Category Archives: Humor

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Renaissance Periodization, First Few Weeks

Many athletes at our box have been on Renaissance Periodization (RP) and have had excellent results. I started it February 5th. I had purchased the templates late in 2017. I finished up what I was doing, The BodyBiz, in January and then wanted to do something different. Below are some tips that I found useful:

First, read the FAQ’s and the materials provided several times through. Don’t just skip and read the bolded fonts. Read everything. I did not, and was eating 9oz of cooked protein four times a day for the first week. Whoops. Read the FAQ’s and watch the video.

I strongly suggest you scrap the MyFitnessPal membership and tracking. I found that to complicate things. The templates are all you need, paired with the digital scale of wonder and amazement! This thing is awesome. Pick one and stick with it, meaning weighing your food cooked, or raw. I weight it cooked, going by the grams of carbs, proteins, and fats, and put my meals together for the week on Sunday. Makes it much easier. Also, stick with basic meals the first few weeks until you get comfortable and confident with the templates. There are a lot of options for meals and some people are truly gifted at culinary genius based on the posts I see in the RP pages in Facebook. Try not to follow suit right away.

The scale is mean and it has no heart. Do not trust it. Meaning, do not rely on this as your single point of validation if RP is successful for you. I had been eating whole foods, following a similar program when I started RP and did not see much success in my two week base period. I actually gained a few pounds. However, clothes that had been snug before, were no longer snug. Trust the way the your clothes fit, and take the before and after pictures for comparison.

Don’t let one bad meal turn into a bad day, or worse yet, a string of bad days. It happens. Let’s face it. Our body composition did not happen overnight, not does changing our composition happen quickly. It takes time and more importantly, consistency. Cheat meals will happen for just about everyone. Do your best to enjoy that infrequent meal and then put it behind you and focus on staying on track with the templates. Go for a run, or a long walk, or do yard work, or something outside if you feel bad about the meal or a day, or in my case one hell of a fun weekend, and then follow the templates.

Feel free to post any questions and have a great day. Go PR something. Fact: Deadlifts are better than running any day.

 

 

 

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First Thirty Days of Focused…ish…. Nutrition Plan

It is amazing how time flies. It is hard for me to believe we are already through the first week of August. Summer is just about over. Believe me, I am not wishing it away. Autumn is my favorite time of year. Fires, Cocktails, Football,  and hooded sweatshirts. Summer is my second favorite time. We have not gotten to the beach once and we do need to fix that, quickly. We have been on the water a few times in the kayaks and Berger took her maiden voyage. She did well. She was very focused on a paddle boarder behind her and Kylie…not sure why.

It has been seven months since I last posted. Way too long. Things have been going well this year, however I have not been focused on hitting my goals. Life gets in the way. Things happen. We all make choices and push what needs to be done at that time to the top. Sadly I think many of us put ourselves last. Then we find ourselves kind of pissed that we are not achieving the things that six months ago were important to us. And of course, there is also the reality of New Years’ resolutions…..that are the same year after year.

For those of you who know me, you know that I lost my Dad the end of April. Losing a parent seems to change the view of one’s own mortality. It is an assault on it actually. When I was little I thought he was the strongest guy in the world, able to do anything. I watched him age and his physical capabilities diminish. He was hard on his body and in the end his body just gave up. It was done.

So, in part because of that, and because it just beyond time, I spoke with a fellow CultFitter and he recommended a nutritionist he had worked with previously. So I contacted her and we were off. I had to get a Resting Metabolic Rate test and a VO2 max test. The first was not hard, just took twice as much time as it was supposed to. Based on those readings I burn about 2500 calories a day just living. The VO2 max test was a giant PITA. It was on a treadmill and everyone who reads this blog knows how much I looooooove running. So imagine me on a treadmill with basically a fighter pilot mask on, a heart rate monitor around my chest, and a clippy thing on my finger. Quite the sight. I hoped that i did not trip and take out the whole thing.

The numbers came back no differently than I expected. Average/Slightly above average for a person of my age and dimensions. I met with the nutritionist via phone and went over all pertinent information. She put together a meal plan and sent it to me. Using MyFitnessPal is a huge win. It was as one would expect. Reduced calorie, high protein, moderate fat, and low carb. I am at 130 grams per day, which is not bad. Just have to make each one count.

I have enjoyed it and as the title indicates, have been committed…mostly. There was one night that was just silly. I am down 21 pounds in a little over a month. It is a steady clip of 3-5 pounds per week. CrossFit five times per week, 2 runs a week, and yoga once. I do not always get both runs, in however I’ll make it longer if I only get one run in.  The big difference on this one is that I followed exactly what I told, and it is paying off much better. Funny how that works, huh? Kind of like that thing, when you finally do what your Coach told you to do, and shocker, it works.

The eating has been easy to follow. 5-6 meals per day. I like having a plan for the week as it makes it easier to prepare and not worry about it during the day. Sunday is meal prep day. I won’t bore you all with a picture of a counter covered with food and individual prepped meals. Do I miss eating pizza? Do I miss desert? Do I miss cocktailing? Absofreakinloutely! She suggested two drinks on Saturday night. I really don’t have that switch, so i cut it out for a few weeks. The stories aren’t quite as funny, however the mornings are much more fun.

It has been a very good experience thus far and am looking forward to it continuing. Drink a few for me folks. Have a great week. Lift something heavy even if it is not in the WOD.

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2017 Goals

goal-setting

First week of 2017 is done. Ate well with the exception of Friday night. No cocktailing either. Don’t worry, nobody kidnapped Rob, everything is fine.

Goals for 2017:

I set goals each year for personal, professional, physical, and financial. Below are the physical goals for 2017. I hit most of them in 2016 and plan on the same for 2017.

Lift/Movement Current Goal
Back Squat 455 500
Dead Lift 465 500
Strict Press 205 225
Push Press 235 265
Clean 210 235
Front Squat 325 350
Thruster 235 255
500 Meter Row 1:42 1:30
Pull Ups 0 10
Double Unders 0 10

So, how am I going to hit these goals? Darn good question. I’ll have to figure that one out

12-labours

  1. Following the 12 Labours Nutrition Plan courtesy of Emily and Erin. Great time logging everything in MyFitnessPal. Emily and Erin provide everything you need in terms of setting yourself up for success. It is worth the investment, so please take advantage of the service if you have not done so already.
  2. Keeping cocktailing to a minimum. Sadly and frustratingly i have tried for the past so many years to do both and I have come to the realization it just does not work. Either you want to cocktail and not do well in the gym, or you want to do well in the gym. So we will give it an honest shot.
  3. Focus on recovery. We spend a lot of time beating the hell out of ourselves and more than likely not enough time putting ourselves back together. Water, Sleep, good nutrition, supplements, deep tissues massage and yoga. I have been getting a deep tissues once a month for the past few months and the difference has been remarkable.

crossfit-moreland_3

  1. Stretching. By hitting the six am class most folks have to roll out quickly to get ready for work, kids to school, etc. I am focusing on taking five or ten minutes afterwards and rolling out and stretching to reduce soreness/stiffness etc.
  2. Rest. Getting up early means early to bed. I tend to do a lot better if I get 7 or 8 hours of sleep. Go a few days with six or few hours and see how you feel. Probably like junk. I know i do.
  3. Strength program. I finished the 12 Labours Barbell Strength Program last year and definitely noticed a difference. I added weight to squat and deadlift and wound up PR’ng CrossFit Total by about 100 pounds.

 

change

  1. Make opportunities for PR’s. Some boxes do the same WOD’s over and over again which enables members to set PR’s. Ours is a bit different where the WOD’s vary considerably. Two days a week I give myself opportunities to set PR’s. Whether it be a lift, like deadlift or squat, or a 500 meter row. Give yourself the opportunity to put a PR on the board and in Wodify!
  2. Fully warm up. I am sure if any of the coaches are reading this, the thought “he never does the warm up, like never.” is going through their mind. Sadly that is true. I do not do the warm up. In my mind, the first round is the warmup and that is not right and dangerous.
  3. More than just scheduled classes. This goes with number 7. Sticking around after class, taking advantage of open gym, and running/swimming etc. go a long way in helping accomplish your goals.
  4. Yoga. Once a week, every Sunday. Looking to get back into that cycle. Definitely noticed a difference when I was regularly attending.

Those should get me where I want to be.

images

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Well those were fun!


I had commented last week about how August had not been as warm as we are used too. The weather gods heard my snide remark and provided a retort. Their retort was a giant middle finger of humidity. Walking out the front door at 5:15am into an atmosphere of swamp air. Good times.

Heat

MON-FITNESS

10 Rounds

9 Wall Balls s(30/20) f (20/14)

6 Burpees to 6″ Target

3 Clean and Jerks s(185/125) f(135/95)

***25 minute cap***

Summary: Doesn’t look bad, right? Wrong. I switched out med balls because the first one got so covered in sweat I couldn’t catch it. Literally slipped through my hands. Ever have to switch spots on the floor for burpees because it was so slippery? I did. Looked like someone sprayed the floor with a hose. It’s not right. I should be studied. It’s improbably for so much sweat to be generated.  Finished it in 24 and change. The burpees truly were the hardest part. Did 135 weight for C&J’s. Probably could have done 155 instead. 185 would have been too much. It’s not the jerk, which for me is a strict press because I refuse to listen to coaches, it’s the clean, or in my case, the reverse curl, because again, I refuse…you know how that ends.

balls

TUES-FITNESS

“HELEN”
3 Rounds for time:
Run 400m
21 KB Swings (1.5/1pd)
12 Pullups

Summary: Any of our fellow cultfit followers immediately grimaced when they saw the name. She’s a bitch. I felt like I was running through pancake batter. I’m not built for speed. It was more trudging than sprinting. Did ring rows instead of pull ups. KB swings and RR were all unbroken. They aren’t the hard part. It’s the stupid running. Why run when you can deadlift? That’s my motto. Checked the lovely performance history tab in Wodify, and the worst time. Ever. Still a hell of a workout. Also did early birds which is a WOD before the WOD, and Gabe was coaching so the warm up was aggressive. There we go. All rationalized out.

helen

 

WED-FITNESS
Close Grip Bench Press
3-3-3-3-3
+
7 Min AMRAP
10 Pushups s(ring pushups)
20 Air Squats

Summary:

Bench press?!?!? Yes. Almost as good as deadlift day. Almost. Also did early birds this morning which was dips and push ups, I think. Felt pretty good. Jumped from 225 to 255 which was probably to aggressive. Got two and the third required some curling from the spotter. It happens. All in all I was happy with it.  The burner afterwards was fun. Again with the sweating. Did I mention it was hot this week?

FRI-FITNESS

Every 2 minutes for 20 minutes complete:

25 Double Unders/75 Singles

1 clean

***add weight every 2 sets starting at 60% of 1RM. Find a new 1RM***

Summary:

Cleans and I have had an unfriendly relationship for the past couple of years. Logically I should be able to clean 275 without much issue. Front squat is 300, deadlift is 455. Really shouldn’t be a problem here. Instead i have been stuck at 195 for two years or so. Finally got 200 Friday morning which felt pretty good. Attempted and failed 205 several times. I should have recorded the lifts. I was pulling it plenty high. Probably snatch height for most people, who you know….drop under the bar instead of what I do, which is reverse curl it to my neck. Also learned that I really like RX jump ropes. All of my singles were unbroken. The rope was very smooth. Definitely purchasing one.

It Never Happens LIke This!

 It Never Happens LIke This!

Three shirts bit the dust this week. You know it’s time to chuck it when you offend yourself. I apologize to those at City Dock Coffee Friday morning. Yeah, my bad. There isn’t enough Febreze to fix that one. Had to go. Just shy of a decade. Again, I am sorry. Smelled like Victory! And remember, we ….

wod-for-beer

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The Open is Closed.

15.5
 15.5 We all saw it coming. We knew it would be thrusters, and a lot of them, and guess what. Thrusters. Thruck Fusters.  It could be worse. No burpees!!! I  was prepared as I could possibly be. Bullet Proof coffee in the morning.  Followed by a little BSN NO-Xplode…happy hour!  Last night’s IPA’s will have absolutely no effect whatsoever.

15.5 thruster

Going in I was thinking it wouldn’t be bad. I could break up the thrusters in halves since it’s 95lbs,  not super heavy, just a lot of legs. Rowing isn’t bad, just hard pulls to get a calorie a stroke. No worries! Then I watched the 900am class suffer through. I couldn’t leave. People had already seen me. A quick chat with someone who had completed it, and was finally fully functioning, resulted a in a rethink. Cut the thrusters in thirds.

27 cals went quicker than I thought it would. Set of 9. rest. Set of 9. rest. Set of 9. Back on the rower. 21 cals. Set of 7. Set of 7. Set of…whumph. What just happened! I can’t breathe and my legs don’t want to push back up. Finished the last set and then started 15 and that’s when the fun began. Coach Christa the Fembot in my ear, “you won’t catch your breath, just GO!”. “Back on the bar”. I calculated it would take me between 12 and 15 minutes to finish and it turned out to be 14:43. It’s not a matter of strength, it was a matter of wind. I was chasing something I couldn’t catch. My breath. Need to fix that.

Kicked

Two Natty Boh’s, and a Progenex shake and I was back to normal. I usually opt to go in the second round because, well nobody wants to go first, and I want to get it over with and it provides the opportunity to cheer on those who are still going through it. That’s they key with CrossFit. Something the other gyms won’t get. It’s the community. It’s the support and friendships. After that WOD, there was a potluck happy hour. As you can imagine, carb city. Krispy Kreme, pasta salads, chips,..you name it.

This year’s Open was by far my favorite. The scaled WOD’s were challenging however very doable. 15.4 was my favorite. Hit 100 reps. I happen to like push press and that helped significantly. 15.5 was the most difficult, however I liked it and hope it finds it’s way into the 12Labours rotation. You know it’s a good when you are washing down two Aleve with a a Manhattan a few hours after the WOD. Of course, looking forward to the 12Labours Team heading to Regionals, and then back to the Games. We expect great things!

12Labours

3, 2, 1….

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CrossFit Morning Argument

For all of my fellow 600am morning warriors….

alarm 1

 

Why did I go to bed so late last night. The alarm will be going off soon. Crap. What’s the WOD? TGU’s, burpees, and cleans. God. Somebody needs a hug. What’s his deal anyway. Didn’t we just do TGU’s and burpees last week. The hell with it. I ‘m not going. I went three days in a row, if you count yoga. And I am counting yoga today.

How did I compare to everyone else on the last one. What the….he didn’t beat me on reps, did he? Wait, he lifted that much? What’s going on. I better look at some other WOD’s. Wait, what time is it. Ok. Still have time before the alarm goes off. I mean it. I’m not going today. It’s cold out and it’s still really dark. He teaches today, and he always has a long ass warm up. He’ll make us run an 800. That’s not right at 600am. I’m staying in bed. Maybe I’ll go after work. Crap, what time is it?

alarm 2God, why do my forearms hurt so much? Stupid pull ups. No way I can do TGU’s today. I’d probably drop one on my head. Cant’ have that. Definitely skipping today. I need a rest day. Besides, I did three in a row. I went to yoga.

Did I put the coffee on auto last night? I don’t remember. If I did, I would totally go this morning, but I don’t think I did. It takes too long to make coffee in the morning. I could stop at Sbux on the way….no, I’m not going today. Back to sleep.

No freakin’ way he beat me by that many reps. No freakin’ way. How the hell did he do that? He just started. Damn…what time is it? And there’s the alarm…….I can’t hit the snooze button hard enough. Why didn’t I go to bed earlier last night.


 snooze

 

I’ll go after work. It’s cool. I’ll still get it in just later tonight. He goes to night classes. I will go tonight and count his reps…no way he beat me. I need to sleep some more…..crap. I always hate going after work because I am worn out. I should go this morning, but everything hurts. Just sit up. Just sit up on the side of the bed. Get some water….it will get better.

alarm clock

Wait, I thought I wasn’t going today. Am I gong now. I should go. It was yoga, so really it was only two days in a row. Yoga is rest…active rest, right? Yeah, I should go. I need to go. F it. I’m up. Let’s go.

Is it raining? Of course it is. Well at least no 800 for the warm up right? Ok. I’m going. I should have gotten up earlier. I could skip. No, I’m going. Yeah, I’m going. Crap. Why didn’t I get up earlier! I need coffee. I wonder if I can just chew the coffee beans. It’s the same. Just need some caffeine. No, that’s dumb. Stop and get coffee. Hopefully it’s not crowded. Of course it won’t be crowded. It’s 530 in the morning. Normal people are still asleep. No time for coffee. Should have gotten up earlier. I’ll just double up on my pre-workout.

Cool. On the way. Hopefully it’s not crowded today. I hate it when it’s crowded. Never enough room. I mean, I hope people are there though, don’t want to do it alone. Probably won’t be many people there this morning. It’s a crappy WOD. I mean it’s good because its hard, but it’s not fun. Definitely not a lot of people today.

What the hell. Everybody and their mom is here this morning. So much for not being crowded. It’s going to be a shit show. I should have stayed in bed. No chance of that now. I’m not sure what’s in this stuff but I’m done with coffee for a while. This stuff is awesome. I can see sounds!

I better get in there and warm up. I feel like junk. I need to warm up for the warm up. Shoot. Did bring my water bottle? Shoot, do I have the right shoes. Cleans means lifters are needed. Yeah, I’m good. I think. I’m glad I came. It’s good.

 

3, 2, 1…..

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2015 Open Thus Far…..

The Pros...

 

This year’s Open has been challenging. All great WOD’s and definitely feel banged up Sunday mornings. I am sure I’ll be able to get back up the steps this morning. Wall Balls are always fun….said nobody, like ever.

15.1:

At least it wasn’t seven minutes of burpees. For those who don’t yet belong to the cult, and for those who have purposefully blocked it from their memory:

15.1

It’s only nine minutes, right? The scaled version was hanging knee raises which are obviously no as challenging as toes to bar, however they still crush your forearms and grip strength. Good times all around. My hands straightened out after few hours. The max clean and jerk was a nice bonus. I was hoping for more of that, however no such luck….yet.

15.2:

Stupid overhead squats. I don’t like them because I am not good at them, so obviously I won’t get any better, since I don’t do them. Turned that little number into front squats quick, fast, and in a hurry.

Every 3 minutes for as long as possible complete:

From 0:00-3:00

2 rounds of:

10 overhead squats (95 / 65 lb.)

10 chest-to-bar pull-ups

From 3:00-6:00

2 rounds of:

12 overhead squats (95 / 65 lb.)

12 chest-to-bar pull-ups

From 6:00-9:00

2 rounds of:

14 overhead squats (95 / 65 lb.)

14 chest-to-bar pull-ups

I can only imagine the hand tears for those made it into multiple rounds. I am sure this place is doing incredibly well financially now. http://riptskinsystems.com/ Skin grows back.

15.3

We all knew muscle ups would make an appearance. I am sure many were hoping it would be later, however here they are. It was really great to see so many people getting their first muscle up.

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 14 minutes of:
7 muscle-ups
50 wall-ball shots
100 double-unders

For the rest of us it was 50 wall balls and 200 singles. My legs will soon forgive me,..hopefully. This one was probably my favorite of the three.

wall balls

Only two more WOD’s left! What haven’t we done yet? Burpees, over the bar or over the box. Box jumps. Thrusters. We have never seen TGU’s, so maybe? GHD’s, I am sure whatever Castro has in store for us will be fun and challenging. Hopefully we will have a kicker,finding a heavy one rep. Too much to ask for dead lifts Castro?

Castro

 

 

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It’s Open Season….2015

Here we go Again!

Here we go Again!

It is that time of year again. $20.00 and a quick registration provides the opportunity to compete against 200,000 of your nearest and dearest friends. Each year, thousands of hopefuls sign up in order to prove their standing in the world wide cult!

So happy we are not kicking off this year with seven minutes of puketastic burpees. Instead it is:

CrossFit Games Open 15.1 (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)
9-Minute AMRAP of:
15 Toes To Bar
10 Dead lifts, 115#  / 75#
5 Snatches, 115# / 75#
CrossFit Games Open 15.1 Scaled (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)
9-Minute AMRAP of:
15 Hanging Knee Raises
10 Dead lifts, 85# / 55#
5 Ground to Overhead, 85# / 55#
CrossFit Games Open 15.1A (Weight)
6-Minutes to Establish:
1-RM Clean and Jerk
The addition of the scaled class is a welcome change. Beats having to enter a zero! I can do toes to bar all day, as long as it’s a barbell and it’s on the floor.
This will be an exciting one and can already envision my forearms getting fried. Lots of forearm and lacrosse ball action prior. Also, lot’s of hamstring work.  Definitely looking forward to catching the 12Labours crowd getting together at 10:00am in Annapolis District.
12Labours
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It’s all About the Gear

GEAR

Truthfully, that is probably the number one reason we all do CrossFit. It’s all about the gear. We are in the process of packing for our move the end of this month. I. Hate. Moving.  I have a lot of stuff. Multiple paris of shoes, jump ropes, chalk, bands, wraps, gloves, tape, the list goes on and on. And for what? Because it might help me go a little faster or lift a little more. Nonsense. Americans love to buy stuff. Some of the brightest minds in the country are dedicated to separating you from your money. They are good at it too. Since I seem to buy just about everything I thought it would be a good idea to provide my opinion on what stuff you actually need, versus which is a nice to have dust collector.

Shoes:

Definitely think the right shoes go a long way in helping you perform your best. Innov8s, Reebok Nano’s, and Lifting Shoes. I have gone through three pairs of Innov-8’s, two of the F-Lite 195 and one pair of the F-210’s. I like the latter the best. The 195’s are a little too flimsy for bigger guys like me. I did not like running in them because of the lack of support however they are great for rowing, jump rope, lighter lifting etc. The 210’s are very low to the ground and I like them for deadlifts. Almost the same as going barefoot.

The Nano’s are the best all around CrossFit shoe. No issues with running and due to the extra stiff sole, Olympic lifts like clean and snatch are good to go at moderate weights. I bought two pair of the Nano ‘s and have been alternating them for the past couple of months. Picking up a third pair would just be silly, right? Exactly. So i bought two pair of the 4.0’s when they came out too. So, now i have four pairs. When are the 5.0’s due? Oh wait, Nike MetCons are out…so we know where that will land. Just doing more research for you folks….

Olympic Lifting Shoes:

Oly

I own both the Romaleos and first generation Reebok lifters. Have been eyeing up the another pair of lifters and will more than likely have a pair in the next month or two. I really hope Jen is reading this as she seems to think I have a problem with shoes.

Nike Romaleos:

They are expensive. Probably the most costly of all the options however I think they are worth it. I have had mine for over three years and they still look and feel pretty new. The raised heel helps align your hips to get a deeper squat and the extra stiff sole allows you to drive up through your heels without getting the squishy shoe feeling. Nice solid foundation. You feel bolted to the ground.

Reebok Lifters:

I have a pair of the first generation and I probably wear these more often than the Romaleos, not because they are better, however because they are more versatile. Got a WOD with snatches/cleans/squats and other stuff like box jumps, prowler, etc. These will be fine all the way through. Would not recommend pure oly shoes for the other movements.

Shorts/Pants/Shirts:

I sweat. Ungodly amounts of sweat. I should be tested. I prove Under Armour a liar every time. Can’t wick me! I have tried the more expensive UA shirts and they are still soaked by the time I am done. I stick to two companies now when I need to cycle through clothes.

Uberfit:

1stslider

Uberfit is a local business and has grown pretty significantly over the past two years. The shirts have a wicking quality and have great logos and designs. You all know how I feel about cardio….the image below says it all. I have had Uberfit shirts for two years plus and they still are in good shape. I think that says a lot for the quality considering the punishment we dish out. Stones, yoke carries, front rack barbells, etc. They take a beating. Also offer shorts, pants, hats, wrist wraps, and just about everything else you could think of. Enter Rook25 during checkout and receive 25% off your entire order. http://www.uberfitapparel.com/ 

Uberfit

Hylete:

These are the only shorts i have bought in the past few years. I still have the original pair and no signs of them being worn. They are a little more expensive, however they last. They also have zipper pockets and for some reason that means a lot to me. No idea why. Enter CFROOK during checkout and get a discount. Kylie also has their backpack/bag and absolutely loves it. Pockets everywhere….

Rehab/Injury:

Everyone gets hurt. It’s part of the fun. Sprains, twists, pulls, or just being sore as hell they day after. It’s all completely and totally normal. Obviously if you are throwing up, bleeding, can’t sit up or stand without feeling sick from the pain a visit to the doctor or ER is in order, asap.

Rehaband:

Pretty much the gold standard for knee and elbow protection. I have used knee bands and they are very helpful. Guaranteed to see fellow CrossFit athletes donning them at any competition.

Ice Packs:

Exercise leads to inflammation. Inflammation leads to limited ROM. Ice leads to less inflammation. The cold pushes the blood away. Regular ice packs from CVS are fine for home. Just tried Arctic Ease which are really cool. They don’t require time in the freezer. It’s a cold elastic wrap that can carried with you and are perfect for post WOD icing with minimal prep.

Trigger Point:

Lacrosse ball, grid roller/foam roller/PVC. These items will help you work out knots, tight spots, etc. Definitely worth the purchase. Muscles get beat up, period. Also recommend massage therapy if you can swing it. Painful, however very rewarding afterwards.

Jump Ropes: 

If you are serious and plan on doing it for more than six months than your own rope is worth the expense. Beware of false advertising. Some will advertise they assist with making double-unders more easy, however in most cases they just allow you to whip yourself faster. Personally i like the metal ones, they really make a mark. Let’s you know you didn’t come close to doing it right. IT’s more than spinning it faster, jumping also required.

 Wrist Wraps/Tape:

Hands get beat up. Wrists get beat up. Callouses are formed and then torn which result in a blood freakin’ mess on the bars, floor, etc. Tape your stuff. Whether to go with athletic tape or wrist wraps for your wrists is a personal choice, however make the choice and use one. Tape around your thumbs when doing high volume cleans, snatches, overhead work, etc. Also helpful to tape your hands when doing high volume pull ups, ring work etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcS5lYs6DkU 

 

 

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Being Humbled….

Kicked

 Two items: Steelers got humbled last night in a big way. So much for that streak and for the season. I thought 8-8 would be a pipe dream however they turned it around and won the division. At least we have that….Let’s Go New England. I hope Tom Brady has a career game. Take a picture. Probably the last time you’ll read that on this blog.

 

Second item. I got my tail handed to me yesterday.  WOD was as follows:

SPORT

In Teams of 2 with a Running Clock:

  • 30 – 20 – 10
  • AB for Cals (Assault Bike)
  • Pushups s(ring) f(regular)
  • 30 – 20 – 10
  • Power Snatch (115/75)
  • Toes to Bar
  • 30 – 20 – 10
  • Thrusters (115/75)
  • 200m Run (both partners run the 200m)

Our time was 33:33. Quite possibly one of the most challenging WOD’s I have completed. It didn’t seem bad on the board, however that was a huge mistake.

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We got through the cals on the AB and push-ups pretty quickly. Things turned to molasses when we hit the snatches and T2B. Those two movements together are crushers. Then it was game on with the Thrusters which also were challenging. Snatches and Thrusters we grouped in sets of 3-5. That was the most handleable way to get through the reps.

Then of course the next best thing to do was another WOD. We had an open house and we had two friends come in so it was game on again. A couple of 5 minute AMRPAP’s with push ups, KB swings, more assault bikes, rowing,…and of course burpees. Buck Furpees.

 

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Just finished breakfast and I have two crockpots going for foods this week. Heading out to yoga so I can get fixed. Pretty nice little Sunday. Maybe Bed, Bath & Beyond if we have time. Certainly won’t be watching football.