31 May 2009

"There is not great talent without great willpower."

- Honoré de Balzac

WOD: "active" rest day!

"5 rounds for time"

10 box jumps @ 28" box

20 burpee, medicine ball clean to wall ball @ 18 lbs medball

My time was 12:00 rx'd. Except for a nasty looking scrape on my left shin from a failed box jump, felt grrreat! 

Which suprised me for two reasons... One: I was supposed to rest today according to my 3-on 1-off, 2-on 1-off training schedule. Two: I experienced a self-discipline FAIL and drank last night, so this being a "flush the alcohol out of my system" workout I was expecting extra suffering. Which didn't really happen... I'm still waiting on the hangover I so richly deserve... 

Anyway, I'm feeling good, and ready to get started on a new month! Week four of the Spartan Challenge here I come!

30 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central

"Sufer on Saturday"

two person team, AMRAP in 15 minutes of:

7 barbell front squats @ 95lbs

7 pullups

7 burpees

Eric and I teamed up and completed 15 rounds rx'd. Fun! Haven't done an AMRAP in awhile.

29 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
400 meter run
10 situps, 1 barbell thruster @ 115 lbs
10 situps, 2 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 3 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 4 barbell thrusters
400 meter run
10 situps, 5 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 6 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 7 barbell thrusters
400 meter run
10 situps, 8 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 9 barbell thrusters
10 situps, 10 barbell thrusters
400 meter run

26:01 rx'd. Ahhh pain, my old frienemy. Felt strong until the round with 6 thrusters. Had to finish up doing 1 and 2 thrusters at a time... situps were cake though. Great workout! Just the stuff I need to work on: lifting heavy(er).

28 May 2009

"People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things."
- Sir Edmund Hillary

Decisions. It's cliche, but life really is all about making decisions. Or perhaps it's more about developing and reinforcing a mindset that keeps you aware of the decisions you make. How you think, and what you do must be in alignment with accomplishing your goals (whatever they may be), otherwise you're just wasting your time. Once that mindset is in place - making the decisions to eat well, study, exercise, not drink, stay away from the cookies at the office, doing whatever it is that will get you closer to what you want - those decisions become easy. That's something the CrossFit community has helped me teach myself, and reinforced by example! These people are awesome!

WOD: Rest Day! I need this one... I'm sore from "Murph" still!

And a little something just for fun...  

27 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"4 rounds for time"
800 meter run
15 ring dips
10 burpees

My time was 20:37 as rx'd. This one was fun... tough, but fun! Now I'm off to the kitchen to make an omelet Robb Wolf posted on his page... looks tasty!

26 May 2009

WOD: with Austin Unscared
"Murph"
For time. Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it:
1 mile run
100 pullups
200 pushups
300 squats
1 mile run

My time was 47:06 without a weight vest.

Wow.... That. Was. Tough. I was disappointed there was no hero workout at CrossFit Central yesterday, so I decided to do one on my own today. 

From CrossFit.com: "Murph" is named in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005. This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor." From here on it will be referred to as "Murph" in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

HOOYAH Murph.

25 May 2009

It's Memorial Day. So you get another quote...

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
- the Bible, book of John 15:13



Picture above: MA2 (SEAL) Michael Monsoor training in Kodiak, Alaska.

During a combat mission in Iraq, on September 29th 2006, Monsoor threw himself on an enemy grenade - shielding his teammates from the blast - and saving their lives. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.



Most of us will enjoy today in peace and hopefully in the company of family and friends. At some point in your day, please take a moment and think about those who have sacrificed themselves for our country. It's the absolute LEAST we can do.

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
500 meter row
21 handstand pushups
500 meter row
15 handstand pushups
500 meter row
9 handstand pushups

12:40 with modified HSPU (feet-up on the 32" box). No problems with my shoulder or neck! Then Lance had us finish the day with 8 rounds of bottom-to-bottom Tabata squats! Ouch. My lowest round was 7. I'm glad to be back!

24 May 2009

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.”
- Chinese proverb

WOD: Rest Day.

The last of a injury induced "rest week." Five consecutive days off. But I'm training tomorrow! I'd say I've got 98% range of motion in my neck. Still a little tight when I turn my head all the way left... but I'm confident I can get back at it.

I ate well the whole time... OK most of the time. There were three exceptions. I drank a lot Friday and Saturday night. Being the Spartan Challenge, I should have been more disciplined... but I failed. There is never a "good" excuse, but I had fun. Friday night a lot of folks went out to celebrate Lance's birthday, and Saturday my friend Mike graduated from UT law school. Discipline Fail number three was the ice cream sandwich at Cuatros I had tonight watching Lebron and company lose game three... By "ice cream sandwich" I mean a large scoop of Mexican vanilla sandwiched by chocolate-chip cookies. It was outstanding!

My undisciplined streak ends now though. It was fun while it lasted, but I'm ready to get back to feeling great and training hard!

22 May 2009

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
- Lance Armstrong

WOD: Rest Day. Again.

The upside is I paid another visit to my doc. Got another chiro adjustment and a second round on the e-stem. Definitely getting better, just slowly. I should be ready for next week!

Until then... it's Memorial Day weekend! Summer is officially here!! So turn off the computer, and get outside and play!

21 May 2009

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
- Epictetus

WOD: Doctor prescribed rest day, numero dos.
"exercise patience, for time"

Neck still sore as hell, but my range of motion is improving gradually.

20 May 2009

“I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”
- John D. Rockefeller

WOD: Rest Day. As prescribed by my doc.

This is very frustrating. I've got a fun little muscle strain in my neck/upper back. Yesterday at the doc's I was hooked up to an e-stem (which was kinda cool, never done that before) and got a small chiropractic adjustment. Today I'm either marginally better and really sore, or marginally sore and still all jacked up. I can turn my head to left a little now though... so that's something.

I'd like to be back training by Friday - at the moment I'm not optimistic - we'll see.

19 May 2009

WOD: with Austin Unscared
"3 rounds for time"
10 dumbell thrusters @ 45lbs DBs
10 burpees

7:29 rx'd. Bad day. Last round sucked... in an epic kind of way. A little worried I may have strained a muscle in my upper back/shoulders. Neck and left shoulder really tight. Painful to turn my head to the left... going to get checked out shortly.

On a subject that Dutch posted about recently, I still wake up early each morning looking forward to training! I consider this stuff fun! Most of the time anyway... but I'm one of the crazy ones!

18 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"four rounds for time"
400 meter run
50 squats

12:27 was my time. Feeling better after two days off this weekend! Glad to be back at it. We did some knees-to-elbows and, just when you though it was over... six rounds Tabata pushups!

A Tabata round = 20 seconds work followed by 10 seconds rest, your score is the round with the lowest rep count.

Our "rest" was holding the plank position! Ouch... my score was 4! Just when you think you're not bad at pushups (Spartan 300 WOD thank you very much) CrossFit has a wonderful way of crushing whatever bit of ego you might have festering...

Fun way to start the week!

15 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
KB thrusters @ 1.5 pood (approx. 52 pounds)
burpee-box jumps

I got through 3 reps of the "6" round by the 20 minute cutoff at the rx'd weight. That's 37 KB thrusters and 34 burpee-box jumps in 20 minutes. No bueno.

That workout smoked me... just getting two 1.5 pood KBs in the rack got challenging at times during this one. The burpee-box jumps became the "fun" part.

Week one of the Spartan Challenge is over, and it's never been more obvious that strength is my weakness. Period. My ability to lift/move heavy weights is lacking. Nobody likes to admit they suck at something, but this week has shown me that strength is what I need to work on most. I used to rationalize it by saying something like "well I'm skinny but for my body type I'm pretty strong." No more. FU** THAT. Rationalization is another word for excuse. Excuses help you to avoid overcoming your weaknesses. I won't get better with a thought process like that.

Big Mike is my coach for the Spartan challenge, and he's told me to do heavy lifting at least two days a week - days I'm not training at Crossfit Central.

So... I've got a goal (improved strength), and I've got a plan to get there (lift heavy twice a week), all that's left to do is do it!

I am determined to turn my weakness into a strength.

Check out Zach Thiel's stubborn determination...

14 May 2009

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

WOD: Rest Day!

I slept in this morning.... it was glorious.

13 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"5 rounds for time"
15 back squats @ 155lbs
400 meter run

I completed 4 rounds in 20:29 scaled to 135 lbs. The cutoff time was 20 minutes. Not pleased with my performance today. I didn't cupcake - it was more of a fight to keep going, rather than a fight to perform well. Rough day... not that they're ever easy.

I don't think I've ever looked forward to a rest day as much as I am right now.

12 May 2009

WOD: with Austin Unscared
"4 rounds for time"
25 squats
10 vertical jumps
15 pushups

6:22 rx'd. Too slow. Followed up with 100 knees-to-elbows.

Felt blah today, but I was there and did the work. Those are the days that make a difference I'm told. I still don't feel recovered from the Spartan workout Saturday... that's three days ago! I'm eating well, but I need more sleep.

11 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
20 squats, 1 barbell snatch, 1 suicide run
20 squats, 2 barbell snatch, 1 suicide run
20 squats, 3 barbell snatch, 1 suicide run
20 squats, 4 barbell snatch, 1 suicide run
20 squats, 5 barbell snatch, 1 suicide run

14:51 @ 95lbs barbell snatch. Ouch. Slow today... body is still wrecked from the Spartan Challenge on Saturday... my hip flexors and lower back are killing me! Gotta spend some time with my trigger point set today.

10 May 2009

"A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest."
- Irish proverb

Happy Mother's Day!

WOD: Rest Day!

A few shots from the Spartan Challenge yesterday...

This kid needs a tan!

09 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
Spartan 300 Challenge
"for time"
25 pullups
50 deadlifts @ 135lbs
50 pushups
50 box jumps
50 floor wipes @ 135lbs
50 kettlebell clean & press @ 1 pood (approx. 36lbs)
25 pullups

My time was 18:57 rx'd!! The pain really kicked in during the floor wipes but I managed to fight through and finish under the 20 minute time limit. This was the first time I completed the 300 under the time limit! That's what we call a PR baby!

OH YEEEAAAAH!

08 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
200m Run, 50 Box Jumps, 10 Pullups, 5 Burpees
200m Run, 40 Box Jumps, 10 Pullups, 5 Burpees
200m Run, 30 Box Jumps, 10 Pullups, 5 Burpees
200m Run, 20 Box Jumps, 10 Pullups, 5 Burpees
200m Run, 10 Box Jumps, 10 Pullups, 5 Burpees

My time was 17:13 as rx'd. This one was fun! My first two rounds of pullups were chest-to-bar, and on the 20 and 10 rounds of box jumps I got crazy and did the 32" box. Lovin' it! Great morning!

Tomorrow morning is the Spartan 300 workout!

07 May 2009

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
- Winston Churchill

or in other words...



WOD: Rest Day!

06 May 2009

WOD: @ CrossFit Central
"for time"
50 man-makers @ 50lbs DBs

One repetition of a "man-maker" is done by starting with dumbbells in hand, going to the floor, doing a pushup, row with your left arm then your right, jump your feet back under you to a dead-lift position, and then do a dumbbell squat-clean to thruster.

I completed 34 at the 15 minute cutoff, with 45# dumbbells. Wow that hurt... literally knocked me on my... back.

There was no rest for the dizzy as Lance and JDP had a nasty little surprise waiting - surprises really - three 400 meter "sprints" with a two minute rest in between. My times were, 1:28, 1:21, and 1:23. It's wild how as I got further away from that horrible workout, my run times improved! Crazy tough this morning!

I feel like I'm getting better at ramping up the intensity though... which I'm told is largely due to dialing in my eating. Most days now it's more of a struggle to keep the intensity up, than to just keep moving. Don't know if that makes sense but, until I improved how I ate it felt like hitting a wall on just about every workout. That's why nutrition is the foundation of the pyramid...



Or maybe CrossFit just acclimates you to running into walls? Metaphorical ones of course... all joking aside... feeling good feeling great! Especially now that it's over... wooohooo!

Still more from last weekend's qualifier..

CrossFit Central's Kris Kepler (on the left) pulling in the rain


who wants spinach anyway? classic...

05 May 2009

WOD: with Austin Unscared
2009 CrossFit Games Southwest Regional Qualifier WOD #2
"for time"
50 pullups chest-to-bar
50 burpees

My time was 7:11 as rx'd. Fun... in that painful sort of way.

It's funny what goes through your mind as you lay there trying to catch your breath... so I'm on the ground, all wrecked, staring up at the sky - this being my first, and very likely only workout today - and I kept thinking about how Dutch, Lance, and Carey rocked this WOD in the qualifier as their second workout of the day! Seeing it, and feeling it (sort of) are two wholly different things....

Their times for this WOD, by the way... Dutch at 3:13, Lance at 3:37, and Carey at 6:07.

I in no way mean to take away from the stellar performances of so many last Saturday, it's just that those three really stuck in my mind. Getting a very small taste of what all the competitors went through once again reminded me how privileged I am to be surrounded by a world-class group of athlete/coaches at CrossFit Central! Y'all rock!

speaking of rockstars...

04 May 2009

WOD: at CrossFit Central
"fight gone bad"
three rounds
one minute each station, one minute rest between rounds
score is total number of reps

Wall Ball @ 20lbs medicine ball
Sumo Deadlift High @ Pull 75lbs
Box Jump
Push Press @ 75lbs
Row (calories = points)

There was only time for two rounds in class today, my score after those two was 198 rx'd... frustrating. I really wanted to go for 300+ today. Hit the wall in round 1 - not a good sign - but peeled myself of the floor for round 2 and managed to stay consistent. To break 300 I would've had to rock the socks off round 3, but that's what it's all about... digging deep when you feel like sh**! Next time... next time we meet FGB, I'm going to own your ass.

More CrossFit Central athletes in action at the qualifier:

Richard White locking out 155lbs overhead... textbook.


coach Chris Hartwell's rowing

CrossFit Games Qualifier: Final Standings

I'm in Austin today but more importantly, the results are in for the 2009 CrossFit Games Southwest Regional Qualifier!

The top five female athletes are:
1. Carey Kepler
2. Pollyanna Bobseine
3. Crystal McReynolds
4. Lindsey Smith
5. Nikki Hall



The top five male athletes are:
1. Dutch Lowy
2. Breck Berry
3. Lance Cantu
4. Vic Zachary
5. Jason Boag



Congratulations to all those who competed, and to those who qualified!

CrossFit Games Qualifier: End Day 1

Congratulations to all the CrossFit Central athletes and coaches who competed today! What an amazing experience! I had a blast (even when it rained), and I'm already going hoarse from yelling so much.

It is a privilege to be around such a great group of people. I love that the person coming in last on a workout gets the loudest cheers of support! Only in CrossFit!

At the end of day one of the Hell's Half Acre regional qualifier for the 2009 CrossFit Games... and two workouts today...

The top 5 women are:
1. Carey Kepler
2. Pollyanna Bobseine
3. Lindsey Smith
4. Crystal Mcreynolds
5. Nikki Hall

The top 5 men are:
1. Dutch Lowy
2. Breck Berry
3. Lance Cantu
4. Jason Boag
5. Anthony Mungioli

One final workout tomorrow!

CrossFit Central's Carey Kepler after completing WOD #2...

01 May 2009

WOD:
"cupcake Friday"
no training, for time

I cupcaked... again dammit! I let my training slip this week. No consistency. Well, I was consistently lazy... I gotta refocus! Monday is the start of a new month of classes as CrossFit Central.

However, the playing will continue this weekend... I'm heading to Fort Worth tonight to cheer on coaches and athletes from CrossFit Central as they compete in the CrossFit Games qualifier. GSX CrossFit, a.k.a. Hell's Half Acre doesn't know what's coming! Double C's baby!

new Trigger Point gear!

Here's some shots of Tuesday's noon class playing with the new Trigger Point foam rollers...

Lance Cantu, Cassidy Phillips, and John Del Peral


kick back at CrossFit Central... as long as your soleus is on fire!


extra attention from Lance


trying to embrace the pain...


Thank You to Cassidy Phillips and CrossFit Central for the chance to play with this new gear before anybody else!