Go swimming

Workout of the Day:

In the morning…

250 m constant motion/anystroke

Rest as needed

4 x 50 m sprints w/:45 seconds rest

Rest as needed

250 m constant motion/anystroke

In the evening…

EDD’s

5 x 5 weighted dips (4,0,1 tempo), rest as needed

5 x 3-5 single leg DB deadlift, rest as needed

On the minute elevated HSPU progression ladder

4 x max time extended arm planks, 30 seconds rest

0800 and the first time back in the pool since last summer. As is inevitable, the body rejects that which it does not know. The warmup 250 was a struggle, both trying to maintain a smooth, clean stroke, and trying to avoid pre-mature muscular/cardio-vascular fatigue. It never fails to amaze me how different the fitness requirements are between disciplines.

Once I finished the 250 meters, I took about 3 minutes to relax and prepare for the sprints. Ideally, I’d like to get to the point where I can do 10 of these at :45 second rest intervals before hitting the wall. Today, 4 was enough. My times for each sprint were not exact, and I chose not to flip turn, but they looked something like this. :35, :37, :37, :40. Not bad with a push start, I thought. I could feel my stroke crumbling the last 15 meters or so on the last one especially. Also, I was HEAVING for air. My heart rate must’ve been around 200 BPM. If you haven’t done it, know that sprinting in the pool is much more taxing than sprinting on the track.

The last 250 meters were considerably slower than the first, as was expected, but they felt nice. Walking home felt amazing as well. I felt warm and light all over, and couldn’t wait to eat. It took less than 30 minutes door to door, but this morning’s routine had me as motivated for the next few months as has anything I’ve done so far in Paris.

This evening I did some WORK. Starting with the dips, I used the heaviest dumbbell at my disposal (33 kg) to do 5 sets of weighted dips. The tempo sequence I mentioned above means that 4 seconds were spent on the down portion, 0 at the bottom, and 1 second on the way back up. The weight turned out to be about right, because by the 4^th and 5^th sets I was really fighting to finish.

For the single leg deadlifts, I retrieved my dumbell’s partner and proceeded to an area in the middle of the floor where I had some space. T-O-U-G-H. First of all, just getting to the bottom is a bitch. Then digging your way back up without using the other leg takes some serious strength. Finally, balancing during the course of the movement is hugely challenging, especially at the bottom. All in all this was surprisingly hard and shockingly effective. I only got through 4 sets because my hamstrings were so toasted. My repetitions for those sets (each leg) were: 4, 3, 3, 3. I suspect doing a few weeks of these will have a big impact on my deadlift strength when I return to a barbell.

The HSPU ladder was a welcome reprieve for my quivering lower body, but short lived. I used 4” bumper plates to elevate my hands, then started with 1 repetition in the first minute and added a repetition per minute until I couldn’t finish the prescribed number in the prescribed minute. I made it through 5 full rounds, plus 3. This was not what I was hoping for. I had some issues with the wall (kept having to avoid a raised molding running horizontal across the wall), and my recovery just wasn’t good enough. I'm hoping the effects of the morning swim and the heavy dips had something to do with this.

The extended planks were a great finisher. Using a yoga mat for my hands, I started in a pushup position and slowly allowed my hands and feet to slide apart, trying to control the motion as slowly as possible. The first set I was able to touch down softly. The second I dropped from a few inches up. The third and fourth were worse, and I collapsed from probably six inches or so. Still, I felt the effect.

I feel like I really got it done today, nothing left on the board. Tomorrow morning I’m heading to Notre Dame to see some history and sample some of old Paris. Sans baggette of course.

ERG it

Workout of the Day:

Row 5k for time

3 x 5 unilateral DB thrusters

3 x 10 strict toes to bar

I’m still very sore today, but this workout went surprisingly well. This is only the 2^nd time I’ve attempted a 5k row, the first being back on September 19^th at L.K.V. Back then I notched a 19:17, and remember feeling pretty miserable in my back and hamstrings. Today I rowed an 18:48 and had gas in the tank. Out of the gates I pulled smooth at around 1:50, letting my pace drop to around 1:55 by the 1000 m mark. Holding it here was no problem. Actually, I felt really in tune with the ERG today, feeling when my stroke got crooked and being able to correct it. With 1000 m to go I took it back to around 1:50 and for the last 500 m I was pulling at around a 1:45. My core and legs felt much better than the last time I did this, and mentally it was far less grueling. Shit, a 30 second improvement? I’ll take it any day.

The heaviest dumbbells available at the Cite gym measure 32.5 kg, which, it turns out, is about my 5-rep limit for thrusters. Actually, that weight is my limit on the left side, but probably not the right. It was interesting to feel the difference in stability from my left arm to my right during the down portion of the squat. I’m definitely more comfortable with the weight in my right hand. The toes to bar were hard again, just like before. Doing them strict really lights up my stomach, hips, and quads. The third set I had to split after 6 reps because I just couldn’t finish the crunch to the top. If you haven’t tried these, find a bar that’s almost flush to the wall, or have someone stand between your back and the wall to make up the difference. Whole new ballgame.

Resting tomorrow, then hitting the pool Sunday. Interesting rules here in France… Speedos and caps required. Eeker.

Fitness is...

Building and Testing.

If you only do one, you will negate the impact of the other.

Typically people find they prefer one type of training to the other. Someone will either love testing themselves and continuously be inventing new types of tests to know their ceiling in strength, endurance, or speed; or they will love the process of building their capabilities in one, or all, realms and constantly be reinforcing the ground floor.

I tend to fall into the first category. I chronically create programs that test my body’s top end performance (i.e. 1RMs, max work capacity/time [chippers, AMRAPs]). While these types of programs do invariably build on each other and have the capacity to increase maximum strength and efficient muscle recovery, they are not the most effective way to do so and will eventually hit a plateau. Predominantly, max effort testing is most beneficial in training your central nervous system to accept heavy stress and to efficiently respond by maximal activation of its moto-neurons. In my experience, it does not “build” muscle strength; it will not “build” muscle recovery, at least not in the body’s most efficient possible manner. “Building” in these areas is more effectively managed through 3-5 repetition strength work and high intensity interval routines (Tabatas, time progression ladders). People who constantly test themselves at maximum levels are essentially like architects adding floors to a skyscraper without reinforcing the foundation. The physical dimensions of their base will always limit the height to which they can rise.

Without pursuing the engineering metaphor too far, the second group is like the architect who constructs an indestructible base but gets squeamish and leaves the upper floors on the drawing board. If one always trains in the 5-rep range, his nervous system will not know how to cope with the type of stress that accompanies a very heavy weight. If a person only does Tabata intervals, his body won’t know how to cope with a situation where the intervals come irregularly or, worse, where there is no interval.

In addition, this type of training can limit an individual psychologically. How many times have you seen someone on the bench press rip out 3 repetitions at a certain weight, then fail to get 1 at plus 10 lbs? All the mathematical tables in the world can calculate that, based on your 3-rep attempt, you should be able to make the lift with ease. But, in reality, you still have to press the weight, and it's crushing you mentally.

This issue crystallized for me recently, as I continued to reflect on the back squat PR I notched a few weeks ago. My squat had been about the same every time I tested it for the past couple of years, but that’s all I had been doing: testing it. If I squatted during a workout, it would either be air squats, a light load incorporated into metabolic conditioning, or max effort testing. That's it. Upon reflection of why a 420 lb lift was suddenly easily within my grasp at the same bodyweight, I first thought that maybe some mystical combination of improved core stability and my new diet had produced a radical realignment of my molecules (These factors surely had some impact, but I hesitate to offer an exaggerated estimate). Then it dawned on me that during my Olympic lifting sessions with Hank at L.K.V. we had been consistently supplementing our Clean and Jerk/Snatch work with 3-5 repetition front and back squats. I had completely forgotten about this 800 lb gorilla in my programming room, mentally lumping it in with “Olympic work.” In about 3 months, I had increased my 1RM back squat by 20 lbs, conservatively, and the biggest reason for it was my unconscious re-dedication to a “building” paradigm.

In further proof of the reciprocal effects of combining these training styles, Hank saw similar results from the opposite side. Until he and I started training together, he shied away from testing his max lifts, instead preferring to stay in the more technical 3-rep range on snatch and C&J. As a result of the more frequent “testing” we did at my urging, he had lifted his heaviest weights in 10 years by the time I left Leiden.

What does this mean, and what do I expect going forward? Broadly, it means I intend to more diligently incorporate "building" into my training sessions starting immediately. Specifically, it means I am going to adjust rep ranges and add supplemental strength exercises to the end of sessions (like the good mornings earlier this week), and to replace a few of my test-heavy metcons with more structured high intensity intervals. This is not something that I’ve completely neglected to this point, so I’m not expecting ridiculous PR’s across the board like the squat. I've done interval training, and I do lift in near maximal rep ranges; just not often enough to make much of a dent. What I do expect is more weakness-targeted training sessions and, as a result, significant increases in strength and recovery in those areas.

I’m still going to test myself a lot. That, with my natural proclivities, is inevitable. But by fusing supplemental exercises and building programs within, and in addition to the testing style workouts, I fully expect my ceiling to rise beyond what it has ever been. I'd encourage anyone else to evaluate their testing/building ratio and try to bring it into better balance as well. You might get surprised.

Run the mountain

Workout of the Day:

Sacre Coeur stair sprints x 4… rest as needed.

I was feeling pretty sore this morning in my chest and biceps, confirming the effectiveness of yesterday’s dual session. It was a perfect time to run some vertical grade.

Today’s mountain was the stairs at Montmatre leading up to the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris’s 9^th district. 281 of them to be exact. Niels has been talking this spot up from our first conversations about the master program moving to Paris, and for good reason. It’s very beautiful, very accessible, and a long way up. My first sprint took me exactly 1:00 to reach the top. My second set took a few seconds longer (minus a clog up behind some tourists). The third trip really taxed me, and by the final few steps I was barely getting my knees high enough to skip steps. The fourth set was my slowest at 1:12. At this point I was practically cramping in my ass and hamstrings, so I knew the job was done. I didn’t ease up at all on any of these sets, though my legs were getting heavier quicker and quicker as the rounds progressed. Niels finished his rounds in good form as well, and is looking stronger by the day. Afterwards, we walked through the church, took a few pictures out front and headed back across town for breakfast. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of mornings here in the future.

AM...PM

Workout of the Day:

In the morning…

Trans-Continental Workout #5:

50 pushups, 50 air squats, 25 burpees

400 m run

40 pushups, 40 air squats, 20 burpees

400 m run

30 pushups, 30 air squats, 15 burpees

400 m run

20 pushups, 20 airs squats, 10 burpees

400 m run

10 pushups, 10 air squats, 5 burpees

In the evening…

5 x 5 weighted pullup, 90 seconds rest

4 x max kipping pullup, rest as needed

3 x 10 good morning

3 x max time L-sit

I was very motivated this morning to push my limit with the 5^th installment of the trans-continental challenge with my friend Josh Courage in DC. It’s easy during longer routines to slip into a zone just on the edge of discomfort where you’re still working hard, but not truly testing your capacity. This is where I feel I’ve been operating a lot lately and I don’t think it’s good enough. So this morning I committed to going as hard as I could, regardless of the time implications for completion (many times this isn’t a great move strategically, but it is the best way to improve). It was dark and snowy, so I didn’t get any video footage. But the workout was tough and rewarding. With the exception of maybe the 3^rd round of burpees, I don’t think I could’ve pushed myself any more. I RAN the 400 m every time, and it was in snow and slightly uphill one direction. My buddy and classmate Niels was out there with me so that helped quite a bit. My final time was 18:57.

This evening I headed to the Cite Universitaire center for “Musculation” (the gym I described in earlier posts). The heavy pulls felt great- I was able to pull all 5 sets of 5 with a 25 kg dumbbell between my feet (no belts…shocker). The max repetition sets were a little less successful, mostly because the bars they sport are all smooth aluminum, so any trace of sweat makes them extremely slippery. I’m going to have to get some chalk or some gloves for the future. My totals were 25, 20, 19, and 15. My arms and grip felt fine, my fingers were just starting to slip sooner each set. Oh well. The good mornings lit up my hamstrings pretty good, surprisingly, and the L-sits felt great. I was able to hold for more than 30 seconds all three sets. The inclusion of these last two exercises I will explain a little more in the next few days, but the gist is that I’m re-evaluating some of my programming and looking to include more supplemental lifts.

Tomorrow morning Niels and I are heading to Monte Matre to run the stairs. Supposed to be beautiful, can’t wait.

Day 4 in Zermatt

Rest Day

Tate and I got up early to take advantage of the continental breakfast at our Cervinia hotel and get to the lifts when they opened at 8:30. We wanted to give ourselves a chance to make it over top and into Switzerland before I got charged for another day of use on my skis and boots. Being the first ones on the mountain has its advantages and disadvantages… On the plus side, the snow is fresh and un-mogulled. On the minus side, it’s cold and icy in the spots where the sun has yet to reach. Our route down to Zermatt required us to navigate a few pretty serious runs in the shade, including 2 narrow-width black diamond stretches along the cliff. While we made it down unscathed, I did take an enormous header along the way that is worth mentioning.

I was feeling good and carrying a lot of speed through much of the early legs in an effort to beat the rental shop. This caught up with me when we came to the bottom of a hill where two runs split from each other, one continuing straight and the other inclining slightly to the left (where we needed to be). I tried to cut into the hill and make the left fork, but I had waaaay too much speed for the turn that needed to happen. Instead, my trajectory ended up carrying me between the two forks, where I buried my downhill ski into the dividing snow bank and launched myself at least 30 feet in the air into the powder. When I got up my visor was around my neck filled with snow, my right ski was in the snow bank where it impacted, my left glove and pole were 15 feet up the hill to my left, and my face guard was stuffed into my jacket. I am honestly jealous of those lucky few on the chair lifts this morning who witnessed this spectacle.

The rest of the day was spent packing and travelling back to Paris. It was another incredible weekend that tested me physically and reinforced the need and importance of fitness in my mind. Even on holiday, it pays to have done the work.

Day 3 in Zermatt

Workout of the Day:

In the morning…

Ski Lodge Chipper

10 wall muscle ups

30 OH ski squats

30 ski burpees

50 meter snow bear crawl

50 meter reverse snow bear crawl

100 meter ski run

In the afternoon…

Ski moguls and get trapped in Italy

No soreness this morning, shockingly. Apparently all of my whining and concern over yesterday’s rough runs was unwarranted. So, Tate and I grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed out back behind our hotel to get the blood moving before another day on the slopes. Due to limited space, we did the workout separately while the other filmed and timed.

The biggest factor in this workout was the altitude (Zermatt is about 6000 feet above sea level). The muscle ups were challenging because we chose a spot were the wall met a ledge, making foot placement awkward but not impossible. The OH squats were no problem because the skis probably only weighed about 10 lbs. That extra weight made a huge difference on the burpees though. First, just holding onto the skis for the duration was tough. Then, having to lift them overhead while jumping was no fun. I recommend trying this with some other reasonably light object so you can feel the difference. It’s significant. At this point my breath had left me, and it was time for the bear crawls. The path we carved through the drift was narrow and not too well packed, so hand placement was hit and miss. One step would be solid earth, the next would be a 20 inch air pocket (read: face plant). By the 50 meter mark my wind was completely gone, and the reverse portion posed the same problems as the forward version, just with a slight incline. This took forever. I think 4 minutes of my total time were spent fighting this element. When I made it to the end I put the skis over my shoulders and ran with what I had left in the tank, finishing in 11:10. Tate, going first, experienced the same issues as I did for the most part, and finished in 11:53. He, however, lost his ham and eggs just after finishing the ski run. I think the extra 12 minutes of digestion time did me a few favors in that respect.

After about 20 minutes back in the room, we grabbed our gear and headed up to the Matterhorn glacier for another day of fun. Thankfully, the sun came out so we could see the contours of the runs. It is impossible to describe the beauty this place offers from up on top. I’ve included a few pictures to try and capture it, but they don’t do it justice. The sheer size of the runs is unbelievable. We rode one combination of runs continuously for 1950 vertical meters. That’s over a mile of drop and god know how many actual miles of ground covered in a single shot. My legs were screaming all day, just like yesterday, but the bright sun and gorgeous scenery made it feel more bearable.

It was, in part, because of these surroundings that Tate and I got ourselves into a bit of a predicament by the end of the day. After splitting with my grandfather after lunch, we headed down the Italian side of the mountain to ski there, and wound up missing the last lift back over the top. They closed at 3 pm and were not impressed with our pleas for one more chair. So, we had to find a hotel room in Cervinia for the night, or take a 500 euro taxi around the mountain back to Zermatt. The option we chose should be obvious.

Below is a video from the mornings workout.

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