Raising the Bar

Motivation

2011-02-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here on Friday night, updating my playlist on my iPhone preparing for the affiliate competition at Crossfit TNT tomorrow. As I add Linkin Park and Disturbed, I think about all the different things that motivate people. Motivation is the driving force which causes people to achieve goals.

The nastalgia of Friday nights from almost ten years comes to the forefront of my memory. Fifty young men, most still battling the identity between boyhood and becoming a man, crowded shoulder pad to shoulder pad in the locker room. Silent except for the occasional shuffle of a cleat on the concrete. After an uncomfortable few minutes, the door to the locker room would open and our coach would walk in like General Patton about to address his troops before taking the battlefield. His face never answered the question as to whether he was happy with our play or disappointed in our performance. We waited uncomfortably on one knee. The silence was broken by his voice, hoarse from barking orders the whole first half. He spoke the familiar message, reminding us of the hours spent in the triple digit temperatures of two-a-days. The hard work we put in during the off season in the weight room. The repetition upon repetition from each practice that got us to this point. He could have been reading logorithms from my math book but it was how he spoke the words that brought them to life. By this time my heart was racing. I eyed the cinder block wall, wondering if I could just run through it onto the field. He would always conclude with one question: "What are you going to do?" Then fifty players would stand in unison yelling warcries and smacking shoulder pads, exiting the locker room like gladiators entering the arena.
People are motivated differently. I like to watch how a fighter enters the cage. Some fighters walk out expressionless. They get their orders from the ref and stand in their corner. Relaxed. Almost an eerie calmness. Others enter like rabied pitbulls. Punching and slapping their body, running all over the cage.
What motivates ME? Most of the time it's music. Lyrics screamed from Five Finger Death Punch and Dropkick Murphys. I am motivated by competition. I need a target to chase and a target on my own back. I need to know that people are watching. I hate letting anyone down. And I'm motivated by my self. There is a calm ten seconds before the competition begins. I silently say a few words to the man upstairs, asking him for the strength to complete each workout. 3...I no longer hear the crowd, my wife, my team mates. 2...I have to stick to my game plan. Did I prepare enough. 1...Leave it all out on the floor. No regrets. Go! When the final weights drop and the horn sounds, I become my worst critic. The harshest motivation is the most difficult question...Did I leave it all?

Crossfit TNT workouts:

Workout I:

Each team has 15 minutes to find their one rep max shoulder press and calories rowed.

Workout II:

As a team complete 80 burpees, 160 wall balls, 160 KB snatch, 160 box jumps, 160 thrusters, 80 burpees.

Workout III

Two guys and two girls rotate through four stations for one minute each. One guy and one girl are going at a time. The other guy and girl are holding a plate above their heads. Rotate and repeat. Stations: Power Cleans 135#, Double Unders, Pullups, Toes-to-bar.

Workout IV

Each team member must bearcrawl 15 lengths of the floor and then find their consecutive rep max on OH squat 115/75.

The Five Dollar Daddy

2011-01-21T07:49:00.001-08:00

This week has definitely been a blessing. I PR'ed on two of the lifts that I have been stagnant at for awhile, the Snatch and Overhead Squat. I also had a holiday and a snow day to enjoy with my family, and with those days comes new adventures from Jalah. Her fear of the tomato(tornado) warnings in the spring bring back memories of the cartoon 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes' I watched as a kid. She constantly asks us if we remember when she was four even though it was only three weeks ago she celebrated her fifth birthday. I could write a book from the vantage point of her imagination and it would outsell any Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia. I will share with you a glimpse of some of these stories. I may only be a five dollar dad but she is definitely my Million Dollar Baby.

Ranked number three in my book is the most recent of our encounters. Yesterday morning I received a text from my boss that the office was closed due to snow and ice on the roads. I gently shook my wife awake and gave her the news. Then burrowed my head back into my pillow and let the Ambien continue its course. At seven AM we were greeted by the sound of Jalah's voice as she was running up and down the hallway. "I did it. I did it. I told you I could do it," she exclaimed. "What is it you did, J?" "I did the snow dance and made the snow come back. You've GOT to see this!" So Shan and I climbed out of bed and looked over her shoulder out the window. Sure enough there was snow covering the entire backyard, and the biggest smile ever on a little girl's face. Well when your daughter tells you she did a snow dance, the next item on the agenda is to have her demonstrate this spectacle. So she embarrassingly showed us a few moves and raced to her room to get her snow gear on. The story continues to this morning when she was looking out the window again and informed her mother that more snow had fallen. When interrogated as to whether or not she had danced more, she replied that she had only shown me a few moves and that's why only a little snow had fallen.

My second favorite comes from a book that we occasionally read at night called 'Chip and Cookie.' The book report synopsis of this story is this: A woman named Aunt Della runs out of chocolate chips to make cookies so she creates two magical cookies out of paper that come to life and travel to the palace of Sultan Semi Sweet to get more chocolate chips, meeting many other characters on the way. The problem is this. We read this book EVERY night when she first got it. So I started changing things up a bit. In the most southern black woman's voice I could muster, I retold the story of Chip and Cookie (who became Chip and Dip) and made up every word in the book. During 'Jalah' week at school, J informed the class that Chip and Dip is her favorite book and promised the class that I will come in and read it to them. I've already come up with 37 excuses as to why I cant come in and shock her private Catholic school teacher with my Aunt Jamima impressions.

And the grand prize story goes to the Five Dollar Daddy. During a conversation with her one night she was talking about her life 'before she had a dad,' which prompted us to probe her further. What took place next could not be described in words. Fortunately I captured it on my Flip.

This week I PR'ed on two lifts: Overhead Squat (285) and Snatch (225).
My Max effort Snatch

My Max Effort OH Squat

My Max

2011-01-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

What ever happened to "Go play outside!" Saturday mornings and everyday over the summer, my mom would utter these words to us, and it was usually before 9am. So my brother and I would trudge out into the lawn wondering what to do, but imaginations would take over and we would build forts in the woods, challenge the very masculine neighbor girl to a game of soccer, or invent some game involving broomsticks and bottlecaps. Before long, the lone street light that sat on the corner of our property flickered, illuminating the entire yard, the quiet humm marking a pause in our adventure, like a bookmark in a book, ready to start again right where we left off when the sun comes up again.

Men no longer hide behind shields and swords, their faces scarred with the wounds of battle, war garments stained in blood. They no longer hide behind the sweat and dirt caked on their face, hands cracked from the constant abuse of running a farm or working construction. And kids no longer play outside. Men now hide behind their iPods and Blackberries, wearing dress shirts stained with coffee and jelly donuts. Callouses have been replaced with carpel tunnel from typing. Man once had strong shoulders from carrying, hauling, building, and throwing. Those shoulders have now become hunched over, casualties from staring blankly into the depths of Google and Microsoft. And videogames...our youth's entertainment.

I can only imagine the conversation I will have with my son as he comes home from school with tales of recess. He will wonder why the teacher picked the teams randomly from slips of paper placed in a box. He will wonder why everyone, even the kids who dont want to play, gets a chance to bat. He will wonder why even though someone struck out, they were aloud to take first base so they had a chance to run the bases. He will lastly wonder why they were not aloud to keep score. We're all winners. And we definitely do not want negatively impact the egos of a child by picking him fourth instead of first. And everone in the class gets A's just for showing up, no matter how many pullups you can do, or if you take eight or eighteen minutes to run a mile.

What are the implecations of taking competition out of society? Man was born to compete. To battle. What are the implications of taking away PE and recess? What happens when kids lose the ability to jump, throw, roll, and tumble? The answer lies in us as adults. Our lazy society. Our society thinks its someone else's problem. And our society doesnt work hard because there is some program, some socialist president, and some handout available.

Ponder this: Roman soldiers were required to march at a daily pace of 20 miles in five hours. DAILY. And with a 70 pound pack on their back. Today people are happy with a few minutes on the treadmill before they sit and watch their favorite reality trash show.

Workouts:
Saturday Jan 8, 2011
Roy
5 Rounds:
15 Deadlift 225
20 box jumps 24"
25 Pullups
16:47

Sunday Jan 9, 2011
Max Effort Clean
275=5 pound PR

Monday Jan 10, 2011
11 Clean & Jerks 185#
33 KB Swings 2 pood
9 Clean & Jerks
27 KB Swings
7 Clean & Jerks
21 KB Swings
5 Clean & Jerks
15 KB Swings
3 Clean & Jerks
9 KB Swings
16:53

Tuesday Jan 11, 2011
3 rounds:
6 muscle ups
30 wall balls 20#
12 Hand Stand Push Ups
15 Power Cleans 135
15:00

Wednesday Jan 12, 2011
AMRAP 15 min
Row 250
25 Pushups
7 rounds plus 250 row plus 15 pushups
then
7 rounds
7 Thrusters 115#
70' Bearcrawl
7 Burpees
70' Bearcrawl
right at 20:00

"Life does not wait for you my friend," Ozzie Osbourne.

2010-12-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Ok so it's been over two months since I've posted. Partially because I've increased my client load, partially because we cancelled our internet at the house, and most importantly, I became a dad for the second time. Now I met Jalah when she was potty trained and talking so this infant thing was a whole new ball game. Jaxx entered this world on September 21 (sorry Kyle we tried to wait a day) weighing just over seven pounds. Ten weeks later he weighs 14 pounds and is already 2 feet long and just PR'ed on deadlift for the second week in a row. Now Shan blames the fish oil she religiously took during her pregnancy but I blame the fact that I think she has mixed up the formula dispenser and my Progenex dispenser which are identical.
I never imagined that my life would be this amazing. Instead of my immaculate bachelor pad, clothes clean and in order, and going out on weekends, I have paitings forged from the imagination of a four year old hanging from the refrigerator, bottles littering the counter, sponge bob on the television, and the ever-so-common spit up stain on my shoulder. I have turned to Ambien to get me through the nights when baby lets us know that he hasn't eaten in ten minutes. My garage and my closet has been over taken by my wife's clothing and belongings. All this, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Two weekends ago we competed in the second annual Heart of America Challenge held in St. Charles, MO. Our team consisting of Grant, Melissa, Jessi (five weeks out of pregnancy), Jeremy, Shan (eight weeks out of pregnancy) and myself took third overall in the Rx division. The final event was 150m prowler push, 75m prowler pull, 150m wheelbarrow push, and 150m buddy carry. We were in fourth or fifth place about half way through. Our girls Jessi and Melissa kept us in the race the whole time and Jeremy and I took it home. We ended up finishing second in our heat and third in the event. My dad and step mom competed for the first time. They did awesome except for when my dad thought the weight vest had sleeves during the third workout. At the end of one of his workouts everyone on his team was hurled over in pain. With my Flip I captured one of the best Mike Memories ever. He gets into his stance, places his hat on his head, and cites: "Life does not wait for you my friend...Ozzie Osbourne" Then walks away. Thanks for that, Mike.

Today's workout:
10 min time limit:
9-6-3
Squat clean
Muscle ups
Rest for remainder of ten min.
Then complete:
24-18-12
Pullups
SDHP 95#
6:something on both and I think I pooped my pants.

Juiced

2010-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

In my few years of coaching football and wrestling and in my time training athletes at Crossfit, I have occasionally been asked if I ever used steroids or performance enhancing drugs. Instead of hiding it or beating around the bush, I am always honest with my athletes.
Before I started Crossfit I was 215 pounds right around 10% body fat. I was strong. No neck. I was benching almost 400 pounds, repping 315 for sets of 6-8 with ease. The bars bended when I lifted them. I had to search for plates for my squat, well over 500. My thighs got too big for my dress clothes and jeans. I had to wear a 36-38 in waist to fit my 30-32 so the pants would at least make it over my legs. I worked out for 2 hours a day. Non stop. Super setting, drop setting, negatives, pyramids...stopping in the middle to chug a protein shake. That's what the magazines said to do. I had prescriptions to FLEX, Muscle and Fitness, Men's Fitness, and any other muscle magazine you could think of. I was a meat head. AND I DIDN'T DO IT FAIR.
It all started when a friend of mine asked me to try a new supplement, Methyl Masterdrol. I had no idea what it was. I just knew that it was over the counter and he looked like a Greek God. Couldn't be that bad, right? In a week I could see the gains. Within a month I could 225 rep what would make some NFL scouts raise eyebrows (28). I loved it. When the directions told me to cycle off for a few weeks, I ignored them and kept going. At the time a friend of mine who was also an Endocrinologist asked me what this bottle in my car was. I told her it was a supplement I was taking. She read the label then threw it back at me exclaiming, "what are you taking that crap for!" She proceeded to tell me that it was a pro hormone. Not quite on the steroid level, but bad enough. It was increasing my testosterone levels at an alarming rate and I wasn't doing anything to protect my organs from possible damage. My face turned red. I didn't know that I was taking a testosterone booster. That was my last day on the supplement but the effects lasted much longer. I noticed my maxes start dropping not just one or two pounds, but by ten to fifteen. I no longer had chiseled abs and chest but instead almost had to get a bra for my man boobs. Emotionally I was a wreck. I couldnt run a half a block without my lungs feeling like they were going to explode. I couldn't touch my toes, barely touch my shins. I pulled hamstrings just by walking. My joints hurt bad. My body ached just getting out of bed. I picked up the bottle almost daily, wanting to go back on it. In my mind I was nothing without that strength. Was it worth it? The answer is no. Not just because it's the thing to say, but in reality, I'm no better off for doing it. You cant stay on them forever and the side effects were relentless. It's been well over four years since I stopped taking them. I can now run long distances. I'm flexible. I feel better. My clothes fit. I challenge anyone who can bench 400 pounds to this question? When in life (besides the game of football) is it functional to bench that much. While benching 400, can you run a mile, do 30 consecutive pullups, jump on a 40 inch box, and still clean and jerk 260 overhead? I realized that my strength was not what made me. So to my athletes: It may seem like a quick fix. But it's just a band-aid. And when you take the band-aid off, you'll realize the wounds are so much more than flesh deep.

This week's workouts:

Max 3 rep OH Squat
245

Max 5 rep Front Squat
275

3 rounds:
30 wall balls
30 hang squat snatch 75#
14:21

Bench Press Max effort:
30-3-20-2-10-1
185-275-205-295-235-315

I Need a Hero

2010-08-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

This week has been the week for hero WOD's at the gym. Hero WOD's are bittersweet. They are amazingly tough. You have to grit your teeth and fight for every rep. They are made of heavy weight, tons of reps, and complex movements. However, they are created when a service member dies in the line of duty while serving to protect our freedom. Thank you to all the men and women who serve every day so I can lift the bar one more time, do one more pullup, sweat, fight, and claw through every workout. While doing AdamBrown there was a time during the second round when I wanted to set the 295# deadlift down and not pick it up. I thought of how Adam would give anything to do one more deadlift. We have many service members at our gym. Recently, Jason May went off for amphibious reconassaince training. Bad Ass. Andy and Jon in the Marines, Justin and his team of firefighters. Everyday I work next to true heroes. I thank each and every one of you for what you do for us. Ten bucks to whoever can make it through this video without crying.

"ADAMBROWN"

Two rounds for time of:
295 pound Deadlift, 24 reps
24 Box jumps, 24 inch box
24 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball
195 pound Bench press, 24 reps
24 Box jumps, 24 inch box
24 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball
145 pound Clean, 24 reps
31:40 rx

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Adam Lee Brown, 36, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, was killed on March 17th, 2010 in Komar Province, Afghanistan, in a battle against heavily armed militants. He is survived by his wife, Kelley, two children, Nathan and Savannah, and by his parents.

"I Need a Hero"
1 round of Badger
30 squat cleans 95#
30 pullups
Run 800M

1/3 of Heavy Randy
25 Power Snatches 95#

5 rounds of Nate
2 Muscle ups
4 HSPU
6 KB Swings 32kg

1 round of Ryan
7 muscle ups
21 Burpees (over a 12" parallet)

22:08 RX

In honor of Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Carter, 27, of Virginia Beach, VA who was killed in Iraq 11 December 2007. (Badger)

Randy Simmons, 51, a 27 year LAPD veteran and SWAT team member was killed February 6 in the line of duty.

Chief Petty Officer Nate Hardy was killed Sunday February 4th during combat operations in Iraq. Nate is survived by his wife, Mindi, and his infant son Parker.

Maplewood, Missouri Firefighter, Ryan Hummert, 22, was killed by sniper fire July 21st 2008 when he stepped off his fire truck responding to a call. He is survived by his parents Andrew and Jackie Hummert.

Sometimes You Just Can't Win

2010-08-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

So I am probably going to get in big trouble for writing this blog but I feel that this is an important topic to discuss. It has nothing to do with Crossfit, diet, training, exercise, or fitness. This has to do with the battle between husband and wife. It all started yesterday. During the course of my day, I check out the latest baseball scores on mlb.com, read the newest drama in my friends' lives through FaceSpace, look at the Crossfit main page and our Springfield page at least 139 times, and last but not least, I check out the latest news on cnn.com. Yesterday's site was littered with updates on BP, the Gulf, Lindsay Lohan, and A-Rod trying in vain to hit 600. At the very bottom was a story titled '"Sugarbabe favors negotiated infidelity" Could letting your man sleep with another woman help your relationship?'

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/03/negotiated.infidelity/index.html?npt=NP1

So right now I'm already an asshole for even reading the article but I wanted a good laugh and I love having good material to discuss with Uli as he struggles through the easiest of warmups at Crossfit (There's your shoutout Uli). The bottom line of the article is this. The wife says that her husband can sleep with whomever he wants as long as he doesn't stay the night. The husband says his wife can sleep with whomever she wants as long as she doesn't spoon.
*Disclaimer: I am 110% against any such agreement. This article is a great laugh at their reasoning*
Last night after dinner my wife and I were having some fun conversation and I brought up the article which I had read earlier in the day. Surprisingly, but not serious, she looks at me and says, "If I came to you with that same proposition, could you do it?" I went wrong with the following answer: "No, honey, I am way too jealous. I could never picture you with another guy."
Her response: "So, it's not because you just love me too much or you only want to be with me, but because you are too jealous?"
Sadam Hussein was convicted over the killing of 148 people in the town of Dujail following an assassination attempt on him in 1982. Not because of the hundreds of thousands he murdered in the Nineties when the US stormed Iraq. Not for any other war crimes other than 148 people he killed 30 years ago. Could the courts have had him executed for other larger, more obvious reasons? Yes. However, that one reason was all they needed. Case above; could I have used a thousand other reasons why I would never agree to the proposition? You bet. I threw out one reason and it bit me in the ass. The rest of the night, she just smirked and rolled her eyes at me, occasionally jabbing me with, "I'm glad you're jealous and its not just because you love me." I'm just glad my wife has a bigger sense of humor than I do. At least she pounds my face with kisses when she has me up against the ropes.

Pressure Turns Coal to Diamonds

2010-08-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

In 2008, Thomas Beatie became the first male to become pregnant. In July of 2010, I followed in his footsteps by completing a Crossfit workout wearing a 50lb weight vest and a giant pillow under my shirt. The result? Humbling. People have been asking me if I'm getting nervous about having a kid. Nervous? No. Anxious? Yes. Pressure? Definitely. I met Jalah when she was on her final stages of potty training. She can hold a casual conversation with the most difficult politicians and discuss religions with the highest order clergy. And she can count to twenty five in Spanish but occasionally forgets 21. So is there pressure with our second kid? Absolutely. I was pumped about having a baby boy. Last week at our baby shower, we received so many gifts to which I do not know the use for. I was too busy in Toys R Us seeing how far I could shoot the gun at barcodes instead of listening to Shan. My expectations are that Jaxx is going to pop out, win a state title, and get a full ride to college while I'm wearing a ____University sweater at fall games. I hear it doesnt work that way. Two hours of sleep at a time at night? Baby boys have bad aim?? We shouldnt have gotten white couches because of the chocolate milk kisses, dirty hands, and leaky diapers?? Are you kidding me? But I'm up for the challenge. I mean how hard can it be, right? I've raised a hamster before. I'm qualified.
Baby Jaxx Wod (broken in two ten min videos)
9 rds for time
9 pullups
9 pushups
9 air squats
then 1 body weight clean and jerk at the end.
15: something

Last week I also did a few Wods:
7 rounds
3 Squat cleans 205
4 ring handstand pushups
10:01

Helen on Steroids
Run 1200 m
63 kb swings 55#
36 pullups
Run 800 m
42 kb swings
24 pullups
Run 400 m
24 kb swings
12 pullups
23: 28 which would have placed me in the 40's at the Games. Yuck

“Twenty Minutes/Two WODs”
With a continuously running clock…
From 0-10 minutes (WOD 1), complete 3 rounds for time of:
10 Power Cleans, 185/115lb
10 Burpees
4:26
…from minutes 10-20 (WOD 2), complete the following for time:
40 KB Swings, 55/35lb
Run 800m
40 Deadlift, 185/115lb
7:4something

“CrossFit Disco”
70 Double Unders (scale with 70 Lateral Parellette Jumps)
60 KB Snatches, 24/16kg
50 Box Jumps, 24/20″
40 Wallballburpees
30 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups
20 Clean and Jerks (power or squat), 135/85lb
10 Clapping Push Ups
20:28

“12 Pack”
Complete the following for time (12 minute time-limit for RX):
Using a 135/85lb Barbell…
12 Thruster
12 Deadlift
12 Squat clean
12 Push press
12 Hang power clean
12 Front squat
12 Push jerk
12 Hang squat clean
12 Power clean
12 Shoulder press
11:26

"Amanda"
Three rounds, 9-7- and 5 reps, for time of:
Muscle-up
135 pound Squat snatch
7:05

The Tipping Point

2010-07-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

The tipping point is defined in many ways. Some say it is the point at which an object is dispaced from a stable equilibrium into a new different state. Think of leaning back on a chair. Someone comes and barely pushes it just a millimeter farther, or you lean back just a little too far and your body jolts forward as you try to avoid crashing to the floor. Malcolm Gladwell wrote the book "The Tipping Point." In it he discusses how ideas dont just blossom instantaneously. Epidemics dont just cover the world overnight. They start small, and gradually pick up pace exponentially until the idea, the disease, the fear is so strong, so widespread, that it's nearly impossible to turn back.
My tipping point sits in the gym staring back at me. I personally have not pushed myself past it. The tipping point is where your body is begging you to stop, tortured in agony, screaming in pain...and your mind tells the body to push on through, rep after rep until the last rep is completed. Instead, I cower at the least bit of discomfort. I tell myself its 'ok' to rest for a second. It's ok to BE second. Mentally I am weak. Emotionally I strive to be stronger. I video most of my workouts. I look back on these workouts to plan different strategies, coach myself on form, and find out what I suck at. Example number one: Sectional WOD I, the Airforce WOD. During the WOD I felt as if I were crushing it. My body was uncomfortable but I kept pushing. My lungs burned but I kept going. I ended up finishing in the top 8 for the AFW with a 6:40 something score. Looking back at the video I realized I spent more time staring at my bar than I did lifting it. I could probably tell you every nick and scratch in the bar from studying it so hard as my hands rested on my knees. My wife screaming from the stands to pick up the GD Bar had no effect. Precious moments wasted. Seconds can separate a regional qualifier from an athlete going home. Fortunately I finished in the top ten at sectionals and went to Colorado for regionals. It was here that I truly realized how much I fold at the slightest discomfort. WOD III was three rounds of Row 500m, 12 OHS 115# and 50 DU's. I cruised through the first round in under three minutes. The second round was a little more difficult. And during the third round, I actually set the rower down for a second to rest while ten other athletes passed me. I was the last one finished in my heat. I was embarrassed. I watched the highlight video posted below from the 2010 CF Games. I watched how these unbelievable athletes push past their body's limits, something I strive to do. Below the video is a post written by Uli Gulji. It summarizes how an athlete feels after a workout. I always tell my athletes to empty the tank. Never let go of the bar. Dont look at the bar, just pick it up. I need to practice what I preach. I need to pass my tipping point.

For a moment time stops altogether.
The clock, the crowd, the sum of my efforts, everything comes screaming to a halt.
Everything but the pain; that stays, it's journey is nowhere near over.
And as the weights come crashing down around me, their fury echoing like thunder
I realize in this moment I'm alone with a body that's begging for mercy....
Sweat rolling in waves,my heart thumping with a racing cadence
all around me the sounds are muted by locomotive exhaust that is my own breath,
my lungs searing, desparate for sweet relief, grateful for a momentary respite.
I want to give my body the break it demands, but right now I can't,
because a battle continues to rage in my mind
and in that moment frozen in time, I wonder if I've pushed it past the red line.
One more. Just one more. Deep from within, was there one more left?
Then, as fast as it came, the moment was gone
And I was left.

Baywatch

2010-07-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

I never cease to give my wife ammo. Most of the time I cant stay out of my own way. This past weekend, we went to Grant and Melissa Wistrom's house for a BBQ and swimming. I was on the edge of the pool enjoying my steak when all of a sudden Melissa says, "Is Jalah ok?!" I turned around to see Jalah's head appear and then disappear below the surface. Jalah can't swim, nor does she have her water wings on. I sprang to my feet and made my first mistake...I took my shirt off to jump in the pool after my drowning daughter. It felt like an hour of me doggy paddling to her. When I got to the scene, Melissa had Jalah out of the water, dried off, eating a sandwich. Then the cackles started. "Why did you have to take your shirt off?" "Did you test the temperature of the water before you got in?" "Did you make sure you oiled up and flexed for everyone?" So here I am, admitting to everyone, I made a mistake. I should have jumped in, steak and all, shirt on.

Friday night, my little sister Andi moved to Springfield. Shan and I moved our spare bed over there and had a chance to see her apartment. Let me just tell you that my college apartment was a complete dookie hole. Her's looks like a downtown loft with hardwood floors and new appliances. On Saturday Shan took her to Wal mart for the necessities while I took her new beau Alex to Crossfit for what I said would be a 'quick workout.' He DID do great. Never quit. Used the prescribed weight. I approve. Below is a video of Eye Candy Andy and I doing Thursday's Main Page Wod "Johnson." Andy knew Johnson from being stationed at Okinawa. Andy completed 5 rounds and all the deadlifts and I got 5 rounds with four deadlifts. I took this video with my Flip which has the option of taking the complete video and making a condensed version. I used that option not knowing that the shots that the software chose were all shots of me resting. I do have the complete video if anyone questions the scores :-)

Saturday WOD
"Johnson"
AMRAP 20 MIN
9 Deadlifts 245#
8 Muscle Ups
9 Squat Cleans 155#
5 rds + 4 Deadlifts

Sunday Wod
Filthy Fifty
50 Box Jumps
50 KB Swings
50 Jumping Pull ups
50 Double Unders
50 Push Press
50 KTE
50 Walking Lunges
50 Back Extensions
50 Wall Balls
50 Burpees
24:57

Monday Wod
50 Double Unders
35 Bench Press 135#
20 Snatch 155#
35 Bench Press
50 Double Unders
9:57

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

2010-07-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. These are the words that my father constantly teaches me. Nothing is clear cut, black and white. There are always shades of gray. Things can take a wild turn at a moment's notice and you have to be able to hang on for the ride. Use what's around you. Think outside the box. These pictures of my father show him doing just that. My dad and stepmom built a garage gym a few months ago. They only have enough weights on the barbell to reach 135 pounds. And he only has one 25, one 35 and one 45 lb kettlebell. So when the workouts require farmers walk, my dad strapped plates to the kettlebells using a tow strap and a kitchen towel. And there is how he was able to do farmers walk with 55 lbs in each hand. Then the workout called for heavy deadlift. My dad added everything on the bar he could to make it heavy.

My dad is a former collegiate wrestler. He holds nine varsity letters in three different sports from high school. This month, my dad turns 51. A year into his AARP subscription and my dad has never felt better. His cholesterol is down. His weight is down. His body fat is down. His soda consumption is down. The only thing that's not down is the corner's of his mouth. He has drank the Kool-Aid. And what does my stepmom think of his madness? She laughs as she laps him on Fran and flies past him on Murph. She's just as crazy as he is.

Friday WOD

In 5 min:

Row 400 m

As many deadlifts 275# as you can

Rest 2 min

In 7 min:

Run 800 m

As many ring dips as you can

Rest 2 min

In 9 min:

120 double unders

As many power snatches 135# as you can

My score: 40-56-32 for a total of 128

Monday WOD

Ten min timelimit using 95#:

Row 1000 m

50 push press

35 OH squats

20 hang snatches

9:56

Tuesday WOD

20 Backsquat 115#

20 parallet pushups

20 backsquat 115#

20 situps

20 parallet pushups

20 backsquat

20 pullups

20 situps

20 parallet pushups

20 backsquats 115#

20 pushpress 115#

20 pullups

20 situps

20 parallet pushups

20 backsquat 115#

20 SDHP 115#

20 pushpress 115#

20 pullups

20 situps

20 parallet pushups

20 backsquats 115#

24:36

When Titans Clash

2010-06-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I removed my 'honey-do' list from the dresser, blew off the dust, and realized that my wife had crossed out the 'honey' so now it was just a 'do' list. At the top: install hardwood floors. Friday night I raced home from the gym and started ripping out carpet. With all the carpet in a pile in the garage, and all the staples and nails up, it finally dawned on me that I really have to go through with this project now. I called my pops. He said he would be down in the morning. Let me tell you about my dad. He is 50 years old. In great shape. Started Crossfitting a couple months ago and is hooked. I get three texts from my dad EVERYDAY: the first asks how he can scale the wod based on what equipment he has in his garage gym. The second asks what other people got on the wod. the third is his time. Usually I am shocked and impressed at his third text. It is not alcohol, drugs, or gambling that grips his soul. It's Crossfit. He drank the Koolaid. Now my dad came down dressed to work. By ten am and three trips to the hardware store for the right tools and materials, we got started. By 9:30 that night, we were putting the furniture back in the living room and by six Sunday night we were finished with the hallway. Only three more rooms to go.

Yesterday's WOD was the Airforce WOD. this was the first workout in the 2010 Midwest Sectional. I got 6:40 followed closely by Jeremy at 6:59. I sent a text out to Jeremy and EyeCandy Andy on Sunday night to set up the playing field for us three to go head to head. Jeremy bowed out due to a sinus infection and I was hoping Andy would be busy so I wouldnt have to face another loss. But the text came late Sunday night: "Yeah man, I'll be there." Thoughts of faking an injury, a sickness, just flat out not showing up crossed my mind. But I'm a competitor. I walk in the gym at noon on Monday. Melissa is already setting her bar up and Andy is waiting, shirt off, grinning from ear to ear, ready to go to war. I captured the epic battle on my Flip. The video is below. the workout is as follows:

Complete the following in order with 95/65 as the weight:

20 Thrusters

20 SDHP

20 Push press/jerk

20 OH Squat

20 front squat

Eye Candy Andy

2010-06-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

Holy hell could it be any hotter. 95 stagnant degrees, no air, the perfect way to sweat. I train clients in the morning and I'm drenched. I train myself at noon and I'm drenched. I train more clients at night and I'm drenched. Three showers and a load of laundry daily. That is what Crossfit is all about!

So there is the new kid on the playground. His name is Andy. He is 0% body fat. A marine. Married with a beautiful wife and daughter who gives me hugs every day (the daughter, not the wife), has that perfect smile...and completely destroys my times in the gym. I would be so jealous, so pissed, so annoyed, if it weren't for the fact that he is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. You could say that he's my man crush but Grant Wistrom already fills that category and I'm only allowed one to avoid any homosexual connotations. I tried to find a bad picture of Andy to bring him back down to a competitive level with me.

The other night we went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch Chuck Liddell get put to sleep. While we were there, all the cute little BWW waitresses were whispering and giggling while pointing at Andy. Then one told him how cute he was. About thirty minutes later, two waitresses that resembled Peter and Chris from Family Guy dressed in wigs came up and this time tapped on my shoulder. Apparently they thought I was cute. I wasnt even flattered and all Andy could do was laugh at me as they walked away. Andy beat my "Bareknuckle" time by almost a minute and he had a 10 burpee penalty. He dominated our scrimmage workout. Josh Nimmo got 11:43 and I got 11:45. Andy...10:05. It is great to have such a competitor to train with. We can only go one direction, and that's up. Sectionals 2011 should see Crossfit Springfield bring at least six or seven to regionals.

Today's workout:

Did a strength workout of Clean and Jerk practice with Melissa at 8am. Then went back at noon for:

Row 2000m

50 wall balls 20#

Row 1000m

35 wall balls

Row 500

20 wall balls.

Didnt time it b/c didnt work the stopwatch right. But based on the group clock, probably between 15-18 min.

Nasty Girls

2010-06-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Coming off a refreshing Father's Day weekend ready to hit the weights. Father's Day was amazing. Jalah gave me a homemade mobile which is hanging above my office. Pictures of us at the beach, me painting her nails, and her hitting me with a snowball. I love her so much. She has gained so much personality in the last few months. And she has become so affectionate. I love hearing her call me daddy. It makes the rest of my life have meaning. Shanna is doing great. Little Jaxx is doing Capoeira in her belly daily. It's fun and weird to feel it. Today I went into the gym and met Melissa for a quick workout called 'Nasty Girls.'

3 rounds for time:

50 air squats

7 muscle ups

10 hang power cleans 135#

My last PR was 7 30something.

Today I finished up at 6:53. I broke the last two sets of hang cleans which took some time. Muscle ups felt strong. Melissa is doing amazing with her muscle ups and finished in 12:30ish. Meeting her tomorrow at 8am for a strength workout then at noon for a WOD.

Right Cross...Left Hook

2010-06-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I walked in the gym yesterday afternoon with the intention of doing the "Four Quarters" workout that Jeremy had programmed. There, in the corner, quietly putting away his gear, was Mel (pic above). I do not get the opportunity to work with Mel that often so I put my bar up and strapped the gloves on for a 30 min brutal kickboxing session. First off, let me mention that Mel is a ninja. He even wears Vibrams, aka the creepy foot shoes and climbes up the 30 foot tall support beam for fun. Here was the workout:

7 Two minute rounds of hands only resting :15 in between
7 Two minute rounds of hands and kicks resting :15 in between

I got my butt handed to me buy a guy holding focus mits

It Begins

2010-06-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

So I have had people ask me what my training is like. What I do to prepare for competition. What my workouts/times are. So I decided to start a blog to share.

Today I had planned on meeting Melissa for Fran and then max effort clean and jerk. However, Jeremy cut me off at the pass and came up with a master plan of his own:

Death by Thrusters:
Two sets of 35# dumbells were set 10 meters apart. At the start of the workout, you had to sprint the 10 meters and then do max effort thrusters for the remainder of the minute. At the top of the next minute you had to sprint 20m and max thrusters for the remainder. 30m the third, 40m the fourth and so on until you could not complete at least one thruster within the minute. I made it 12 minutes and did a total of 86 thrusters which tied Jeremy. Melissa dropped out at 9 minutes but got 96 thrusters at 20#.

then...

We decided to follow that up by 4X3 OH Squats at 205# coupled with max weighted pullups at 25#. Once again I tied Jeremy with 36 pullups in the four sets.

It's good to get back into competition mode again and Jeremy is such a good competitor to train with.