Zermatt Day 2

Workout of the Day

Ski forever…

Oh my aching legs. Today was humbling to say the least. Initially, just staying on my feet was enough of a challenge, so the fact that I was wasn’t falling every third turn was a victory in itself. But then, as my confidence grew and my cousin’s patience for my slow pace inevitably waned, we started hitting the hills pretty aggressively. This meant steep, icy snow, zero visibility (snowing all day), and lots of gravity pulling us downwards. The end result? My quads were practically cramping by midday. To be fair, this was as much fun as I have had in a while, but I was fighting the mountain. Even as my technique improved and I started to remember how to efficiently do this, I was still wearing out my legs. It was a little discouraging to discover that all the lower body strength and conditioning work I do does nothing to prepare my body to slide down a hill on sticks. I’m actually dreading tomorrow morning’s soreness.

All this aside, 7 plus hours of hard downhill skiing is a workout by anyone’s standards, and I will sleep well. Tomorrow we’re heading to the Matterhorn to ski the glacier and dip into Italy for a bit. There’s a rumor circulating my hotel room that an old stone church is sitting up on top of the mountain, just waiting to be explored. Here’s hoping I have the strength to stand…

Zermatt Day 1

Workout of the Day:

Elevated Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1

Isometric deadlift 1, 1, 1

6 sets max repetition varied grip strict pullups

I arrived in Zermatt around 4:30 pm Friday afternoon and was greeted by my cousin Tate and Grandpa at the station. What a place. Ski villages are always beautiful, but this place sets a new standard in my book. The last leg of the train ride wound up a few thousand feet through narrow canyons and gorges, so the sights were incredible. Then I arrive in the village and the Matterhorn is looming directly in front of me. Unreal.

We had dinner reservations at 7, so Tate and I snuck down to the hotel gym to do a little heavy lifting. The facility was limited, but we found enough weights lying around to piece together a pretty decent deadlift routine. The plates were smaller than usual, so the bar position was that of standing on a bumper. Also, the bar felt a little light, so the weights are based on a 15 kg bar weight (estimated). My 3^rd single was at 185 kg, and it felt strong. I was about to go to 195, but thought better of it considering the full day of skiing ahead of me. Tate concurred and likewise kept his weights sub-maximal. We then did 3 x 6 second isometric pulls with 225 kg, working on perfect form at the bottom. Really liked this. Isometrics are something I never do, but have read about the benefits for years. I could feel all the right muscles working, and when you know you’re not going to lift the bar anyways, the form tends to stay tighter.

After the deads, we did 6 sets of pullups using a free hanging climbing apparatus. It had all sorts of different grip positions for rock climbers to build finger, forearm, and grip strength, so we had a good time getting creative.

With an early morning on the slopes coming (my first time in a decade), we knew not to get too carried away. All in all, though, it was a good start.

Workout of the Day:

5 x 1 Turkish Getups

21, 15, 9

Air squat

Kipless toe to bar

Handstand Pushup

I have sorted the gym situation finally, and it is a tad complicated. For 40 euros I have obtained a pass that allows me to use the weightroom here at Cite Universitaire on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8. But this privilege does not include the use of barbells with loaded weights (only certain instructors are allowed to oversee such scary and dangerous activities). To lift heavy weights, I must get a medical certification of health and join instructed sessions. These are organized through the University, however, and are free of charge. The short story is that I should be able to lift whatever I want once I get my medical clearance and I learn which times of the day are governed by “professional” coaches. GEEEEZ…

Anyways, I did this workout because it did not require anything involving barbells. It went well. The gym does have a cool, old school stretching wall ladder that forces one to do toes to bar without a swing. MUCH harder. I finished the routine in 11:05. No videos, but I’m heading to a ski resort in Switzerland tomorrow and am planning a few things on the mountain.

Hello Paris

Workout of the Day:

20 minute AMRAP

1 half gasser (55 yds and back)

10 x 7 stair jumps

20 inverted rows

10 pushups

For my first workout in Paris, I was joined by two members of my masters program: Niels, who has witnessed but not participated until now, and Didzis, our representative from Latvia. Exploring the neighborhood around our residence, we found a stadium complex that looks to house a few professional Parisian teams. On the back lot there was a track and field open to the public, but not very crowded due to sub-freezing temperatures.

It was fun having some company to train with, especially with the weather as cold as it was. We did the half gassers across the width of the field, and used the abnormally large stone bleachers for the stair jumps (around 20” I’d say). These wound up being the most difficult portion in my opinion. 70 jumps per set is a lot of jumping, and doing them repeatedly really sucked my air out. We used a long stretch of railing for the inverted rows, wrapping our feet around one end and hanging from our hands so that our bodies were always completely off the ground. Using the bar as a center point for the body, I pulled my chest to it each time, alternating which side my head finished on. These grew tiresome and freezing for the hands. The pushups were almost a non-issue… should’ve made it 20 in retrospect.

Anyways, I finished 5 rounds plus one half gasser, giving me totals of 660 yards, 350 jumps, 100 rows, and 50 pushups. My partners faired well also. I don’t know what their exact totals were, but they finished feeling tired and accomplished from the looks of it. For each, it was their first time doing a CrossFit style routine, so I hope they liked it enough to keep joining me this term.

Tomorrow I begin my search for a gym. May need some luck…

Goodbye Leiden

Workout of the Day:

In the morning...

3 k trail run for time

In the afternoon…

Bent Row 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 superset w/ 10 x 10 kg weighted situps (rest as needed)

Strict DB press from knees 5, 5, 4, 4, 2 (rest as needed)

Willemijn drove us out to the Noordwijk dunes this morning just before daybreak where a short trail connects that town to Katwijk, 3 km away. The trail runs through the dunes, right along the coast, as is breathtaking. Actually, I’m a little upset that I didn’t run this until my last day in Holland, but better than never at all. There were lots of dips and climbs, but none too extreme. I’d estimate the biggest elevation change at around 50 feet. I finished in 11:17, clocking about a 6:20/mi pace. I felt fine afterwards—really starting to feel better on runs again. Rather than going back through the dunes we jogged back along the water where we witnessed something really special and unexpected. Just off the water there was a man with a training wand and a lead, guiding a beautiful horse in trotting circles around him. The beach was completely empty except for this man and the animal. I didn’t have my camera with me at this point, but I’m not sure a photograph could have captured it too well anyways.

After returning home for a few hours, I decided to sneak over to L.K.V. for one last session and say goodbye to the owner. I did all 8 working sets of bent rows with 70 kg, trying to maintain a low body position and strict back angle. These felt great. I kept a narrow grip to simulate the hand position of a deadlift and concentrated on pinching my shoulder blades for the duration of the movement.

The DB presses felt good as well. I kept my hand position narrow and did not rotate the weights at the top, simulating a handstand push up on a set of parralletes. My top set was at 32 kg for 2. I had hoped to get 3 at this weight, but I think the fatigue of the earlier sets had caught up with me. The place was about to close and I wasn’t giving myself quite enough rest between.

Anyways, it was officially my last day at the gym, so I took a picture with the owner and said my goodbyes to the friends I had made. Hopefully I can find a place of similar quality in Paris.

Set a Record

Workout of the Day:

15 minutes EDDs

10 minutes to establish a 1RM Back Squat

10 minutes to establish a 1RM Incline Press

-Rest 3 hours-

10 minute AMRAP:

1 x rope climb (20 ft)

10 x Burpee

This morning I hit L.K.V. for probably the final time. I doubt I’ll get in there tomorrow with all the packing to be done, and Monday’s train for Paris leaves at 6:05. So today was pretty much it.

I started with squats, the first time since Switzerland that I’d done heavy back squats, and right away I felt good. I did 6 sets in the 10 minutes, working gradually up the ladder. My sets were: 140 kg, 150 kg, 160 kg, 170 kg, 180 kg, and 190 kg. My previous best was 405 lb (184 kg), but I’d always received help from a spotter and my depth was questionable. Today, I got 190 kg with no help and no question on depth. It felt great, actually. I think I could’ve done 5 kg more. I definitely feel stronger through my middle, the weight feels lighter on my back, and my spring out of the bottom is just better. I was ecstatic after this lift.

I immediately went upstairs and loaded the incline press to test that lift as well. I did 4 sets in the 10 minutes: 100 kg, 110 kg, 120 kg, and 125 kg. This was also a PR, but my back was starting to arch, so I decided not to go for a higher number. Overall, an incredible morning and last session at the gym.

After 3 hours of rest and a good lunch, I went around the corner to the Van der Werf Park with my rope and set up for the second half of my day. In the center of the park is a statue erected in honor of Leiden’s most famous mayor. During one of Holland’s most notorious famines (unsure of the dates), this man was quoted as pledging to cut off his arm to feed the citizens. He instantly became a folk hero and is memorialized as such to this day.

Just to his right, was a tree perfect for my less sacrificial purposes. The branch I found was approximately 20 feet up, a good height for multiple climbs, and the tree was far enough back in the park not to attract too much attention. The biggest challenge was going from burpees on the muddy ground to climbing the rope with slippery gloves. Gripping is hard enough when you’re tired, but add a slick rope and things become exponentially worse. Still, my arms didn’t start to give out until the final 2 minutes, definitely an improvement over past climbing WODs, and I felt really comfortable using my legs getting up and down the rope. Burpees are burpees, no way around them. Would love to get to the point where I can finish 10 rounds in 10 minutes (200 ft of climbing and 100 burpees)—may even have been possible today with drier conditions.

Tomorrow I’m heading to the dunes for a trail run in the morning, then packing my life into suitcases for the big move. I’ve included video footage from the squats and the climbing WOD below.

2010

Workout of the Day:

4 x 100 m sand sprints

I rang in the new year last night in Leiden to the exploding skies of Dutch tradition. Every new years eve, fireworks of all kinds become legal for the lighting, and everyone stocks up. When the clock hit twelve last night we went outside and we may as well have been in a warzone. For 90 minutes all you could hear was exploding bottle rockets, m-1000’s, and screaming piccolo petes. It was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed. It wasn’t organized at all… everyone was doing their own thing. But everyone had big time fireworks and lots of them.

This morning I went to the beach with Niels and Willemijn to enjoy the holiday. I wore my vibrams to run in, thinking the sand would offer a good challenge. Originally I had intended to do 10 sprints, but by the 4^th one I could feel my arches starting to ache so I stopped there. Jogged a little more, but that was about it. My feet feel good now, just need to run more in those shoes.

Can’t wait to get this year rolling. Best wishes to everyone.

New Year's Eve Paleo Update

I am nearing the 10 week mark since my shift to a more Paleo form of nutrition. As we are approaching the New Year and many of us will be contemplating changing the way we eat for 2010, I figured this was the time for some reflection and honest evaluation of what impact this diet has had on me personally.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Paleo concept, it’s essentially the idea that the evolution of human digestion was anchored around foods that could be easily found and caught (fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, etc). Only very recently have grains, legumes, dairy, and refined sugars entered into the mix through the ascension of standardized agriculture and farming. This diet proclaims that our bodies have not adapted to these alterations and are still best equipped to process and utilize the foods of our prehistoric ancestors. (This is a rudimentary explanation. For more, visit http://www.thepaleodiet.com/).

My reason for adopting this plan was equal parts logical reasoning and curiosity. The basic premise made sense to me, so I had no issues accepting the scientific claims made by many of its leading proponents, and I was curious to see how much of the buzz around this diet was rooted in tangible benefit and how much of it was hype.

Going in, my concerns centered around the grain question. For the past 3 years, brown rice had been a staple of my diet, forming in my mind the perfect complex carbohydrate. It was cheap, full of fiber, and tasted good with just about everything. I was skeptical about what my meals would look like without the likes of brown rice, quinoa, lentils, etc, and wondered where I would make up the carbohydrates and the calories I would lose from their omitance. Actually, this hasn’t been so difficult to deal with. I’ve made up the difference by eating a lot more fruits and nuts than ever before (which I like), and during breakfast and dinners I eat potatoes and yams. Honestly, I haven’t missed the grains.

Dairy was a similar issue. I was used to eating Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and drinking milk. With the exception of hard cheeses, I’ve completely eliminated dairy from my diet without much trouble. Cheese has remained to some degree because it’s so prevalent in Holland and for some variety between meals.

Overall, adapting was much easier than I expected. The biggest issue is that which I just mentioned: variety. I do feel that I eat the same things over and over again, and that gets a bit boring. But this may be more a factor of my situation (no money, small market, small refrigerator) than of the diet.

As far as the effects go, they have been subtle but significant. Within a few weeks I could see a difference in body composition. My muscles were harder, leaner, and more defined. I’ve also felt generally less tired during the course of a given day. Those random exhausted moments I would feel just after lunch no longer exist. I actually didn’t even realize this development until I was out of town one weekend and resumed eating the way I used to. Felt like I needed a nap while touristing—not convenient.

I’ve felt some measure of increase in my work capacity during exercise. For example, during metabolic conditioning WODs I find that I’m able to work further into the routine before taking a breather than I used to. Now, it’s tough to say this is more a result of fuel than just the progression of my training, but I figured it’s worth noting.

Where I was initially disappointed was the strength gains everyone talks about. Actually, until very recently I had seen/felt no real improvement in strength exercises. But, in the last 2 weeks something has happened. Everything feels stronger. I’ve set PR’s in Power Clean and Power Snatch. I am deadlifting more weight for repetition than I ever could before, and my bodyweight skills have felt easier and more controllable. Again, this could be completely unrelated but it’s worthy of mentioning.

The biggest challenge, for me, is eating enough. I have to remember that while the quantity of vegetables I’m eating looks like a lot of mass, it’s mostly water. When I eat the proper quantities for the amount of calories I burn, things work better than they ever have.

I read an article from the Paleo page the other day regarding how strictly one must adhere to see results. They advocated an 85/15 split, which seems more than reasonable to me. Most diets require exactness and precision otherwise all bets are off. I respect this practical approach, and think that it is proof of the confidence users feel in its effectiveness. Given what I've experienced, I see no reason to change back to the way I ate before. My impressions are positive.

Now, this is not going to be easy in the new year. I’ve heard many tales about nutritional challenges in Paris, so it will be an interesting term when it comes to food… I’ll give another update in a few months detailing how cavemen fare in France.

Power Snatch

Workout of the Day:

15 minutes EDD’s

Power Snatch 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1

Kept the workload lighter today to give my body a little rest after the big day yesterday. The Power Snatches felt pretty good as I warmed up, and I wound up hitting 90 kg for my last set. Definitely a first to get that weight up without a squat. New years eve tomorrow… can’t wait

Get Running

Workout of the Day:

In the morning…

Run 10 k for time

In the evening…

Trans-Continental Workout #4

With 1 minute rest between all sets, do the following for as many repetitions as possible:

1 minute 140 kg deadlift

1 minute 60 kg thruster

1 minute strict pullup

1 minute pushup

1 minute 120 kg deadlift

1 minute 50 kg thruster

1 minute strict pullup

1 minute pushup

1 minute 100 kg deadlift

1 minute 40 kg thruster

1 minute strict pullup

1 minute pushup

This morning I got to run without the dog and without the snow, so I expected to feel fairly fast. I did not. It was very cold today and initially I found it difficult to open up my lungs for big breaths. After that, I felt that my legs just weren’t as light as they should have been, but maybe this is just from my not having run too much until recently. The course I took turned out to be 10.5k (6.5 miles) in reality, so I definitely got the work in. I finished in 42:37, meaning I averaged just under a 6:30/mi pace. I’d like to see this number lower, but not bad overall.

This evening I did my half of the 4th Trans-Continental Workout with my friends from Balance Gym in D.C. After speaking with Josh about it, he recommended that I add on to the prescribed workout (just the 1^st round above). So I did. Definitely a good decision. Doing 3 rounds with decreasing weight was perfect, and posed a sizeable mental challenge to finish. My first round I totaled 19 deadlifts, 16 thrusters, 15 pullups, and 45 pushups, for a total score of 95. The second round went 18 deadlifts, 14 thrusters, 11 pullups, and 30 pushups, for a score of 73. The final round was 19 deadlifts, 16 thrusters, 8 pullups, and 31 pushups, for a score of 74. My grand total was 242 repetitions. Counting the 1 minute breaks between each set, this routine took exactly 24 minutes to complete. I like this interval format because it tests recovery and allows you the time to string exercises together that can expose weaknesses in combination.

I was most happy with the deadlifts, and most disappointed by the pullups and thrusters. For the deadlifts, my back and hamstrings felt strong through all 3 sets. The limiting factor was strength in the first round, but breath in the second and third. For the pullups, strength was the limiting factor in all 3 rounds. Got to get better. The thrusters were a bit of a psychological collapse I think. I should have done more repetitions on all 3 rounds, but I found myself saving up energy for the work to come. Maybe it was strategy, or maybe it was a little mental weakness. I'm inclined to believe the latter.

Hoping for clear weather tomorrow and a workout in old town Leiden. Fingers crossed.

Fitness is...

Purpose. Know yours.

“They say that there’s nothing but circular motion in the inanimate universe around us, but the straight line is the badge of man, the straight line of a geometrical abstraction that makes roads, rails and bridges, the straight line that cuts the curving aimlessness of nature by a purposeful motion from a start to an end.” –Anonymous

Training without purpose, in my opinion, is like feeding coal to an engine that will never leave the stockyards. Sessions cannot be strings of circles dropping like zeroes behind us. They have to be straight lines of motion towards a goal, each day leading to the next and to a single growing sum. Without purpose, fitness is an endless spiral of repetition and pseudo accomplishment for which we have no measure.

A little while back my friends at EvolveYourFitness posted a discussion on their page regarding the advantages/disadvantages of different types of motivation when it comes to exercise. The consensus was that external support, though convenient and effective, could not match intrinsic motivation in either power or longevity. Eventually, you have to push your limit for your own reasons. This speaks to the importance of having a purpose beyond the WOD to which you can anchor your training.

Just before the end of the post, I was struck by a rhetorical question posed by one of the editors, something he would ask himself during a session when he felt like throwing in the towel: why am I here? It jumped out at me for its simplicity. It’s a question that gets lost amidst the confusing blend of programming, effort, and competition that fuel typical workouts, but it is fundamental to knowing one’s purpose in the gym.

So I tried it. When a session started to grind or when I felt that familiar discomfort and doubt creeping in, I asked myself why I was there. For what purpose was I putting myself through whatever it was I was putting myself through?

Interestingly, the answer changed depending on the day, my mood, the difficulty of the routine, or any number of variables. Often, “I’m here for my health, personal strength, and longevity” was enough to keep me going. Sometimes, it was “To see what I’m capable of.” Other times, “the 2010 Games” was the only thing that struck the right chord.

While my answers to this question varied based on circumstance, there are some consistencies that should be noted. First, purpose is necessary to effort. What if I was in the middle of a grueling workout and asked the question, “Why am I here?” but had no answer… Most likely, I’d either call it a day or slink through the rest of the workout without passion or intent. Knowing what drives us inspires our effort and is therefore fundamental to success. It’s the psychological Teflon that keeps us from cracking under the inevitable pressure of failure and pain.

Second, purpose doesn’t have to be singular. People are complicated and tend to have multiple goals. Rather than becoming paralyzed by the task of choosing one amongst many, pursue them all. What you lose in focus, you’ll make up in enthusiasm. Eventually, the less important goals will sift themselves out, leaving just that which is vital.

In all of this, it’s important to remember that goals will vary from person to person, so don’t look to adopt another’s purpose or expect others to adopt yours. It’s unlikely that my mother would derive much satisfaction from adopting the training frequency and intensity of an Olympic sprinter, or that an undersized adolescent would see much benefit from following the exercise and nutrition program designed for post-op hip rehabilitation. People who advocate too strongly for one method of training have typically fallen prey to the passionate blindness of their own success. But what drives one forward may hold others back. Be certain that your fitness suits your purpose.

Ultimately, it’s irrelevant what form or style a program takes. It only matters that I am aware of why I need to test my limits and that I go on testing them. Everywhere. Anywhere.

100 Burpee Challenge

Workout of the Day:

15 minutes of EDD’s

100 Burpee Challenge

Was feeling surprisingly sore between my shoulders blades this morning. In explaining this, I’m leaning towards the power cleans. I think pinning my shoulders back during the movement and really pulling hard may account for it, but who knows. Could’ve been the rope climbs too.

Today’s WOD was short and sweet. After working through my EDD’s, which I can already see improvement in after 3 days, I headed into the Olympic room where I could get some space to do the burpees. My previous best time was 4:56, clocked the last time I did this back in Washington in the spring. Then I wasn’t so strict on form, so I tried to be better this time. My standards were:

Vertical finish at the top with hands overhead and some visible space under the feet. Horizontal position at the bottom with the sternum touching the floor.

The first 40 went off unbroken and I was feeling pretty good. By the time I reached 55 things were getting much tougher. It only took me 2 minutes to finish the first half, but my pace was slowing considerably due to heavy legs and heart rate. I decided that slowing down a bit was okay so long as I didn’t take any real breaks. That worked until I hit 70, where I rested for 2 breaths. By 85 I had hit the 4 minute mark and I knew it was going to be tight to finish under 5. As is always the case, once nearing the finish the body has an extra gear and I finished the last 15 quicker than the 15 before them, stopping the clock at 4:47.

This felt exactly as I remembered it feeling. Not Fun. It was short, intense, and exhausting. But it was fun to push my limit and get a new best time. The video is below.

The Day after Christmas

Workout of the Day:

In the morning…

Total 100 feet of rope climb. Rest as needed.

In the afternoon…

15 minutes of EDD's, then

With 30 minutes of running clock…

Use 10 minutes to establish a 1RM for Power Clean and Jerk

Rest 10 minutes

Do a 10 minute AMRAP of

5 x 100 kg front squats

5 x elevated handstand pushups (8”)

Waking up this morning after a long few days of Christmas cheer, it felt nice to do something simple and challenging like climbing the rope. I figured there would be little to no foot traffic in the halls the morning after Christmas, so I tied the rope to the top floor and did 4 sets (not every set reached the top), totaling about 100 feet of climbing. I mixed between using no legs, using my legs just to secure the rope while pulling myself up with my arms, and actually inch-worming up the rope using my lower body for lift. Afterwards, my arms were pretty toasted and my grip definitely would not have withstood another ascent.

Later in the day, I snuck over to L.K.V. and did max effort power clean and jerks with a time constraint. I made it up to 120 kg without missing—definitely a new record for power clean. Then I power cleaned 125 kg, but missed the jerk due to falling elbows during the upward drive. Though I was frustrated at missing the jerk, I was ecstatic about the clean. 125 kg matches the most I have ever squat cleaned, so if I am now able to power clean it, that means a sizeable increase in explosive power.

Following this, I rested for exactly 10 minutes then went into a 10 minute AMRAP of front squats and handstand pushups. Using 100 kg for the squatting movement and an 8” elevation for the pushups, I expected to get 5 rounds or so for this. The squats went fine, but the pushups were much harder than I anticipated. Supporting the bar during front squats took a lot out my shoulders, both in balance and strength, so that during the course of this routine I was splitting sets in doubles and singles. At the end I had only tallied 35 total repetitions (3 ½ rounds). The upside is that 100 kg felt fine on my legs. I got good depth on every repetition and the only point of struggle was keeping the weight racked with weary shoulders. The downside is that the handstand pushups at 8” are still a bit over my head strengthwise. It’s a good thing to know so I can keeping working to get better.

No footage of the climbing as I was by myself, but here’s the video of the afternoon session.

Christmas Eve in Holland

Workout of the Day:

Run 4 snow miles (with a dog)

Rest 6 hours

Farm Chipper #2:

50 hay bale OH squats

50 pushups

175 m fireman carry (82 kg)

50 box jumps (single leg balance)

30 tree pullups

175 m fireman carry (82 kg)

Today turned out to be quite the Christmas Eve. I woke up at sunrise to meet Wilemijn (Niels’s girlfriend) and Able (dog) for a trail run at the park just outside of town. Besides being beautiful, this scene offered a formidable challenge. I was in charge of Able, which meant I was responsible for his sporadic need to scatter his scent, chase other animals, and generally disrupt my tempo. Combined with the snow covered, slippery trail conditions, these were 4 of the longer miles I can remember. I finished in just under 30 minutes and felt pretty cooked.

After getting some food, resting, and cleaning up, I rejoined Niels, Willemijn, and the family for a real Dutch Christmas experience at Grandma’s house. We arrived pretty early so we walked around her property (amazing!) to see what kind of interesting workout I could put myself through before dinner. What I ended up doing more than worked up an appetite. OH squatting with a bale of hay is very awkward, very messy, and exhausting on the shoulders. Following that with pushups just exacerbated the fatigue. I carried Niels for the fireman's carry and, suffice it to say, he weighs more than my sandbag. In fact, he weighs exactly the same as I do, so this turned out to be a true bodyweight test. I didn’t stop running the whole 175 meters but it was a fight to keep upright by the end. The alternating jumps were a nice twist on standard box jumps. Using a wooden bench, I jumped off two feet but only caught myself on one, alternating each repetition. Then, turning to the tree pretty exhausted, I kind of hit a wall. The pullups were brutal and the branch was so hard to hold on to. Getting 30 took me 6 sets, and they were not easy. Still, I got through it and prepared for the home stretch. The final 175 meters to the finish with Niels on my back felt like a mile. Again, I didn’t stop, for which I am very proud, but my heart rate must have been around 200 beats per minute when I finally set him down back by the barn. I collapsed in the snow immediately and didn't move for 5 minutes. In total, the routine took me 15:25 to complete.

Afterwards we headed in for a feast, some presents, and some time off our feet. This marks my first Christmas away from my family and it's a tough pill to swallow. I'm so lucky to have met people gracious enough to include me in their celebration. The depth of my appreciation is difficult to relate, but the thought of spending this season alone was not one I was at all comfortable with. As it turned out, I shared in a rich and engaging experience with interesting people I won't soon forget.

Happy Holidays.

Rest Day

I decided to lay back today and let my body recover a bit more before hitting it hard tomorrow. Instead of a standard workout, I spent about 45 minutes stretching and playing around with some gymnastic skills. I’ve decided that these exercises are going to form a new portion of my programming: Every Day Drills.

This is a term my high school football coach used to use for the fundamentals that were to be done before every practice. I want to use this idea to work on bodyweight skills that are either indirectly important to major movements, personal weaknesses, or just things I want to be good at. 15 minutes per day is all I plan to spend on these things, and I want this time to serve more as a building/practice period than a test of intensity/repetition/volume. My list of EDDs as of now looks like this:

Planche pushup progression 3 x 5

Weighted dead hang holds 3 x 30 sec

Static handstand holds 2 minutes total time

Pistol squats 3 x 10

Back bends using a wall 3 x 5

Each of these exercises should be done for technical proficiency and not to the point of major taxation. I don’t plan to limit or alter my standard programming at all to accommodate EDDs.

If anybody has any ideas for other drills built to improve grip strength, unilateral strength, or balance, please share them.

From Dec 21, 2009

Tuesday 12/22

Workout of the Day:

5 x 5 weighted close grip overhand pullups (60 kg)

superset with

5 x 5 pistol squats

10 minute rest

20 minute AMRAP ladder:

100 m row

10 rotational situps (palms to the ground outside the knee)

200 m row

20 rotational situps

…etc

The first halve of this routine felt pretty solid. I’ve been wanting to work pistols for a while, but keep finding reasons not to. I had to use a plate under my heel to compensate for the lack of flexibility in my right side, but strength-wise this was no challenge. The close grip overhand pullups with 60 kg was a challenge, however. Finishing this movement at the top required a lot of effort. The last set I could only complete 3 repetitions before flipping my hands to a chin-up grip for the final two.

The 20 minute AMRAP ladder wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I kept the row pace under 1:45 the entire time, and the situps burned but weren’t so tough that I needed much rest. I wound up finishing 6 rounds with a few seconds to spare. I will say that the 500 m and 600 m sets were starting to tax me on the rowing, but not as bad as on previous days. I am a little curious to see how the 210 situps with rotation feel tomorrow… that’s a new wrinkle. Getting both palms to the floor on one side of your body really makes you get all the way up and stay tight at the top.

My back is a little tight from the deadlifts yesterday, but not too bad. I’m hoping to feel fresh tomorrow because I’ve programmed a pretty big challenge for myself.

From Dec 21, 2009

Day 4 in Treviso

WOD:

2" elevation dead-stop deadlift 5, 5, 5, 5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Close grip bench press 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

After a day of rest and relaxation on Sunday, I got back into things and took advantage of the Benetton Treviso weight facility while the basketball team practiced. Unfortunately, this was not a well stocked place. The bars were almost completely smooth and the entire space was no more than 1000 square feet. They did have bumper plates and a platform though, so the deadlifting wasn't completely awkward. I felt really strong. In fact, I think today was as strong as I have ever felt, considering the circumstances.

For the deadlifts, I pulled 150 kg for 3 sets of 5 broken repetitions no problem. I bumped it to 160 kg for the set of 3, and could have done 5 again had the bar had any grip at all. For the sets of 1 I did 170, 180, and 190 kg, respectively. Considering no belt, a 2" elevation, and a bar with no chalk or grip, this is far and away the easiest this weight has ever felt for me. And my back didn't slip until the last set (which is why I didn't continue on). Realistically, I think under ideal circumstances I could have lifted 210 kg tonight. Not sure what is directly responsible for this increase in strength, but I like it.

The bench press was equally satisfying. I haven't done close grip in a while (about a 14" separation), so perhaps this isn't a fair evaluation of improvement. However, I did my last set of 5 at 110 kg (242 lb). I used to struggle getting 5 repetitions with 215. The only thing I can think of is that the elevated handstand pushups I've been using the last few months have made my triceps a lot stronger.

Whatever the reason, I'm hoping this is a trend that continues...

Judson and I also did some amazing sightseeing, including Venice, St. Mark's Cathedral, and lots of gondolas. I wanted to run to the top of the bell tower at St. Mark's Square, but the Italian guard was having none of it... "lift only!"

Heading back to Leiden early in the morning, given that the increasingly heavy snowfall does not prevent my return.

From Dec 21, 2009

Day 2 in Treviso

WOD

5 rounds for time:

47 steps OH medball stair climb

20 wall ball

10 HSPU

I woke up to 6 inches of snow in Treviso this morning… And still falling. Not to be deterred, Judson and I jogged over to City Hall in the midst of the falling flakes and set up shop at the base of the front staircase. This building was bombed during World War II and boasts the scars to prove it. Above the main door one can see a jagged crack in the brick exterior that reaches to the roof, a reminder of how the citizens had to rebuild much of the massive building after the war. This morning the view was less clear. I must say, however, this was so much fun. The snow was cold but dry, and once I got moving the elements really didn’t bother me much. The hardest part was doing the handstand pushups against a wall that was a few degrees short of vertical. Because my feet were so far behind my center, it was like pressing through sand to get it to lock out. (Not to mention the ground was pretty slick and keeping balance was half fear/half skill).

Major respect to Jud for getting up early and playing cameraman in the cold. I think he had the worse end of this deal, honestly. Like I said, this was a lot of fun. Today was another example of how the things that normally hold us back can easily be overcome.

Day 1 in Treviso

Day 1 got a pretty delayed start, due to a fairly late night 1 out with some of the locals. Judson and I got going around noon, ate some sushi, and began walking around the city center. It is COLD here at the moment. Touring in sub-freezing temperatures is not so fun, but there really wasn’t a choice. Treviso is a small city, but with tons of character. It definitely reminded me of the Sicilian cities I visited back in September from the arch-heavy architecture to the tightness of the streets. During our stroll we scouted a great spot for a morning training session tomorrow, given that the weather stays clear and the streets aren’t too busy. At 3:00 we headed just outside town to his teams practice facility. Along with the basketball arena, the grounds had a rugby field, soccer field, and Olympic track. So, while the team started practice inside, I took to the track for a sprint workout. Workout of the Day: 1 mile constant motion… Sprint the straights/jog the curves Followed by 50 toes to bar (there was a free standing pullup bar on the track—amazing). I SPRINTED these. In total, it added up to 8 x 100 meter sprints separated by about 1 minute of rest. By the 4th sprint I could feel myself losing the recovery battle. My hamstrings, calves, and lower back felt fatigued, and the last 20 meters of the each sprint from 4-8 was losing steam. Still, it felt great to get out and run. I know I will be sore from it tomorrow. The toes to bar were really hard as well. My grip is consistently a limiting factor on these. I spent the next 90 minutes watching the basketball team scrimmage inside where it was warm, and it got me ready to see some real action on Sunday in Bologna. They’ve got some real deal athletes on their squad that love to make dunking look so easy. I’ve included a few pictures from today.

Dec 18, 2009

Snow Day

It snowed in Leiden! I got up and walked my sandbag to the park this morning, with the temperature hovering right around 0 degrees celsius. Once there, I got after this workout: 3 rounds of 20 pullups 20 pushups 40 sand bag lunges 200 m sand bag carry A few dogs and some frosty conditions aside, this workout turned out great. Everything with that damn sandbag seems to be so hard, and this was no exception. The lunges wore me out almost immediately, and the carry was more like a stagger than a run. I finished 3 rounds in 15:11, and, rather than carrying the bag all the way back to my apartment, I emptied it out and stuffed the sack in the trash. Wasn't ready for more weighted carries and I had to dump it soon anyways. Felt like as good a time as any. Three hours later I was on a train toward Italy to join my college friend and pro basketball player, Judson Wallace for a few days in Treviso. Looking forward to another unique weekend in a new place.