today... Ok, maybe less "planned" and more of a lightbuld went off in my head saying, "Hey, I can fill the ramble with this!" So, I hope I don't bring dissapointment to the masses, like a dish of bread pudding at a Paleo dinner. Let's get after it!

     Look through old rambles and you'll see a few talks about the mental side of CrossFit. There's a huge mental piece of any training. Olympic weightlifters actually spend a lot of time on visualization, and they find that it is very effective (which we'll talk about in a bit). The greatest piece of eqipment in the gym is right between your ears.

Attitude

     Attitude is absolutely key when persuing any training regiment. Hell, it helps in all aspects of our life. When you're setting limitation on yourself before you ever take a crack at a WOD then you're already half-defeated. Words like: "This is going to suck", "I'm horrible at this" and the dreaded "I can't do this" is already putting you in the red. Your telling yourself you can't do something before you ever start.

     In fact, our bodies are far more capable than what we can imagine. Why not put your head right and use that big buzz word... Positive Self Talk! Tell yourself you can do this, or find what you can do and let that give you a boost. I know that when I encounter Fran the thrusters are the bane of my existence. If I focus on that, your damn right that'll be a tough WOD. However, I know that I can rock those pullups like nobodies business. That is what I can tell myself before any WOD, what I can do. You can use it in almost any WOD:

          "This WOD may be tough, but the _____ are right in my wheelhouse!"

     Doing this we focus on the positive outcome on the WOD and after 3,2,1, GO! we're hitting this with a positive outlook, and (with any luck) end up with an equally positive outcome.

Visualization

     This is used by great athletes and coaches in many different disciples. Have you ever seen The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise? If you haven't, let me make my point. Throughout the movie he gets his posterior chain handed to him during any sparing sessions. It isn't until he visualizes the entire fight, from start to finish, that he comes out with a win (turns out to be a tie... but it was a win for him). Even though this is Hollywood it isn't far off.

     Visualization can be used prior to a lift, prior to a WOD, or prior ot almost anything. If you're about to go for a PR deadlift, top, close your eyes, and imigine the lift from start to finish. See yourself with your proper setup pull the bar off the ground, keeping the bar close, and standing up with it. For one, we're focusing on the points of performance of the lift. Secondly you are visualizing yourself with a positive outcome! And that right there, is a positive tool.

     Same thing when in that magical pre-WOD moments. Imagine how you will attack the WOD, how you will manage your transitions, maybe how many reps you want to complete before breaking them up, and (very importantly) how the WOD will feel. Again, we're setting ourselves up for a positive outcome! So visualize a win, and you will be that much closer to achieving it.

Goals

     Goals come in all shapes and sizes. We have long term goals, short term goal, and even what I like to call minute-to-minute goals.

     First, long-term goals are just that. It's goals that may take weeks, months or even years to accomplish. CrossFitters use these frequently when setting themselves up for lifting or gymnastics goals. a 3x bodweight deadlift, a 2x boweight squat, your first muscle-up. All of these you aren't going to be able to come in and get in one session. With this we can make ourselves a plan, or even road map on how to accomplish this goal. These's some great coaches out there (and maybe even me) that have tried and tested methods to meet these goals. It takes the mental fortitiude to stick with the plan and KNOW that you can do it.

     In my travels in the Navy, I've ran into a few folks that have gone through the SEAL selection process. Some that were successful, and some that we're not. Both groups attest to the fact thet BUD/S (as it is called) is 20% physical and 80% mental. One of the succesful folks described how he made it through "Hell Week". HW was a true test for any SEAL hopeful. it's 5 staright days of grueling tasks from navigating the surf, O-courses and sand runs; throughout which the cnadidates get 4 hours of sleep during the entire 5 days! What this person told me was he set himself a goal throughout the week. He KNEW that he would get 3 meals a day, and 15 meals that week. So he told himself to make it to the next meal... and the next meal... and then next. Before he knew it, the week was over and he was that much closer toward his goal.

     Finally, the "minute-to-minute goals". These are what I see a lot of CrossFitters use in their daily WOD. A horrific WOD like Eva, the Filthy Fitfy, or that brutal WOD we saw to kick off the 2011 CF Games are a great place to use these. Giving yourself goals of, "I'm going to break this up 10 reps at a time with 3 breaths between sets" is a great goal to set. Things like this can be made on the fly when things start to fall apart too. This could be a rep-by-rep, step-by-step, or breath-by-breath goal. When the tough gets going then so do you. Keep telling yourself that no mater what, you can do it... and you will.

Aim above the mark to hit the make - Ralph Wlado Emerson

     I hope this wasn't too lengthy or dry. I just want you to relize how important an positive mindeset, good viusualization, and achievable goals can be. If you use all the mental tools in the toolbox then you are over halfway to success. Post thoughts, questions, experiences, and any mental cues that  you use in the comments section. So visualize, stay positive... and set a goal to do burpees!





3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

Rest Day
40 minutes of stretching, foam rolling and MWOD drills. Finished it off with a "recovery WOD":
3 round
0:30 Handstand Hold
0:30 Hold bottom of the squat

Day 153 Burpee Challenge / 11659 Burpees Completed

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Motivating athletes

     Morning everyone! Dashing to get to work, so I hope you all forgive the word-skimpy ramble today and enjoy a motivating video of some amazing athletes, who give it all... everyday... and do burpees!



3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

Sumo Box Squat
135 x 1 x 5
185 x 2 x 3
235 x 3 x 2
260 x 3 x 1

Snatch Deadlift from a deficit
135 x 1 x 5
155 x 1 x 3
185 x 3 x 3
205 x 3 x 1

Accessory Work:
4 rounds, no time just get 'er done (60 sec rest between round)
*score is number of chins*
Round 1: 8 dips
Round 2: 8 dips - 15 100lb weighted situps
Round 3: 8 dips - 15 100lb weighted situps - 6 135lb thrusters
Round 4: 8 dips - 15 100lb weighted situps - 6 135lb thrusters - max attempt chins
Chins - 13
Thought about trying this, and I think it works well. Just keep adding work and then go for a max... good stuff!

Day 152 Burpee Challenge / 11506 Burpees Completed

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More vids

     Morning folks! As promised, I have a few videos for you today. As always, we end with CrossFit. However, it's always interesting to show other disciplines that we use. So I hope you enjoy... and I hope I get better. Much better rambles to come once I don't feel like I've been beaten with a kettlebell... do burpees!

STRONGMAN



CROSSFIT



3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

Yea... still sick

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Sickness and videos

     Good morning everyone. I'm sorry I've missed the last couple of rambles.I have been dog sick!... which also means I have to make up a lot of burpees. Future pain aside, I thought I could throw something up today. So, we have for you some videos. The first four are just parts of what we use in CrossFit, the 5th video being said discipline. I hope you all enjoy. For the time being, while I'm sick, I'm just going to throw up a video (and not my food) for you all to enjoy. Catch you guys later! ... and do burpees (because I can't)!

POWERLIFTING



GYMNASTICS



OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING



KETTLEBELLS



CROSSFIT





3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's training:

Get down with the sickness (rest)

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Fix it part 2

     Howdy again. I've got my coffee, my ramble ready... I guess I'm good to tackle the day! Hopefully after this morning's rant you will be too! Now, I thought it would be important to touch on yesterday's "fix the athlete" ramble. I thought I'd give you my take. So here we go!.

How can we turn this...

 

... into this!


     Ok, so let's take a look at the questionable power clean above again (the first one). This is the problems that I see:

- The bar is caught low on his chest (good call Libbie)
- Legs are very wide and could be an unstable base he can't recover from
- Not only wide, but the right leg is forward of his left leg (sumo split clean?)
- Because he's so wide his knees are tracking inward
- If we had a side view we may see the knees very far forward, and a more quad dominant catch

     So, that's really quick on what I can see glaring. Whether or not the athlete made the lift, there's a lot we can do to fix this.

     Frist off, let's fix things before ever touching the bar. How about some mobility work to improve his front rake position? Attach a jump stretch band to a pullup bar, let your knuckles rest on your shoulders (while bringing elbows up). and wrap the band your arm at the distal aspect of the tricep. I tried to find a good picture of this, but alas I'm at work and all the good (and dirty) websites are blocked. However, spending about 2 minutes on each are will drastically improve your front rack position. As far as equipment goes... get some good weightlifting shoes!

     After we're warmed up, let's hit the Burgener Warm-Up. Yes the BWU uses the Snatch, but you're still focusing on the natural shrug of the sholders, keeping the bar close to the body and speed through the middle. NOW we're ready to start with some quick warm-up sets before we begin "work set".

     When performing the wam-up I'd have him focus on catching the bar with the legs closer to his core with his knees pressed out (instead of forward). This will recruit our adductors, or the inside of the thigh. I mean, we want to use every bit of strength we have in our legs to pull off a monsterous clean. Keep hips a bit back so we can also include our glute/hamstrings (the big muscle movers). Basically I want it to look like this:



http://www.crossfitcherrypoint.com/uploads/16.jpg (for full size)

     Hopefully,  this athlete will, without a doubt, be able to catch that weight. Even better... set a PR! What do the rest of you think? I'm sure I left some stuff out. Anyone selse care to fix this guy a little bit more? Let me know what you think. Post in the comments section, open your hips... and do burpees!

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

1 RM Push Press - 175lbs
Little upset with today's environment... so I decided to deadlift
1 RM Deadlift - 465 lbs (10 lb PR)
Stoked with that PR! That was seriously all I had for that day. My problem in this "globo-gym" environment is actually the fans. I take a while to mobilize and warm-up properly. Basically I want to be good and sweaty before I start any WOD or lift. These giant industrial fans get things quite chilly. Most of the times I turn them away, or turn them off. Maybe it's just mental, but it helps.

Day 118 Burpee Challenge / 7021 Burpees Total

*3511*

Fix it

     Good morning folks. Another day in sweaty weather, and another ramble ahead of us. I've been getting a lot of comments lately, so thank you all for that. We've actually heard your imput and had some discussions, which is what these rambles are aiming for. So keep them coming, because we have another "fix and athlete" post today.

     Now, usually I have a picture of what is wrong during a movement. Instead we have the end of a movement. The Clean, a Power Clean it seems like. The Power Clean is an weightlifting movement, and it is when the bar is taken from the ground to the shoulders in one movement. Since it is a POWER Clean it is caught high instead of in the squat. This could be done because the athlete may have a weak squat (like myself) or his sport specific training calls for powerful movemnts (like the football player above).

      Now, it's time to fix it. The athlete did accomplish the Clean, but it would seem he made it a lot harder than it should have been. I'm not saying that this athlete sucks, because looking at the picture it seems this guys has anywhere from 315lbs to 405lbs on the bar. My calculations could be off, but the bar has a substantial bend in it.

     Aside from all of that, what do you think could have been done to finish this with much better form? Think about the set-up and the execution. Also, look to see if you can spot some mobility issues that can be corrected before ever moving a bar. The only way we can become better at lifts like these are to know how to make corrections. So let's hear your thoughts. What need to be done? Post thought in the comments, focus on form... and do burpees!


THE SQUAT

Down this road, in a gym far away,
a young man was heard to say,
"no matter what i do, my legs won't grow"
he tried leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses , too
trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do.

from the corner of the gym where the big men train,
through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain
where the noise is made with big forty fives,
a deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees.
a very big man with legs like trees.

laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack
chalking his hands and monstrous back,
said, "boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten,
the trouble with you is you ain't been SQUATTIN'. "

     - Dale Clark

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

6 rounds total (alternating between A and B)
*3:00 per round. :60 rest between rounds*
               A
1 Handstand Pushup
3 Strict Chest-to-Bar Pullups
5 Chest-slap Pushups
               B
3 Roll-to-Pistol
6 Pushups
9 Jump Squats

- Round 1 (A): 5 rounds + 1 HSPU
- Round 2 (B): 4 rounds
- Round 3 (A): 4 rounds + 1 CTB
- Round 4 (B): 4 rounds
- Round 5 (A): 4 rounds + 1 CTB
- Round 6 (B): 4 rounds + 4 Pushups
Total Reps - 345

This was just some good tough work. I wanted some short efforts, with changing movements, and little rest... mission accomplished. It felt like a CrossFit Football WOD I had done a while back. Strict CTB Pullups got tough! The movements from A we're heavy on skill and quick muscle fatigue. B's movements were just about getting the work done, and I think these complimented each other well.

Day 117 Burpee Challenge / 6903 Burpees Completed

*3511*

What's in your stocking?

     Hey hey everyone! Rambles are back again. Coach Glassman has said to routinely learn and play new sports. Be that as it may, today we cover another interesting game, in the wide wide world of sports... maybe something new to train for.

     No, photo above is not of groups of people running from a heist. They are competing in sport over 45 year old... Coal Carrying. The name of the Game is to carry a bag loaded with about one hundred pounds of coal for a 1k run. To be specific, it's 50kg for the men and 20kg for the women. To be even more specific, the course clocks in at 1012.5 meters

     This sport originated by a dare between 2 fellows in 1963... doesn't everything start with a dare (mostly with alcohol involved)? To date, the race takes place near Yorkshire, UK, falling every Easter Monday.

     Just last April, a new woman's record was set in the event. Catherine Foley came across the finish line in 4 minutes and 25 seconds, beating the old time by 40 second!. Coal Carrying Baddass David Jones still holds the record at 4 minutes and 6 seconds. I called him a badass because he finished in that time in 1991 AND 1995 (just to prove it wasn't a fluke). In fact, he hold 6 of the top 10 times for the course! For both of these athletes, they probably run this race faster than most could do unweighted.

     So, who's up for a trip to the UK next Easter? Take in some sights... carry some coal... ya know, the usual. Interesting enough, we do have the ocassional WOD that will include toating a sandbag, or maybe running with a wallball or kettlebell... not too far off wouldn't you say? Anyway, move weight, move it fast... and do burpees!

"Someone once told me the definition of Hell: The last day you have on Earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become."
     - Unknown

3,2,1, GO!
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Yesterday's Training:

5 rounds:
5 Burpees (touch one foot above reach for the jump)
10 Walking Lunges (L/R=1)
10 Hand-Release Pushups
10 Walking Lunges
5 Chest-to-Bar Pullups
*Rest 120 seconds between rounds*
Round 1 - 1:35
Round 2 - 1:28
Round 3 - 1:22
Round 4 - 1:27
Round 5 - 1:27
After the first round my goal was to keep every other round under 90 seconds. Walking lunges quickly added up, since I hit Front Squats and Deadlifts yesterday.

Day 110 Burpee Challenge / 6105 Burpees Completed

*3511*

Fix a Frosh

     Hey again peeps! Today is the first day of the rest of your life... and also one day down on deployment. I don't think I've ever missed rain so much in my life, as I have not seen one drop thus far. Oh well, crushing WODs in 100 plus degree weather means you can easily destroy it under optimal conditions. Anyway, let's do the damn thing.

     Alrighty, it's another episode of fix the athlete. Today's athlete is none other than... me. So the video below was taken from a competition earlier this year. The WOD was 8 minutes to establish a 1RM Overhead Squat. My progression was 135lb, 155lbs (PR), then spent the rest of the time failing at 165lb (then my bodyweight). The video is of my last attempt, which I believe was my best attempt. So watch the video, comment below with critiques... and don't hold back

     It can greatly benefit to take videos or pictures of attempts like these. For one, you can self-critque your lifts and try to see where you can improve. The other is having other people and coaches look at it, and they can give you their take. So let me know what's good, and elt me know what's bad. I do have to point out an anatomy problem I have. My left arm was broken when I was 2, and did not set back "properly". So, when I Snatch or do Overhead Squats I can only truely lock out one arm. I mean, if I lock out my left arm there will be a bend in my right, and visa versa. It's not an excuse just something I have to work around and be mindful of. So post your comments, practice your lifts... and do burpees!

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!"

     -Rocky Balboa

3,2,1 GO!

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Yesterday's Training:

Rest Day
I have been contemplating my Strength Routine (ala the Wendler Program). I just don't know that I get enough volume. I mean, I squat only once a week or once every other week. I'm just trying to find what works best for me. I will finish the program and see if I do hit new 1RMs, but we shall see. Maybe the extra rest will be good, so only time will tell.

Day 101 Burpee Challenge / 5151 Burpees Total
Still waiting to see some times posted for yesterday's challenge.

*3511*

A nice pressed shirt

     Howdy howdy fitness zen masters. Whats the good word of the day? I'll tell you... it's burpee! That's right: "The Burpee: you can always do one more." Hey, sounds like a good TV ad, right? Ok, maybe I'll give it a while till Rambles of a Frosh hits syndication. Let's just stick with the blog. Before I begin, shout out to Laurie of CrossFit St. Louis fame. Thanks for the plug on the CFSTL website. Now, let's make some magic.

hense why the cookie is never worth it... unless it's my wife's Paleo cookies

     Are you looking for a new sport? Did my last posts on Chessboxing, Cheese Rolling, and Solo Synchronized Swimming not do it for you? Well, I bring you a new one. This crazy sport bring you the "the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt" I bring you... Extreme Ironing!

     Extreme Ironing started in the mid 90's. Slowly gaining in popularity "athletes" would snap photos of themselves heated in the battle of their sport (pictured above). It wasn't untill 2002 in Europe that the 1st annual Extreme Ironing World Championships was held. 12 teams. The competition was split into 5 sections: Ironing in Urban environment, Water (ie river, ocean, etc.), Forest, Rocky/Mountainous, and a Freestyle category. Athletes were jusdged on creative ironing locations... as well as creases in their clothes.

     So, is anyone ready to be an Extreme Ironing athlete?! Come on, if we all get excited we could see this puppy in the Olympics! I'm sure CrossFit training would add great benefit to your ironing skills. How about Tababa Ironing? 8 rounds of 20 second rounds, see if you can iron an entire shirt... that actually sounds like something I'm going to try... one burpee per crease penalty! Anyway, let's come back to the real world. Move the weight, open your hips... and do burpees.
    


Strengthen up For 2011 from Anna Le on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's WOD:

Rest Day
Needed to give it a rest from the heavy Deadlifts. Next time I'm changing to a sumo Deadlift and backing off the weight considerably


Day 12 Burpee Challenge / 78 Burpees Total



*3511*

CrossFit Badass

     Once again folks, it's wonderful to be here (I don't know if you can interpret sarcasm via the net). I'm wondering something... is eating sand considered Paleo? If so, I'm pretty sure I'm chocked full at the moment. Be that as it may, it's another day in sunny (and 90 degree) Kuwait, moving to final destination soon. Well, enough of my complaining, let's go to the damn thing.

     Did anyone watch the 2009 CrossFit Games? If you got to see it in person in Aramos... LUCKY! I however watched the Journal videos to see the epic competition that took place that year. One thing that the 2009 Games had was the "Last Chance Qualifier." Anyone who didn't make it passed the Regional competition could still make it to the Games. This allowed Tommy Hackenbrook to make it, and then take the 2nd place spot. Also, at allowed a humble hero the chance to compete. I speak of LT (I'm sorry if the rank is not current) Steve Smith.

     Steve Smith is not your ordinary CrossFitter. During the process to reach the '09 Games he was deployed as a Platoon Leader in the Army's 82nd Airborne. A combat unit that was currently deployed to Iraq. The native Texan was battling not only the enemy (the biggest part), but also finding the time to train, eat well (MRE's are not that Paleo), and even find the bandwidth to be able to submit his video for a chance to qualify.

     Supported by his deployed chain of command, Steve made it and was allowed to fly to California to compete in the Games. His 48th place finish is nothing to sneer at. He beat out about half the competition, and then flew back to a war! Not only his determination to succeed in the Army and at CrossFit, he has some awesome stats to post! This is, again, probably not current but it was some of the benchmarks he had at the Games:

- Sub 2 minute Fran (1:57)
- Nearly 30 rounds of Cindy (28 rounds)
- Over 500lb Back Squat (505 lbs)
- 465 lb Deadlift (but then went to lift 505 lbs at the Games!)

     I believe CrossFit draws in athletes like Steve. It shows in his everyday life. But again, CrossFit is not just to yoked out baddest of asses. It is for those that truly want to better themselves and life and at fitness. I see this at CrossFit St Louis all the time. Those who may regularly finish last in a WOD have one hell of a heart, and are 100% athletes. So support the troops, watch the Games... and do burpees.


CrossFit Elevate Promo 2011 from CrossFit Elevate on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Strength:

Back Squat 5 x 3
- 135 lbs
- 155 lbs
- 165 lbs
- 175 lbs
- 185 lbs


Day 4 Burpee Challenge / 10 Burpees Total
Yeah!!! Double digits for the total!


*3511*

Sub 4

     Happy Saturday everyone! Aren't you just glad that the week is over, and the weekend is finally here? Aren't you even more glad... gladder?... no, more glad...that it's time for another ramble? I know I would be! So lets get to it.

     It's time to hear of another inspirational athlete today. It's fitting that it is about a runner... since I'm so bad at it. But this man will motivate you to put the pavement under your feet. His name is Sir Roger Bannister.

     Now, Roger may not be a household name like Michael Jordan or Michael Phelps. But, Bannister paved the way for runners everywhere! Prior to him, it was thought IMPOSSIBLE to run under a 4 minute mile. Well, you guessed it, Roger did this that!

     Bannister began training at the "young" age of 17. With limited training of 3 half-hour sessions a week, he was already showing promise as a competitive runner, clocking in a mile in 4:27 in 1947. In the late 40's and early 50's, Bannister was coming out on top of races and shattering records, finishing in the range of 4:10. Yet, no one had seen a sub 4 to this date.

    After a fourth place finish in the 1952 Olympics, Bannister had his eyes set on a new goal... the sub 4 minute mile. In May of 53 Bannister ran the mile in 4:03! This gave him confidence that hitting the 3 minute range was possible. He was not the only one striving for this. American Wes Santee and Australian John Landry were "running" for the title, both with a 4:02 mile.

     On May 6th, 1954, Bannister was signed up for another race. With winds blowing, he wasn't sure that he wanted to run, and save his training for another day. As the winds died down, he decided it was time.  With a pop of the gun the race was off... and less than 4 minutes later, history was made. Bannister finished that day in 3:59.4, making Roger Bannister the very first man to run a sub 4 minute mile! Since then, hundreds of people have gone under the 4 minute mile mark. However it started with just one man.

     Just imagine what is possible. One man set to break a record, once thought unobtainable. And just think, it took that one man to break that record for others to follow in his footsteps. Use this in your own life, set goals, no mater what they are. So keep going, never stop... and do burpees.



3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterdays WOD:

Rest Day
Maybe I could have gone back to it, but I really don't want to chance it.

Power!

     Hey again folks. Still a bit in the sickness realm of my fitness, but things are getting better. So much better that today, I think we have a pretty decent ramble for you... you let me know what ya think.

This is the next adventure race I'm going to do

     Alrighty then, so you'll notice that today's blog is titled "Power". Now, we've talked about Power before, being one of the 10 General Physical Skills. So, I just wanted to talk briefly about very Power-biased sport... Powerlifting.

     Powerlifting, at a competition, involves 3 big lifts: Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift (think a little different CrossFit Total). Powerlifters do more than just that. First off, most of these guys (and gals) are just stupid Strong. Even though the guy in the video below weighs a whopping 220 lbs and can squat over 700 lbs, he can rep out 45 inch box jumps like a champ!

     Powerlifters will do a lot of accessory work that many CrossFitters gave up on. Things such as triceps extensions, lat pull downs and machines in general. But, in order for these guys to move the weight, this is things they need to work on. Judge all you want, these guys have some sick power output! And, if you don't think that these guys are fast, a lot of sprinters have trained at Westside Barbell (Louie Simmon's gym... strongest in world). Without ever having them run once, Louie was able to make them faster... strange, huh?

     Not strange at all. Remember, these guys are big on Power, and work like that will transfer over into all aspects of our fitness. So, don't ever feel cheated if you come into CrossFit and we work towards a 1 Rep Max Deadlift... Don't think of it as a "Strength Bias", how about "I'm-getting-better-bias". So squat deep, jump high... and do burpees.





3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's WOD


Rest Day:
Still feeling a bit under the weather. The best thing for me is going to be recovering. So no WOD today, unless you count demonstrating handstand walks...

A shift in fitness

     Hey everyone. Post number 125. Yep, that's right, we're at a buck and a quarter and still going strong. Sometimes I feel like I'm running out of stuff to talk about, but I realize that will NEVER happen.

     Ok, it happened... just kidding. Once again, I've been watching the Biggest Loser (such a fan), and I find it very refreshing. This season two new trainers have joined the show, and boy are they bringing some familiar things to the table. First off, they're both very boxing/fighting oriented, so they do a lot of high power output workout for the contestants. Not only that, they're bringing burpees in (and who doesn't love those), the Airdyne system (great for pose running), sleds/prowlers and ropes... and I know I've seen all this before (I'm sure you have too).

     It seems that there is a shift in the way we train our fitness. We, as CrossFitters, know this to be true. So its even more refreshing when you see people loosing hundreds of pounds using the same concept... speaking of which they do use the Concept2 rowers A LOT. But again, its refreshing to see contestants swinging Kettlebells or doing clean and jerks. It's going to show you don't have to be an Olympic Level athlete to train like one.

     Maybe this is a turning point. May people are finally getting away from the bicep curls and leg press, and instead doing pullups and squats. I sure hope so. If nothing else, we know what to do. So swing some weight, push your body... and do burpees.



St. Louis Affiliate Cup Team Event #1 from daniel thacker on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Skill/WOD


Skill:
Handstand walks
This was very exciting, I was able to walk abou 30 ft! I've never gone that far before, or even tried to do this in months. Goes to show that the work I've been doing is working.


WOD:
3 rounds
3 Deadlifts
3 Front Squats
3 Push Press
barbell with 75% bodyweight (120 lbs)
then run 200 m
3 rounds
3 Chest-to-Bar Pullups
6 Clapping Pushups
9 Air Squats
then run 400 m
Time - 5:36

Solo swim

     Good morning friends. And how are we doing today? Good I trust? Might as well be, this is the first day of the rest of your life. Wait, I misspoke... this is the first WOD of the rest of your life. Ok, that sounds better. Now onto the first ramble of the rest of my life.

     Ok guys, so we're always trying to improve our fitness, I got that. Another thing, is were always trying new sports, at least we should be. Let it be known, that all sports are not created equal... and some just make you scratch your head a little. I just want you to expand your mind today, and learn about the Olympic sport of Solo Synchronized Swimming.

     Yep, the Solo Synchronized Swimming was an event in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 games. Now, the point of this "interesting" event was to synch up with the music being played. So imagine the Ice Dancing event during the Winter Olympics... but underwater. The picture above does make me wonder... is she dancing to the YMCA?

     So, this was a short little ramble today, but I hope it made you smirk, or maybe even start googling discontinued Olympic events (there are some strange ones). Who knows, this might be tougher than you think. But, I'd suggest to just stick with your training. Keep moving, don't stop... and do burpees.



Femme Fit 2011 - Events 3-5 from CrossFit Sweat Shop on Vimeo.

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesterday's Skills/Strength:


Warm-up/skills:
Pullups 3 x 15 / Back Extentions 2 x 10 / Box Jumps 5 x 3 40"
10 minutes working on ring handstand pushups
Don't get to mess around with the ring HSPU much, so it felt good. I got 2 legit ones in a row!


Strength:
2 RM Front Squat - 170 lbs
3 RM Power Clean - 155 lbs
The Front Squat was a PR, not by much, but the Power Cleans were not. Wasn't feeling that hot, might still be recovering, my legs were feeling pretty strange on the cleans.