T-Shirts

Anywherefit shirts are now available for any of you in the States that want them. You can follow the link on the right of the browser to the Steelfit store where they are a featured item. The shirts up on the site now are featuring the design that was worn at the 2010 CrossFit Games but more are coming soon. All shirts should also be available in Europe in a few weeks as well and will have their own link to avoid shipping costs. Enjoy!

Catch Up

Friday WOD:

Swim 1000 meters

5 x 6 Ring HSPU

Saturday WOD:

Back Squat 3, 3, 3+ @ 70, 80, 90% 1RM

1 x 20 @ 225 lb

Bench Press 3, 3, 3+ @ 70, 80, 90% 1RM

4 x 3 slow hanging pass throughs

Been a bit busy the past few days so this post will be short. Been clearing out my garage to start training while we wait for the final okay on the gym space in Folsom and tonight is my 10 year high school reunion. A couple notes on the last few days of training…

Swimming is awesome. It took me 19:30 to swim 1000 meters blending between freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke, but the best part was the pool had underwater music. I’ve never experienced that before and it was a trip.

Today I was a little worn out from redecorating the garage in 100 degree heat, but still managed 5 reps at 365 lb on the squat and 4 at 285 on the bench. Really should have had the 6^th on the squats but lost a little focus I think on the way up. I topped it off with a single set of 20 at 225 lb and felt really strong. I think I may have been able to get 25 or 30 at that weight.

Tomorrow should be a rest day, then going fresh again with some fun WODs Monday/Tuesday. Oh, and today marks the 1 year countdown to Anywherefit Iceland, and the plans are looking amazing!!!

Fair Oaks Park

Workout of the Day:

10, 9, 8…1 Squat Clean w/ 135 lb

20 foot rope climb each set

Still pretty sore today from the OH squats and hill runs on Monday. Kind of shocking how big a toll that workout took on my legs. I was hopeful that getting them moving again with some full range of motion today would speed the recovery.

John and I were back at it in Fair Oaks Park, a place full of the beautiful oak trees that this part of the country is famous for. We strung the rope up towards the back of the park to avoid the picnicking masses huddled around the jungle gym and set the weights up directly beneath. Heading in I expected this to take close to 20 minutes. John was dreading the climbs, but I expected the cleans to be the limiting factor. Turned out we were both a little right and a little wrong.

The first 10 cleans I did without breaking a set. The second went 3, 3, 3; the 3^rd went 4, 4. The last 4 sets went unbroken, but the climbs got harder and harder the whole way. I found myself waiting longer and longer between sets to make sure I would make it all the way without failing. John went through the entire 55 cleans doing singles and found his legs wearing weak by the end. My final time was 12:37 and his was 16:28.

We joked around a little afterwards to avoid having to take everything back across the park to our cars, but all in all this was a GREAT workout. Both movements were ones that could be done with brute strength, but can only be efficiently done with good technique. Pairing them together was a good test.

Video footage, courtesy of our friend Mayday, is below.

Rest Day

Back to the Fire Academy

Workout of the Day:

WOD 1

Deadlift 3, 3, 3+ @ 70, 80, 90% 1RM

Strict Press 3, 3, 3+ @ 70, 80, 90% 1RM

Muscle ups 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

WOD 2

4 rounds for time:

400 meter run

15 wall muscle ups (7 foot wall)

50 double unders

Was out at the Sacramento Fire Academy today training with a few of the city’s finest. Lifted hard on the deadlifts and presses, notching 400 lbs for 6 and 168 for 5, respectively. Afterwards we headed out to the track and messed around with a few tires before deciding on the 4 round beast described above. This thing was all out cardio. No breaks anywhere. Unfortunately we didn’t have a stopwatch that worked so the finishing times were a mystery, but if I had to approximate I would say I finished somewhere in the 13-14 minute range. This tested mental toughness on the runs and recovery during the muscleups and double unders. Not slowing down anywhere was the name of the game.

As we were walking out, John and I both were feeling the effects of a few intense sessions put on the back of a long week in the sun. Hoping to work some rope technique tomorrow and take a long day off on Thursday. The heat in Sacramento is cranking up.

Hill Runs

Workout of the Day:

3 rounds for time

33 OH squats (95 lb)

200 meter hill run

In spite of the residual effects of the long days and nights of the past week, today was an opportunity not to be missed. The weather in Sacramento was oddly cool, hovering around 85 degrees, so I decided to get out and take advantage. Around the corner from my house is a hill that runs just over 200 meters while climbing 50. This gives it an average grade of 25% and makes it more than challenging to get up and down repeatedly.

The WOD itself was intense. The OH squats went unbroken the first set, broken at 19 the second, and broken at 12, 11, and 10 the last. This was all manageable, but the damn hill was crushing. I found myself drawing on all sorts of anger, competition, and self-doubt to make it to the top without walking each time. I kept remembering the hill in Aromas 2 years ago and thinking if that hill could be climbed with 70 lbs then this one had to be done without stopping.

I think I got a lot out of today’s session and am looking forward to tomorrow’s strength work even more. Below is the video footage from Saturday’s workout that I did not post about. It includes a few great partner exercises that are a lot of fun so I hope some of you try them.

CrossFit is more than the Games

The 2010 CrossFit Games had all the trappings of an epic event. There was months of anticipation, interviews, video journals, and endless speculation over what the WODs would be. The change of venue offered an upgrade in prestige and logistical complexity; the addition of the Masters division increased the breadth and diversity of competition. There were multiple event locations for spectators to move between, endless lines of sponsor tents rimming the main arena, and more racks, ropes, rings, and walls than any athlete could have expected. The prize packages for the winners and the general investment in the Games themselves offer hard evidence of CrossFit’s exponential growth. Taken in sum, these games undoubtedly took the program out of the garage and into the blinding light of a mass appellate sun.

Some have balked at this perceived success. After all, CrossFit is beloved for its rawer qualities—roll-up garage doors, canvas sand bags, and pullup bars wrapped in sheaths of blood and chalk. People argue that while the progression towards high definition coverage and corporate sponsorship is at times convenient, it compromises the blue-collar tenets and attitudes that CrossFit was built on. They ask that if its fundamental philosophy is to prepare people for an uncontrolled environment, why are the Games being held in such a regulated space? People moan about the costs of attendance/parking and the commercialization of an idea that should not be perverted or abused. Purists are quick to point out that CrossFit is, at its essence, an anywhere, anytime test that requires nothing but the individual and the task and, therefore, a stadium filled with ticket takers and security guards, professional camera crews, and acres of health and safety regulations are tangiential distractions from what is really important.

Honestly, I find none of these objections objectionable. Few if any of the upgrades made this year are essential to CrossFit’s basic existence and the slope is slippery. In fact, a WOD without them would probably more closely resemble the situation at your home box. Your gym does not care if every video angle is covered, whether winners get interviewed, or how many people get access to results. By the same token, daily life is ambivalent to where the WOD is held, how many seats there are, or how much parking you have out back. All that really matters in any session on any day is that you find a way to improve.

This is the heart of the methodology and I can understand the criticisms that this year’s Games were a deviation from it. But the application of that methodology and its manifestation into a global test that is sustainable requires some transformation. Dealing with a popular phenomenon means spectators, marketing, and investment. The presence of these elements at the 2010 Games should not be viewed as an evil materialist influence, but as proof of the program’s effectiveness and popularity. That 250,000 people tuned in to their computers to watch this event around the world doesn’t mean that CrossFit is a commercial giant, it means that a quarter of a million bodies are interested in the methodology and want to learn more. By reaching that many people we are simply increasing the chances that they will decide to make a positive change in their lives.

Ultimately, the CrossFit Games are not CrossFit. They are a showcase for the methodology and the most powerful motivational speaker ever invented.

Sandbag Lunges

Workout of the Day

Rest as needed between rounds with 120 lb sandbag

50 sandbag lunges

Max shoulder to overhead

40 sandbag lunges

Max shoulder to overhead

30 sandbag lunges

Max shoulder to overhead

20 sandbag lunges

Max shoulder to overhead

This was done in the deep, dry, scorching hot sand of Newport Beach. John and I took turns lugging the bag back and forth and push jerking it with whatever we had left. The lunges were brutal. Even getting that weight up to my shoulders was pretty tough, not to mention the balancing act barefoot sand traction requires. Also, my ass was twitching and felt like it was about to cramp up after the first set. The max effort shoulder to overheads went as follows: 12, 9, 10, and 6 respectively. The two biggest challenges on these were the footing and the breathing. Doing this sequence without dropping the bag is critical. Being under the bag that long really puts pressure on your diaphragm and getting your lungs open between reps gets tougher and tougher.

John and I were pretty wrecked afterwards and spent some time in the ocean to ice down. I fully expect my ass and hamstrings to be destroyed tomorrow. Weighted lunges are amazing strength builders and too few people do them. Now that I have a bag that is capable of holding 120+ lb of sand, I’m going to do them all the time. I put in a short clip of set 3 of the shoulder to overheads below.

Rest Day

Newport Beach

Workout of the Day

1 lateral pier climb

3 rounds of:

20 sandbag squats

10 knees to elbows

10 commando pullups

Finish with 1 lateral pier climb

First night in Newport was a long one. As could be expected, everyone was a little excited to be here and went out hard. We didn’t make it back until late into the night and not before many an adult beverage was consumed. The bar scene here is pretty impressive so we had a lot of fun. However, this morning I felt a lot rougher than anticipated. I convinced my boy Ryan to accompany me down to the pier for a little hangover relief and the above workout is what transpired.

I was amped up for this for a few reasons. First, 9 am on a Sunday morning is the ideal scenario for a beach workout in my opinion. The place was sparsely populated, the sun barely licking the wooden beams, and every living thing was just waking up. It was surreal. Second, it was my first opportunity to use my CrossGym sandbag. I haven’t done any sandbag stuff since England (besides the games) and I miss it. The bag worked amazingly. Double thick Kevlar with an interior insert to keep the sand away from the outer zipper and strong handles making it easy to clean. I filled it to about 100 lbs but I think it could fit about 30 more.

The workout itself was really fun and it cured my hangover immediately. I finished in 11:00 even with some great footage. It wasn’t the most intense session or the most difficult, but it got the job done. Tonight I am saying goodbye to Sven and Asta before they head back to Iceland and then returning to the beach for more fun tomorrow. Getting to spend so much time with them has been a real blessing and I hope the next time we see each other won’t be too long. Bon voyage friends!

Off to Newport Beach

Workout of the Day

Back Squat 5, 5, 5+ @ 65, 75, 85% 1RM

Bench Press 5, 5, 5+ @ 65, 75, 85% 1RM

Glute Ham Raise 10, 10, 10

DB flies 10, 10, 10

Hand balancing

A good session to get in before the weeklong trip to Newport Beach for my buddy’s wedding. Don’t know how much access there will be to heavy weights or if I’ll have the chance to go visit any of the gyms down here between now and the nuptuals. For the squats I got 7 at 355 and for the bench, 5 at 275. Not great numbers, but a good place to start.

Afterwards I spent some time working on hand balancing, including a couple one arm drills against the wall. I'm hoping to get back into doing this stuff everyday and making some actual progress. For the next week I’m really looking forward to some great WODs on the sand and some testers in the water. Hoping for lots of creativity and some good video footage. Eating-wise it will be a challenge, but holidays are holidays. Gotta get after it.

Interval Training

Workout of the Day

5 rounds

With a 2 minute cap, run 400 meters then do as many ground to overhead as possible in the time remaining w/ 135 lb

Rest 2 minutes between rounds

It’s been awhile since I’ve done an interval session like this. SO effective. The time cap forces you to push the pace and the promise of rest makes it okay to do so without burning out. The first round I came around in 1:10 or so expecting to rip through the GTOs but as soon as I picked up the weight my hamstrings practically collapsed. Turns out running hard taxes the posterior chain pretty heavily. Who knew. I got 10 repetitions before the time expired and I got my 2 minutes rest. The last 4 rounds all took between 1:15 and 1:23 and I scored 9, 9, 8, and 8 reps respectively for a total of 44.

The best part about this WOD was the value of the recovery portion. Working at near-maximal levels means you can’t continue without breaking, so the faster your recovery the more efficient you become. I think these types of intervals are the best way to test and improve this capacity. Thinking back on it, I would have loved to see something along these lines during the CrossFit Games. A WOD with built in rest periods to test sprint/recovery would have been really fun to see.

A New Park

Workout of the Day

3 rounds for time

20 pullups

50 walking lunge

50 meter sprint

20 pushups

100 meter sprint

I made it over to a new park today in Roseville that I am now in love with. I had really only hoped for an area with space, some grass, and maybe a soccer goal or two, but this place had so much more. It backs up to a middle school playground with old style monkey bars, tri-level pullup bars, parallel bars, and more. Just about everything you could ever want for gymnastic training is available at this place. I’m pumped to get back there often and use this stuff.

For today though, the plan was simple. I wanted to try some of the ground separation pushups from the Games to see how hard they actually were. They were surprisingly difficult. I think most of us take for granted the flexibility our shoulders should have, but after a few sets the big muscles attaching to the front of the humorus don’t want to let you retract your scapula. Kind of a helpless feeling that. The running was tough as well. I really sprinted these intervals as fast as I could and it jacked up the intensity of the workout in no time. The entire thing took me 11:05.

Tomorrow I’m heading to the track for some 400 meter intervals plus max ground to overheads. Some serious threshold training I expect before heading down to Newport and workouts on the beach. For those of you who know Sven, wish him a happy 30^th birthday tomorrow. Poor guy…

Squeeze in some deads

Workout of the Day

Deadlift 5, 5, 5+ @ 65, 75, 85% 1RM

Strict Press 5, 5, 5+ @ 65, 75, 85% 1RM

Good Mornings 10, 10, 10, 10

Split distance chin ups 10, 10, 10, 10

Dips 4 x max

L sit 4 x max

Today’s workout got truncated due to lack of time between lectures today at the Crossfit Endurance Certification so I was only able to get the deadlifts in. I could really feel the lack of midline stability from the heavy GHD situps yesterday so I certainly wasn’t my strongest. I got 395 for 5 reps. Really, I want this to be closer to 7 or 8. My core was the limiting factor, so I’ll be looking forward to next week when I’m more fresh to see if that makes a big difference.

Still, it was good that I got something in rather than nothing. Hoping to make up the rest tomorrow with Johnny down at the fire station. Getting on a plane tonight back to Sacramento and a somewhat normal daily rhythm for a change. Socal life was good while it lasted.

Back at it

Workout of the Day

AM - WOD 1: Power Snatch 3, 3, 3 Front Squat 3, 3, 3 + 1 Jerk each

PM – WOD 2: 20 minute AMRAP 2 rope climb (18 ft) 20 GHD situps 40 double unders

First day back on the job after a week off at the beach. I actually had originally planned to wait until Monday back in Sacramento, but as I was interning today with the CrossFit training staff at the Level I cert in Rancho Santa Margarita, the atmosphere demanded an early start. Admittedly, I was still feeling a little undoordinated and lethargic, but things went okay considering. I finished the snatches at 195 lbs and had zero misses. The front squats I topped out at 275 lbs but missed the jerk. Got a little lazy and let it slip forward on my shoulders during the dip.

The afternoon WOD was a different animal entirely. The cert had ended and everyone cleared out, leaving me the space to myself. So Jimmy cranked the music, turned on the clock, and let me loose. The first few rounds flew by as the climbs, GHDs, and double unders all felt easy. During the fourth set, though, things started to catch up, especially on the GHDs. I began breaking them in 2 x 10, then 10, 5, 5. I was also taking more time between climbs to ensure I wouldn´t fail out near the top—which I never did. I ended up finishing 7 rounds plus 2 climbs and 6 GHDs. As I write this I can already feel the impending pain 146 GHD situps is sure to impart...

Overall it felt great to get back on the horse. I feel rested, motivated, and ready for the next step. Having a few beers with Sven tonight and getting back after things in the morning. Post games life is nice.

Why running is important

Don’t avoid it… it’s good for you.

For such a fundamental thing, the ability to run seems to be an all too popular Achilles heel. And I’m not talking form or speed. Not everyone is going to look like Usain Bolt when they go from A to B, but they need to be able to get there. The limited proficiency in this area for most people, and even most Crossfitters, is piss poor, and it shows up in more than just 5 k runs.

Mostly this is do to lack of experience. Running is not rocket science but it’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s repetitive. People tend to avoid it for one or all of these reasons when they should be seeking it out. Recently I had to endure a period of 3 months without steady running due to ankle injuries: the effect was severely noticeable. I felt more out of breath and less able to concentrate during WODs than I had before. My muscular endurance was still decent, but my comfort threshold had fallen much lower. I realized that running had been a much bigger part of how I trained than I originally thought, and that if I wanted to continue to improve it would have to become an even bigger one in the future.

There are a number of reasons why this is the case. First, philosophically, running is one of the most basic means of human survival. Our ancestors had to cover distance at speed if they were going to successfully hunt, travel, or survive predators and, even though this is less of a necessity now, something about it still rings true. I don’t want to ever find myself in a position where I cannot go from here to there simply because modern technology has failed me and my natural engine isn’t up to snuff.

Second, physiologically, the response is amazing. The different types of “tired” I’ve felt during various runs is staggering. There’s interval sprinting, long distance endurance, hill climbs, running with objects, dragging weight behind, pushing a prowler, running on sand… the list goes on. Going for a run can mean any number of things, none of which involve a treadmill, and all of which challenge the body differently. Stairs feel different than hills, 10 x 100 meters feels different than 1000 meters straight. There is plenty of variety and all of it is beneficial. In fact, I find that when I’ve been doing a lot of heavy running (trails, stairs, and carrying weight especially) I breath better in non-running WODs. This is because running teaches you how to get air when you’re tired. You inevitably find a rhythm between your steps and your breath that you can efficiently maintain while working at near max capacity. This knowledge comes in handy when you hit a metcon where your ability to keep breathing is what slows you down.

Last, psychologically, running teaches you how thin the walls are between optimal and sub-optimal performance. Lifting weights you often reach a point where you literally cannot do another rep, where your muscles have actually failed and there is nothing you can do about it. At this point, your mind gets a break. It’s off the hook... on vacation. This can’t happen in running. You can always take another step therefore your head never gets a rest (incredible ironman Youtube footage notwithstanding). To get better in this discipline you have to improve your toughness. Period. And that flows over into everything else you do. I can remember the things I had to tell myself to keep running when I competed in a series of 5 mile trail races in Virginia. I say the same things now when I’m dying through a workout with deadlifts and double unders. I remember times when things went wrong, like inhaling dust or tripping up along the way. I draw on those kinds of experiences when I am failing miserably under the rings or practically drowning in the pool. Bottom line, going on hard runs in less than optimal circumstances teaches you to find ways not to quit, and that is invaluable.

Sometimes we can get too creative in finding ways to be fit when the most effective means are the most simple.

2010 Games in the Books

So it’s taken me a few days to decompress, but I am back at the computer and ready to recap what proved to be a weekend for the ages.

First, major props to the organizers for pulling things together. Going from Aromas to the Home Depot Center in a years time is like going from chewing grapes to swallowing watermelons. The sheer size of the place was a logistical issue in itself, not to mention moving people, equipment, and competitors around the grounds. There were at least 3 times as many volunteers as last year working hard around the clock, as well as the coverage crew, announcers, and security guards. Not an easy balancing act I assure you.

Second, the events were incredible. Last year I had my reservations about the workload heaped on competitors during day 1. Everyone was destroyed and the emphasis seemed so lower body driven that many upper body skills were not tested. Not so this time around. The coordinators found ways to work almost every conceivable movement into these games, even if it came on the very last event (rope climb). There were so many more gymnastic skills that athletes had to prove competence in that many guys and girls played themselves out of contention early on. There were grumblings about the high level gymnastics from some people, but I couldn’t disagree more. I’d hate for the fittest man or woman to be little more than an engine capable of putting out raw power. This year’s winners were coordinated, athletic, and well-rounded—as they should be. I really can’t say enough about how impressed I was by the level at this year’s competition. Some serious studs.

Unfortunately for me, my best events came later in the day than earlier. The sandbag carry was right up my alley, and the final trifecta would have been perfect. I didn’t have the technical proficiency on the rings to handle either the muscle ups to the handstand pushups well enough to score points, and the pistol squats were too much for my newly recovered ankles. Still, I have no real regrets. 23rd is not where I wanted to be, but I believe that if I had learned how to do muscle ups without a false grip I am fit enough to have been in the top 16 and maybe higher. Going forward this is a huge motivator. I can’t wait to see the results of a year blended between the creative fitness I’ve grown to love and the standard training that can be found in a more regular box.

My only criticism of the event has to be the scoring. If there must be cuts, then the point totals have to be re-calibrated accordingly or else the later events hold less weight. After thinking on this topic for some days I think I have the solution. If you cut by half, then divide the points of the remaining competitors by half as well. This will ensure that the ratio of value for points remains the same even though there are less athletes left. So, if after 4 events you cut from 50 to 25, then everyones point total will go from 10 to 5, 15 to 7.5, 20 to 10, etc. Then continue on with a 1-25 point scoring system until the next cut.

My plan is to start limited training again this weekend at the Level I Cert in Rancho Santa Margarita, where I will be interning with the HQ staff, and more serious stuff the following Monday back in Sacramento. Also, the online store should be set up by middle of next week for those of you who want to get t-shirts, etc. from the site. There will be plenty to choose from and they will be available in both the U.S. and Europe. Hard to believe this thing is over, but it’s also that much more exciting. So much time between now and the next big thing to see how far we can push the limit.

Here we go

In anticipation of the weekend's events I took some time to reflect on how I arrived at this point. The last year has been so unique and rewarding that I can barely believe it actually happened. Below is a video compilation of some of my adventures and the people I met.

Adios

Heading to LA early tomorrow morning for the big show. I'm planning on posting video blogs after each day of competition so be on the lookout for those. Hoping for the best and looking forward to Sunday night... Lot's of pain between now and then.

Benchmark Day

Workout of the Day

AM – WOD 1:

Run 5K for time

PM – WOD 2:

Grace

30 clean and jerks for time (135 #)

After a hell of a weekend in Lake Tahoe for my friend Dustin’s bachelor party (during which I was the designated driver) I was ready to test myself today. It’s been awhile since I’ve done any benchmark WODs and I was kind of curious to see where I am.

The run was especially important to give my ankles one last test before the weekend. I actually don’t think I’ve ever timed myself on a 5K before, but I figured getting under 20 would be a good goal. Right away I was encouraged by how good my ankles felt. Really there was no major pain at all (so excited!!!). I did the first 400 meters in 1:24 and was hoping to hold that pace. Unfortunately this did not happen. By the end of the first 1600 I had already dropped to 1:30 and by 3200 I was holding steady around 1:33. By far the most difficult part was regulating my breath. I ran on a flat course and there was some cross wind at times, but my legs and back never really wore out. As I hit 4600 meters the clock read 17:36, meaning if I picked things up I could get finished under 19 minutes. It’s amazing how much extra you have left when you know you’re about to be finished. I opened up my stride and kicked the entire final 400, finishing in 18:59. Gotta feel good about that not having run much the past 5 months.

This afternoon I took on Grace for only the second time in my life. I borrowed my boy John’s weights and headed over to a local park where there was a decent size dirt patch for me to use as a lifting platform. The original plan was to incorporate some rope climbing afterwards, but I couldn’t find a tree that would do the job. I started the clock and did 10 repetitions in the first 30 seconds. I dropped the bar, took a few breaths, then did 10 more. The second set was much more difficult but I the clock only read 1:06. From there I did 3 consecutive and the rest singles, stopping the clock at 1:50, :13 better than my previous best. Stoked.

Today has me feeling really confident about my level at the moment. Combined with the 225 lb snatch I did last Friday at CrossFit East Sac, I’m riding a series of PR’s that could not come at a better time. The next few days will be very light, possibly some rowing or swimming to stay loose but nothing too intense. Mostly just tying up loose ends for the big trip and screen-printing the next batch of Anywherefit t-shirts.

Below is a link to the pre-Games interview with me and 2 other competitors on the CrossFit Journal.

http://library.crossfit.com/free/video/CFJ_AF_Map11.mov