Thursday, March 31st, 2011 - Further Analysis & a lil' bit of work

Morning is going something like this.  Replaced two faulty showerheads at my house, made a Home Depot run, picked up a new miter saw blade for my 20 dollar craigslist miter saw.  Made the kids breakfast and I hope to get some playstation in when the kids go down for their afternoon nap.  Even managed to get in this...

Light back squat day
95lbs x 5 reps
135lbs x 5 reps
185lbs x 5 reps

Planning on doing some 90 sec rows / 24" box jumps later tonight, gotta go into work tonight for a 10p-6am shift.

So last night, I took a long hard look at my last 12 months training and dietary intake logs.  Some of you might remember how I bitched and moaned about overtraining and burning out late last fall and then got injured in early Dec of 2010.

Right around early August, I made some pretty substanstial changes to my diet in my opinion.  I removed avacados and replaced it with much less olive oil and removed pretty much all fruit out of my diet and for a short while beer.  For fruit, my main staple was grapes...GOD I LOVE ME SOME GRAPES!!!(run on sentence...haha)

I won't place all the blame on removing those items, I have my fair share of cheat meals and I was a little shy on sleep.  Come on though...who isn't short on sleep.  We live in America for crying out loud, nobody gets enough rest.  So carbs are thy enemy right????  I'm going to tend to disagree.  Sure, carbs are thy enemy if you're eating doritos, oreos and snickers.  Fuck yeah they are thy enemy!

Recently, I introduced avocados and oranges back into my diet and I'm feeling ALOT better.  Like night and DAY better.  For breakfast, I'll usually have 1/2 an avacodo, an entire orange and some asparagus with my eggs.  Lunch same thing without the orange.

You always have to find what works best for you.  I'd like to think that with my work schedule, my dietary and workout requirements are probably alot different from an individual that works 7-5/M-F.  Looking at the big picture, if you're stalling in a certain area or feeling like you just aren't making progress, take a look at what's worked for you in the past.

Over the last few weeks, my stance on on training has shifted somewhat.  I'm a big advocate on squatting.  Squating needs to be done twice a week.  John Welbourn has said it, Justin form 70's big has said and I've done it.  I get much better results when I'm squating more than once a week.

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 - Ahhh... Light at the end of the tunnel

Working today...did various calisthenics with the other firemen. Worked up a mild sweat and provided moral support. Afterwards did some dynamic effort work.

DE Power Clean 8x2 on the min for 8 minutes
135lbs

Strength is totally there right now.  This is the lightest 135lb power cleans has ever felt.

Got wind of the 2nd Crossfit Games WOD
9-155lb deadlifts
12 hand release pushups
15 box jumps@24"

Talk about right in my wheelhouse. Been working like crazy on pushups with a guy at work. Box jumps...I can kill'em and the weight on the deadlift is light.

I've been so hard on myself about my training since well about Aug/September 2010. I remember having a discussion with JA about how I should train for the Games. I've had a game plan and for the most part Ive stuck to it. I knew I needed to get stronger, so I got stronger and put on some weight and body fat. Sure my cardio sucked but it's improving quickly. Didn't have HSPU's last fall...guess what? I got'em now.

It's ironic just the other day an article came out about Grahm Holmburg winner of the 2010 Croasfit games. He pretty much followed a similar style of training. He didn't murder the first WOD because he plans on being in peak condition during the finals of the Crossfit Games.

I knew I needed to peak right around April.  Well, I've laid back on the strength work, upped the metcons and controlled my food portions and it's all coming together.  Bodyweight has been as high as 196.7lbs in 2011 and last night it was down to 189lbs.  The plan is to be right around 183-180lbs the next few weeks.  Big thanks and shoutouts to CFWC...I've learned alot about diet over the last year.

Very pleased right now with the results of my training.  It's been alot of hardwork despite some serious injuries.  Looking forward to competing for the remaining 5 weeks.

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 - 8 min amrap + 2nd wod

Got to work on some weaknesses today.

8 min amrap
10 - 225lb deadlifts
20 20lb wall balls
10 toes to bar

2 rounds + 5 deadlifts (disclaimer - 1st round I did 30 toes to bar instead of 10...my bad)

Can't remember the last time I deadlifted.  Thankfully they didn't feel heavy.

3 mins rest

I scaled the next word
3 rounds for time
10 1arm snatch 35lbs (5 each arm)
6 pistols - 3 each leg

Time was roughly 5 1/2 minutes

Saturday, March 26th, 2011 - Crossfit Open WOD 1

10 min AMRAP
30 Double Unders
15 Ground to Overhead @ 75lbs

4 rounds + 12 double unders - rx'd

Pretty happy with the results.  I'm way deconditioned and didn't do too bad.  My double unders are fairly well so I think that helped counter being out of shape.  The open is 6 weeks long, so I hope to do real well on the 6th workout.

Thursday, March 24th, 2011 - Hey fatboy....Do you still workout???

Yeah...I'm still here.  The biceps are mucho perfecto.  I figured out what happen and why they got so tight.  A ubber strong guy at work loves to do pushups, so he talked me into doing some of his pushup workouts.

It went something like 15 pushups/60 sec rest/ etc. until you get to like 130 or in that ballpark.  Anyway, I wanted full range of motion and I was hyperextending my elbows at the top of the movement....DUH don't do that.  All healed up and ready to do.

Back Squat
135lbs x 5
205lbs x 5
255lbs x 5

I haven't lifted ANY weight in well over 10 days.  I'm so happy that I went through that squat everyday phase.  255lbs still felt ahh...no biggie.  I forsure gave myself some serious foundation strength.

Strict Handstand Pushups
5x1
Video of the last set.  I'm very happy with how these have progressed.  I'm weigh more today, but I have an easier time doing them....WTF kinda sense does that make....hahaha



Double Unders
7x10

Well I think I added the strength that I needed to lower some of my metcon times, it's time to get back on the CFWC schedule full time again.  I'm not liking the added body fat that I'm carrying, I look like a fat blob.  Fully healthy looking forward to a kickass spring and having some recreational fun competeing in the Crossfit Open. 

Monday, March 14th, 2011 - Squat/Press/Metcon

I know I know....been away from the blog.  Possible injury has me pissed off and discouraged, but hopefully it's not as bad as I think. 

Back Squat
140lbs x 5
235lbs x 5
285lbs x 5 (5lb 5rm pr)

Standing Press
80lbs x 5
100lbs x 5
125lbs x 4 - failed the 5th rep
115lbs x 5

5 Rounds for time
200M run
12 95lb sumo deadlift highpulls
8 pullups

11:51 - rx'd

I was so happy with this WOD.  Only having a few metcons under my belt, I felt like this is the first one I've done with some self respect.  Knowing where I was and knowing where I'm at right now, takes some patience, but I'm making progress.

I had always heard that conditioning comes easy, it's strength that takes forever to build.  Well I'm seeing it first hand.  My conditioning is improving much quicker than I thought.  I finished slightly over a minute behind 2 guys in the gym that have been stready.  I've been out of the Crossfit game for the last 3 months and a few WODs and I'm on some of these guys heals.  Obviously, it wasn't a top gym time, but it's competitive amongst my fellow Will County peeps.

So that was Monday, I walk out head held high knowing I put in some hard work.  Fast forward to Friday (3/18/11) and my biceps are fried.  They are in a constant spasm, just tight, can't extend fully, etc.

The Crossfit Open started this week and I really wanted to compete.  I worked so hard over the last 3 months to overcome a shoulder injury and now this happens.  I'm working 48 hours in a row this weekend and I might have a chance to complete the 1st WOD on Sunday morning.  I setup a massage with Tina for Sunday morning.  We'll see how I feel after that.  I'll give it a go, depending on how I feel.

The main this is that I still want to Crossfit on a regular basis, so no reason to risk any further injury.

Friday, March, 11th, 2011 - Farm Boy Strength...yeah don't have that

Spent 8 hours in a hands on class for work. "Forcible Entry"

Probably one of my favorite subjects. Crossfit Football touched on something last week that didn't occur to me. Welbourn came across a few teammates in preseason, one guy repped 500+ pounds another guy struggled with 225lbs. Guess what on the football field the guy struggling with 225lbs MURDERED the stronger athlete all day long. Come to find out the guy struggling with 225lbs grew up on a farm. While he never worked out with barbells and dumbells, he lifted alot of real world shit. Well today I experienced it first hand.

All the barbell work I've done over the course of the last 2 years didn't mean shit today. Welbourn also stated that lifting weights didn't help him get better at playing football. Playing football got him better at football. We'll I've mentioned the same thing about firefighting in the past. I'm not sure why I thought barbell strength would help out today, because it didn't.

Anyways the day consisted of using power saws to cut rebar, breaking open metal doors and picking locks.

Quick video of the instructor demonstrating forcible entry. We used this same door simulator. Forcing this door open is the equivalent of a door with about 8 deadbolt/padlocks on it.

Anyways...back to Farm Boy Strength.  CFFB suggested that you rotate in your workouts some type of physically demanding task related to your sport/profession.  I'll be trying that... 

On to the metcon...so after 8 hours of class, I didn't have time to make it into CFWC.  I did todays metcon alone in the garage.

5 Rounds for time

7 135lb Push Jerks

20 Air squats

8:55 rx'd

Being the deconditioned athlete that I am, I thought for sure I'd be 10+ minutes.  I was a happy man when I looked at my watch.  5-6 metcons under my belt and I'm starting to come around again.  I kind of figured the top times in gym would be in the 3-4 minute range and I was dead on.  Something to note, after the first few reps of the jerk, I was thinking it felt heavier then it should.  Spread my grip out another thumb length and I did the last 7 jerks of the 5th round unbroken.

Thursday, March 10th, 2011 - Squat / 20 min amrap

Back squat
135x5
225x5
280x5 5rm PR

20 min amrap
8 one arm snatches (30lb DB)
10 pistols
11 20" box jumps

Scales 6 rds+ 8 reps
-------------------
Been busting my ass trying to rehab my shoulder. Well it paid off today. I got my first true strict handstand pushup. In fact, I got 4 of them.

Strict hand stand pushup
4x1

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - Sort of a Rest day

Max effort chin up - 9 reps
Rest
Max effort pull up - 6 reps

Tuesday, March 7th, 2011 - Deads & GHD

Deadlift warmup
135lbs x 5
205lbs x 3
255lbs x 2
295lbs x 5

Regrip on each rep. No bounce.

GH Situps
1x15

Monday, March 7th, 2011 - Sucky Wall Balls

Back Squat
135lbs x 6
205lbs x 5
255lbs x 2

Bench Press
135lbs x 5
185lbs x 5
185lbs x 5

100 20lb Wallballs 10ft target
4 burpees every minute on the minute until WB's are complete
15:57

Those were some ugly wall balls. I hit 21 of them the first minute and fell apart. My conditioning is horrible. Breathing so hard and getting that runner's flank cramps again. Gotta push through it as the conditioning gets better. Everybody finished this in the 6-10 minute range, but I suck with the slowest time of the day. Go me!

Monday, March 7th, 2011 - Back Squat Failure - No day 56

Yesterday, would have been 56 days in a row of squatting at least 250lbs. Went to day 2 of the Crossfit Football Seminar. Left there and went into work to finish the remaining 16 hours of duty. Ran a fire call and came back to the station. I'm not sure if I would label it as a migraine, but it was the worst head pain I've ever felt.

Needless to say, Back Squat Day 56 never happen. Reflections on the back squat project. I got stronger, put on some muscle mass and ate like a viking. I took my body fat% at CFWC on Friday and it read 18%. Not sure how accurate it is, but any body fat% scale has never read that low on me. So in essence, I gained about 12-14lbs overall and my body fat % lowered.

I didn't do a whole lot of conditioning work during this period. What I noticed with my metcons is, the weights so far haven't felt challenging in the least bit.

95lb OHS/SDHP weren't challenging and they shouldn't be for any grown ass man. Doing them in 21-15-9 is a different story. I feel in the next few weeks as my metcons slightly increase, my times will drop significantly.

Crossfit Football pointed out some amazing stuff. Some of it wasn't earth shattering though, because Johnny awesome's line of thinking/training format is much in line with what Crossfit Football does. Not sure if he realizes it or not, but JA has been an amazing trainer in the year that I've known him. Conditioning is somewhat of a by-product of Strength. Conditioning is easy to come by. Strength is what so many people are confused by and takes them forever to achieve. Some of these people never achieve it and continue to be 170lb weaklings. I say that tongue in cheek, its not like I'm even remotely strong. There's plenty of chicks out there squatting what I deadlift. I am making an attempt to put up serious weight numbers behind my name though.

Bigger, Stronger, Faster athlethes will always prevail and that's a given. If you want to be bigger, faster and stronger you need to eat like it.

Some people will disagree, but there is no way in hell I'm following Zone and I never will. My intention has never been to "cut weight". I have to tell you I feel alot stronger sitting at 192lbs vs. 178lbs. It's a world of difference and I sure as hell don't feel slower.

Notes about metcons and getting stronger. If you're doing Metcon after metcon you need to replenish your carbs. Without it, you'll crash hard. Trust me...I did. Calorie restriction/zone diet is starvation. Recovery is SOOOOO essential. Most metcons involve 95lb OHS/Thrusters/SDHP/Cleans/Snatches/etc. Will you strugle with that weight if your 1RM max thruster is 135lbs. DUH! Make your 1RM 225lbs and a 95lb thruster feels easy. How do you achieve this? Stop doing 5-8 metcons a week. Back off to 2 or 3 and focus on strength. Crossfit Football's metcon is very similar to JA's Barbell club. One of CFFB's biggest philosophies is no metcon longer than 15 minutes.

Other things covered, I got some help with my Split Jerk technique and alot of change of direction and overall speed techniques. Pose running was emphasized that it's great for distance running, but not for flat out speed.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS to the fella's at Crossfit Naperville. It's where I got my start. Without those guys, I would have never found Crossfit. Thank you for the invite, it's greatly appreciated. I'm sure they will be scaling back some of their long metcons in exchange for shorter more explosive metcons. I expect big things to come out of CF Naperville in the near future and wish them the best of luck.

Saturday, March 5th, 2011 - CFFB / Day 55

Listen to alot of information from John Welbourn and Raphael Ruiz today. More on that later.

I'll be coming up with my own personal definition of what "fitness" is to me.

Front Squat
135lbs x 5
205lbs x 3

Back Squat
255lbs x 2

Friday, March 4th, 2011 - Metcon

12 o'clock noon
Press
3x5
65lbs
85lbs
95lbs

21-15-9
95lb Sumo Deadlift High Pull
95lb OHS

rx'd - 7:40ish Don't really recall what my time was, but I was in that ballpark

Right before bedtime
Back Squat 255lbs x 1

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 - Mini Metcon / Back Squats

My buddy at work Tom is very big into pushups. The guy Bench Presses over 300lbs...needless today I did one of his pushup workouts. So we rounded up the guys at work and everybody got their workout on.

15 pushups
60 sec rest
14 pushups
60 sec rest
16 pushups
60 sec rest
15 pushups
60 sec rest
15 pushups
60 sec rest
13 pushups
60 sec rest
12 pushups
60 sec rest - 100 total pushups

My pecs felt like they were about to exploded. On to the mini metcon. It's only fair to do a Crossfit workout since I did his workout.

50 Double Unders
12 95lb Push Press
12 Knees to Elbows
50 DU
9 95lb Push Press
9 KtE
50 DU's
6 95lb Push Press
6 Knees to Elbows

Jake - 5:38 rx'd
Tom - 5:24 singles instead of DU's
Jeff - 3:28 singles & 45lb Push Press

Back Squat
135lbs x 5
205lbs x 1
255lbs x 1

2nd Mini Metcon of the day
3 Rounds for time
5 185lb deadlifts
5 burpees

2:39

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - Lazy Day # 53

Back Squat
255lbs x 1

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 - HSPU's and Barbell Club

Started the morning out with a 2 hour nap when I got home from work this morning.  Sleep at the firehouse just isn't the same as sleeping at home. 

45 sec Handstand holds + 1 negative handstand pushup
rest
repeat 3 times

Later tonight...CFWC Barbell club

Back Squat
135lbs x 5
225lbs x 5
255lbs x 1
275lbs x 5 (15lb or 20lb PR for the 5RM) and to be perfectly honest, I felt like I had at least another 3-5 reps left in me.  I stopped because the program only called for 5.

Power Clean
135lbs x 5 as a warmup
185lbs x 3
185lbs x 3
185lbs x 3
205lbs x 1 (10lb PR)
215lbs x Fail

Monday, Febuary 28th, 2011 - Day 51

Started the day out with a quick workout with the guys at work.

Misc calisthenics....
Tabata Squats - lowest score of 19
Tabata Pushups - lowest score of 10

Later in the day
Back Squat
135lbs x 3
205lbs x 1
255lbs x 1