"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will."
- Mohandas Gandhi
WOD: Rest Day!
More of an active recovery day actually... I attended my first yoga class today! It was "yoga for athletes" held this morning at CrossFit Central led by an instructor from Austin Kula Yoga. It was much tougher than I expected, relaxing as well though.
Afterwards, Zach Thiel ran some of us through a Trigger Point class. Great morning!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Heroism
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
- Arthur Ashe
On the subject of heroes... FDNY Captain Patrick Brown is mine.
His last reported position on September 11th was in the north tower of the World Trade Center, still heading up with his company. There's no denying that kind of sacrifice, but to me it's the way he lived before that day that makes him a hero.
There's no way I could do even a few of the stories justice. So here are some ways to find out what I'm alluding to...
1. Read Sharon's book 'Miss You, Pat' (or ask to borrow my copy).
2. Check out The Captain Patrick J. Brown Memorial Foundation.
Better yet, just listen to the man.
God Bless you Paddy!
- Arthur Ashe
On the subject of heroes... FDNY Captain Patrick Brown is mine.
His last reported position on September 11th was in the north tower of the World Trade Center, still heading up with his company. There's no denying that kind of sacrifice, but to me it's the way he lived before that day that makes him a hero.
There's no way I could do even a few of the stories justice. So here are some ways to find out what I'm alluding to...
1. Read Sharon's book 'Miss You, Pat' (or ask to borrow my copy).
2. Check out The Captain Patrick J. Brown Memorial Foundation.
Better yet, just listen to the man.
God Bless you Paddy!
WOD: Rest day.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
28 April 2009
WOD: with Austin Unscared
"5 rounds for time"
10 burpee, medicine ball clean to wall-ball @ 18# med ball
20 box jumps @ 28" box
My time was 16:51. Wow. Tall box jumps are hard. Good stuff!
At noon I went up to CrossFit Central for a treat! Cassidy Phillips, the creator of Trigger Point gear, gave a class introducing his new foam roller that isn't available to the general public yet. We were the first to get to use them! And boy do they work! An excellent new product, one that I will be buying when they are available. The Trigger Point guys were taking photos and video, so I'll post some when I get 'em.
Also, you gotta see Jeremy Thiel in this video posted on CrossFit.com today.
"5 rounds for time"
10 burpee, medicine ball clean to wall-ball @ 18# med ball
20 box jumps @ 28" box
My time was 16:51. Wow. Tall box jumps are hard. Good stuff!
At noon I went up to CrossFit Central for a treat! Cassidy Phillips, the creator of Trigger Point gear, gave a class introducing his new foam roller that isn't available to the general public yet. We were the first to get to use them! And boy do they work! An excellent new product, one that I will be buying when they are available. The Trigger Point guys were taking photos and video, so I'll post some when I get 'em.
Also, you gotta see Jeremy Thiel in this video posted on CrossFit.com today.
Monday, April 27, 2009
27 April 2009
WOD: kettlebell class @ CrossFit Central
3 rounds for max reps
one minute each exercise, one minute rest between rounds
KB swing
KB clean
KB sumo-deadlift high-pull to sprawl
My total was 179 @ 20kg KB. That was tougher than I thought it'd be... still feeling the walking lunges... I was gassed by the last round of SDHP-to-sprawl.
Afterwards, Carey Kepler ran us through a Trigger Point refresher. Great way to start "active recovery" week!
3 rounds for max reps
one minute each exercise, one minute rest between rounds
KB swing
KB clean
KB sumo-deadlift high-pull to sprawl
My total was 179 @ 20kg KB. That was tougher than I thought it'd be... still feeling the walking lunges... I was gassed by the last round of SDHP-to-sprawl.
Afterwards, Carey Kepler ran us through a Trigger Point refresher. Great way to start "active recovery" week!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
26 April 2009
WOD:
run 5 miles
I wore my watch this time, but didn't start the timer right away! At a comfortable pace the whole run took just over 35 minutes. Felt good!
run 5 miles
I wore my watch this time, but didn't start the timer right away! At a comfortable pace the whole run took just over 35 minutes. Felt good!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
25 April 2009
"Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit"
- Carl Jung's epitaph
WOD: Rest Day! Part two...
Feeling better today but still worn out, not sure going for a 5-on 2-off week was the best idea. 4 days in a row of training really got me! Be back at it tomorrow. Probably going to stick with a 3-on 1-off until the Spartan Challenge starts. Why mess with success?
- Carl Jung's epitaph
WOD: Rest Day! Part two...
Feeling better today but still worn out, not sure going for a 5-on 2-off week was the best idea. 4 days in a row of training really got me! Be back at it tomorrow. Probably going to stick with a 3-on 1-off until the Spartan Challenge starts. Why mess with success?
Friday, April 24, 2009
24 April 2009
"It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun."
- CrossFit.com tshirt
WOD: Rest Day...
I overslept today, but was awake with enough time to make the 7am class... did I make it? If you guessed no, you guessed correctly. I cup-caked.
cup⋅cake [khup-keyk] adjective 1) to wimp out 2) giving in to the pain
I'm going to blame it on yesterdays walking lunges. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Seriously though, it... hurts... to... walk.
- CrossFit.com tshirt
WOD: Rest Day...
I overslept today, but was awake with enough time to make the 7am class... did I make it? If you guessed no, you guessed correctly. I cup-caked.
cup⋅cake [khup-keyk] adjective 1) to wimp out 2) giving in to the pain
I'm going to blame it on yesterdays walking lunges. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Seriously though, it... hurts... to... walk.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
23 April 2009
WOD:
400 meters walking lunges
Ouch as rx'd. Forgot to bring my watch to the track this morning, so I didn't time it. Good stuff, gonna be sore tomorrow!
CrossFit Central's second Fittest Games Challenge video was posted on CrossFit.com today! Sweet video, love the audio track of the haka!
400 meters walking lunges
Ouch as rx'd. Forgot to bring my watch to the track this morning, so I didn't time it. Good stuff, gonna be sore tomorrow!
CrossFit Central's second Fittest Games Challenge video was posted on CrossFit.com today! Sweet video, love the audio track of the haka!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
22 April 2009
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"mile sandwich"
for time
1 mile run
10 rounds of: 10 pullups, 15 situps
1 mile run
Finished in 29:34 rx'd. My first two rounds of pullups were chest to bar, with the remaining eight rounds chin-over. Felt great!
"mile sandwich"
for time
1 mile run
10 rounds of: 10 pullups, 15 situps
1 mile run
Finished in 29:34 rx'd. My first two rounds of pullups were chest to bar, with the remaining eight rounds chin-over. Felt great!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
21 April 2009
WOD: with Austin Unscared
"Helen"
three rounds for time
400 meter run
21 KB swings @ 1.5 pood or 55# DB
12 pullups
My time was 9:19 with a 45# DB substitute. Two minutes better than my rx'd Helen! Which I'm sure is due to the lighter weight. Still, was able to kick into gear... I did chest to bar pull-ups unbroken on the first round, and chin-over bar on the last two. Felt horrible right after... like it's supposed to be! Great way to start the day!
Just as I was kitchen-bound to prepare my second meal of the morning, I felt a disturbance in the force, so I checked Byers' page. It's part two covering one of my favorite subjects... bacon! Second to hot girl pull-ups of course. Off to the kitchen!
"Helen"
three rounds for time
400 meter run
21 KB swings @ 1.5 pood or 55# DB
12 pullups
My time was 9:19 with a 45# DB substitute. Two minutes better than my rx'd Helen! Which I'm sure is due to the lighter weight. Still, was able to kick into gear... I did chest to bar pull-ups unbroken on the first round, and chin-over bar on the last two. Felt horrible right after... like it's supposed to be! Great way to start the day!
Just as I was kitchen-bound to prepare my second meal of the morning, I felt a disturbance in the force, so I checked Byers' page. It's part two covering one of my favorite subjects... bacon! Second to hot girl pull-ups of course. Off to the kitchen!
Monday, April 20, 2009
FAIL
Textbook heel strike. Also note the big push-off with my right foot. Two classic ways to a running injury.
I was caught doing these running no-no's during the warm-up on Saturday. Check Eric (light grey shirt, same classy shoes) right behind me working the POSE method very nicely. That's how you do it. All I've got going for me in that picture is that Eric is behind me! HA! Too bad it was just a warm-up, then my crappy technique might have at least counted for something...
With that, POSE skills and drills work become the latest addition to my to-do list.
20 April 2009
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
Thruster
5-5-5-5-5
My weights were: 95-115-125-130-140F
I ought to have gone 135 on the last set. I've done 135# thrusters before... still, felt good today.
Thruster
5-5-5-5-5
My weights were: 95-115-125-130-140F
I ought to have gone 135 on the last set. I've done 135# thrusters before... still, felt good today.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
19 April 2009
"It is better to live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a sheep."
- Italian proverb
WOD: Rest Day!
- Italian proverb
WOD: Rest Day!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
18 April 2009
Suffer on Saturday! This morning was the free workout held once a month by CrossFit Central.
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
“3 person team, for time”
150 box jumps
150 KB swings @ 1.5 pood
120 burpees
120 ring rows
Mark, Tom, and myself finished in 14:02 rx’d.
Felt great - and it's all good when you've got super-fit guys like Mark and Tom on your team! The box jumps were cake (my legs don't hurt as bad as yesterday); my last reps on ring rows were a little sloppy... wasn't totally wiped at the end though. So I didn't push it a much as I could have. Otherwise, it was a good one!
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
“3 person team, for time”
150 box jumps
150 KB swings @ 1.5 pood
120 burpees
120 ring rows
Mark, Tom, and myself finished in 14:02 rx’d.
Felt great - and it's all good when you've got super-fit guys like Mark and Tom on your team! The box jumps were cake (my legs don't hurt as bad as yesterday); my last reps on ring rows were a little sloppy... wasn't totally wiped at the end though. So I didn't push it a much as I could have. Otherwise, it was a good one!
Friday, April 17, 2009
17 April 2009
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
“for time”
500m Row
21 DB Snatch left - 21 right, 42 sit ups
500m Row
18 DB Snatch left - 18 right, 36 sit ups
500m row
15 DB Snatch left - 15 right, 30 sit ups
I finished the 21 and 18 rounds, and was 90 meters into the last row when time was called at 22 minutes. Scaled the DB snatch to 25lbs; my technique felt fine, but my legs are still destroyed from Wednesday’s lunges. Had a couple of missed reps on the 18 round of DB snatch; sit ups and rowing felt strong. Leg strength is still my weakness. Strength bias here I come.
“for time”
500m Row
21 DB Snatch left - 21 right, 42 sit ups
500m Row
18 DB Snatch left - 18 right, 36 sit ups
500m row
15 DB Snatch left - 15 right, 30 sit ups
I finished the 21 and 18 rounds, and was 90 meters into the last row when time was called at 22 minutes. Scaled the DB snatch to 25lbs; my technique felt fine, but my legs are still destroyed from Wednesday’s lunges. Had a couple of missed reps on the 18 round of DB snatch; sit ups and rowing felt strong. Leg strength is still my weakness. Strength bias here I come.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
16 April 2009
“There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”
- Norman Vincent Peale
WOD: Rest Day. Technically.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... things stayed active. Still, I took time out to play a little. Here's a shot from yesterday. It was another gorgeous day in the hill country!
- Norman Vincent Peale
WOD: Rest Day. Technically.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... things stayed active. Still, I took time out to play a little. Here's a shot from yesterday. It was another gorgeous day in the hill country!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
15 April 2009
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
- Winston Churchill
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
50-40-30-20-10
lunges with a 45lbs DB overhead
pushups
Finished in 24:36 rx'd. Ouch. Not hellish, but certainly not a lunge in the park either. My pushups were weak by the second round... gotta work on those.
Now, off to the ranch for a day!
- Winston Churchill
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
50-40-30-20-10
lunges with a 45lbs DB overhead
pushups
Finished in 24:36 rx'd. Ouch. Not hellish, but certainly not a lunge in the park either. My pushups were weak by the second round... gotta work on those.
Now, off to the ranch for a day!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
14 April 2009
“The first step in overcoming our obstacles is acknowledging them.”
- Kyle Maynard
WOD: Rest Day!
While I was punching the snooze button, the Austin Unscared crew was training. Way to go y'all.
I made the news! OK OK, in truth Randal Setzler was featured and I got to hang out in the background and play while KXAN filmed. Good times were had by all, even the cameraman gave it a try.
Watch as Randal leaps over walls in a single bound...
- Kyle Maynard
WOD: Rest Day!
While I was punching the snooze button, the Austin Unscared crew was training. Way to go y'all.
I made the news! OK OK, in truth Randal Setzler was featured and I got to hang out in the background and play while KXAN filmed. Good times were had by all, even the cameraman gave it a try.
Watch as Randal leaps over walls in a single bound...
Monday, April 13, 2009
13 April 2009
My name is Aaron. I will be participating in CrossFit Central's Spartan Challenge which starts May 9th, from which I got the inspiration for the name of my blog.
In ancient Greece, the Agoge was the education and training program all Spartan males undertook to become warriors. It was begun at age seven. The program’s aim was building physically and morally strong warriors for the Spartan army.
Why all the stuff about warriors? Partly because it fits the theme, “Spartan 300 Challenge.” However, I believe that life is about making choices. Everyone chooses how they live - how they approach life - though everyone may not be consciously aware of it.
CrossFit Central coaches Jeremy Thiel and Lance Cantu have excellent posts about this.
Both Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Jack Hoban have written poignantly about choosing to approach life as a warrior.
Grossman’s "On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs" in particular resonated with me. Since choosing to live as a warrior (or sheepdog, or whatever label you put on it) is about choice, I've decided to post honestly about my strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately my progress in CrossFit. What better way to approach, experience, and ultimately appreciate life - and CrossFit - than with the discipline of a warrior?
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"I Am CrossFit"
3 Rounds for time:
400 meter run
15 pullups
7 power hang clean @135lbs
Finished in 11:56 rx'd. The last round of cleans got ugly - really ugly - but I finished with a PR nonetheless. Felt good to go sub-twelve after what I felt like was a sputtering finish to the I Am CrossFit challenge. Improvement feels great!
In ancient Greece, the Agoge was the education and training program all Spartan males undertook to become warriors. It was begun at age seven. The program’s aim was building physically and morally strong warriors for the Spartan army.
Why all the stuff about warriors? Partly because it fits the theme, “Spartan 300 Challenge.” However, I believe that life is about making choices. Everyone chooses how they live - how they approach life - though everyone may not be consciously aware of it.
CrossFit Central coaches Jeremy Thiel and Lance Cantu have excellent posts about this.
Both Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Jack Hoban have written poignantly about choosing to approach life as a warrior.
Grossman’s "On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs" in particular resonated with me. Since choosing to live as a warrior (or sheepdog, or whatever label you put on it) is about choice, I've decided to post honestly about my strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately my progress in CrossFit. What better way to approach, experience, and ultimately appreciate life - and CrossFit - than with the discipline of a warrior?
WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"I Am CrossFit"
3 Rounds for time:
400 meter run
15 pullups
7 power hang clean @135lbs
Finished in 11:56 rx'd. The last round of cleans got ugly - really ugly - but I finished with a PR nonetheless. Felt good to go sub-twelve after what I felt like was a sputtering finish to the I Am CrossFit challenge. Improvement feels great!
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