Bonus Intervals

WOD
1000m (3:41, 3:43, 3:55)
rest 2:00
3 rounds

Preheating

Baking
Cooked

Notes: The luxury of being a graduate student. I could do another workout today. Like everything, rowing is a mental game. I'm putting my time on the court.

Date with Michael

WOD
"Michael"
800m run
50 back extensions
50 sit-ups
3 rounds
Time: 16:05

Finishing the last 800m. 800m is a "not fun" distance.

50 unbroken "back" extensions is an interesting sensation.

Semi-submerged truck tires

Notes: First time with this WOD. It is a good one. Technically, I did hip extensions. Next time: shave 1 minute and sub GHD sit-ups. Shout out to Brand-X, great scaling for my friends.

Getting ready for Olympics ... err ... my challenge

WOD

1) lots of pull-ups, muscle-ups, dips,push-ups (all on rings)

muscle-ups

dips

push-ups

2) ring dips, ladder 1-5-1-3-1

3) ring push-ups, 3X20, short rest between sets (i.e. :10)

4) pull-ups, 3X11, longer rest between sets (i.e. 1:00)

Notes : Today was a long day of gymnastic work. The muscle-ups felt good because I found a rhythm. Remember: "goggle the horizon." I don't quite have the dips dialed. I slipped and my kip could be improved. The push-ups were fine. They will be a sufferfest. Here is the breakdown for the gymnastic portion of my challenge:

muscle-ups - got it
ring dips - possible but very hard
ring push-ups - got it
pull-ups - need a miracle
front lever - possible but very hard
l-sit - need a miracle

I'm a fucking climber and like overhanging jug fests. Why is 40 dead hang pull-ups and 1:30 L-sit shutting me down? Commonsense says the hard events should be the squat and DL for me. Maybe I should quit climbing and just powerlift. The only problem is my dislike of the Bench. Sorry Crankenstein!

Fat Pants

WOD

1) OHS, 5X5, 65

2) FS, singles, 225, 245


3) BS, doubles, 290, 290
BS, walk and 1/4 squat, 315, 345

BS, doubles, 290, 290

Notes: Nothin' but squats. My right wrist is accepting light loading. I'm still learning about squatting, heavy weights are good teachers. I need to start square which is hard because of my history of injuries. I need to stay on my heels. That is a confidence issue. I need to feel like I own the weight. I can no longer wear 50% of my pants since I have been putting on lower body mass. After my challenge, no more fat pants!

Suggested Reading

Training by Mark Twight

Living by Moynihan Institute

Notes : Mark Twight is my hero in climbing, writing, and training. I admire him because he deserves it. He has worked hard and is better at all three then I'll ever be. He has a similar issues as me with short-duration, high-intensity work. It will make you good but never great. Crossfit is the best program I have found but does not deliver on all it's claims. For example, CrossFit's motto is "Forging Elite Fitness." One of it's elite fitness standards is a pull up with 1 X bodyweight. Recently the workout of the day was Weighted pull-ups 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps. I did not find one person pulling 1 X bodyweight. The closest I found was .85, good but not elite. Moynihan Institute reminds of an old story: " There are three types of people. Some people you can tell them something. Some people you can show them something. Other people have to pee on the eletric fence themselves." I'm interested in being told and shown. I'm not into pissing contests.

Taking it to the 'Yard

WOD

100m run
5 burpee box jumps (highest box)
15 sit-ups
max rounds in 20 minutes : 13

Notes: Worked out with Crossfit Ventura. Lots of people and energy. Still unbeaten in the Saturday WODs, but had very stiff competition. Since my challenge has very few traditional Crossfit metcon demands, I'm only doing this type of metcon once a week. (That is right I used the words traditonal and Crossfit in the same sentence.) The rest of the time I'm training to be stronger and faster. Crossfit will make you stronger and faster up to a point.

Punching the Clock

WOD

1) 200m sprint (:34,:36,:34)
rest 1:30
3 rounds

2) 275m minute row (1:00)
rest 1 minte
5 rounds

3) pull-ups, grease the groove

Notes: Just showed up today. Chipping away at my challenge.

The Self-Coached Lifter

WOD

1)DL, single, 315, 365, 385, 405(f)
DL, triples, 315, 315, 315, 315

2) pull-ups, singles, 90, 115, 135

3) good morning, triples, 135, 135, 135

Notes: My right wrist is jacked. WTF! I can't support weight with it. I was planning to rack pull 438 (challenge weight), but the racks are UCSB are weird. I lost count on the number of reasons why the UCSB Recreation Center is not designed for athletic development. I guess the name says it all. Deadlifting is fun. I really like it. It is a primal feeling. I'm back at it. 365, double bodyweight, felt light. I ripped 405 from the floor, but the bar was away from shins. I could have wrestled it back, but I backed down. Trying to tame my ego. Same stupid problem as cleans and snatches. I have to keep the bar close. I went down in weight and worked on form. I have a mental block against going heavier with pull-ups. I have strict standards for pull-ups, and I can't cleanly pull a heavier weight. My back is a weak link with the deadlifts and the whole challenge. Lots of back training. I'm rambling and excited because just got back from the gym.

Another Bites the Dust

WOD

1) 21-15-9
pistols, left leg
pistols, right leg
elevated push-ups
time : 4:24

rest 5 minutes

2) 35 lbs X 2, clean and jerks
max rounds in 10 minutes: 100*

* PR!! Long time coming.

Notes: Felt good after yesterday's active recovery. Matt C. came out of semi-retirement to workout with me, which was very nice. Pistols felt easy. No more pistol workouts until my challenge. I am very siked about attaining elite level on the clean and jerks. No more clean and jerk workouts until my challenge. Yeah!

Better Than Nothing

WOD

FS, triples, 185, 225, 245(f), 225, 225

Bench, singles, 185, 225, 225(f), 215, 215, 215

Notes: Beaten up by Murph. Still trained. Ass-To-Grass on the front squats. Developing confidence for heavy cleans. I will be doing the front squat shuffle tomorrow (walking without using quads). Bench was weak but left shoulder felt okay. The Prehab/Rehab I have been doing is helping. Overall, not good but better than nothing.

Tigger Thinking

WOD

Team Murph
Person 1 : 400m
Person 2 : 400m
2 rounds

100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
split between person 1 & 2 as needed

Person 1 : 400m
Person 2 : 400m
2 rounds
time : 39:13

Notes: Another workout with Crossift Ventura today. Hardest by far. I have never done Murph, by myself or as a team. I thought "Murph" sounds hard, but I could finish it in 25 minutes, a 6 minute mile, 13 minutes for the calisthentics, another 6 minute mile. Complete Tigger Thinking. Here is some insights into Tigger Thinking:

1. Tiggers like to bounce around.
2. Tiggers always have fun.
3. Tiggers can do everything.

I'm trying to be less Tigger and more Pooh.

adapted from the Te of Piglet

Dropping the Hammer

WOD

1) 100m sprint X 5, (sub :15,:15,:15,:16,:14*), rest as needed

2) Tabata row (meters : 99, 100, 98, 97, 96, 98, 98, 96)

rest 15:00

3) Tabata row (meters : all 100+)

The shoe of champions

4) L-sit, 10s on 10s off, 6 rounds

"Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
Do you know that you can use it?"
- The Clash

* PR!!! That might be the fastest 100m I have ever run, including my 4 years of high school varsity track

Notes: Something click in the last 100m sprint, a combination of anger and desire. I forgot to switch to All-stars for the first row intervals. Once I switched, it was a cake walk. By cake walk, I mean I couldn't see and felt like puking at the end.

Personal Training with Brian Spiering

Since I have been more immersed in fitness because of challenge training, I decided to help out my friend Brandon. He wanted to switch up his routine and train with me for month. He came from an average training background, middle 20s, familiar with basic exercises and conventional rep/sets schemes. The first day, 6/17/08, he was tested. Here are results:

Max Reps
pull-ups : 9
dips : 11
push-ups : 17

1 Repetition Max
back squat : 165
shoulder press : 90
deadlift : 185

Those are not bad numbers. He followed a program designed by me for one month. The goal was improve all those numbers, expose him to new movements, and put some weight on him. He worked hard. Here are results from the follow up:

Max Reps
pull-ups : 13
dips : 18
push-ups : 25

1 Repetition Max
back squat : 185
shoulder press : 115
deadlift : 265

Bravo!

Same but Different

WOD

1) dips, 5X5, 70, rest 2-3 minutes

2) DL, triples from 2'' platform, 295, 295, 325, 325(f)
Am I red from the sun or trying hard?

3) Good Morning, 5X3, 135
This is the point I learned the location of my intercostals.

4) 5 One-arm Press, 45
100ft Farmer Walk, 180
5 rounds

Notes: I am a gym rat and love these kind of days, i.e. slow grind. My deadlift is getting stronger. I have never pulled from a 2'' platform nor done good mornings. It is similar to what I have done in the past but with a twist. My core got a good dose.

Slow Learner

WOD

Snatch, 1 RM, 155*


Snatch, 65

Snatch, 95

Snatch, 155
Warning: The form is so bad it might permanently damage your own Olympic lifting.

* PR !!

Notes: I was tight and tired from the Down Ladder of Never Ending Pain. It was difficult to get in the bottom position. I went back to my old friend, the power versions. I did an OHS after each Snatch as penance. Notice how far forward I am on the 65 Snatch. I clean it up a little on 95 Snatch. The PR snatch was a pile, at least I had heart. On the next cycle, I'm dropping down in weight and working on form. I need to pull back towards my body and get in the bottom position. Some OHS would help.

Endurance Effort (??)

WOD

50 - 40 - 30* - 20 - 10
pull-ups
push-ups
dips
Time: 26:11

* I had to skip the 30 dips because I was out of push juice.

Notes: This was hard ass workout. It is rare that circuits last longer than 15 minutes. My kip is getting better on the pull-ups. The push-ups were very easy. The dips were very difficult. When I first started Crossfit, I thought about quitting in the middle of every workout. That thought would flicker through my mind, and I would let it go. For long time it had not reoccurred, but the thought has been present for the last two workouts. It is a sign the workouts are challenging. Good stuff.

Playing the Sun

WOD

1) Muscle-ups, Grease The Grove

2) 400m, run*
50 sit-ups
50 squats
400m, run
40 sit-ups
40 squats
....
400m, run
10 sit-ups
10 squats
Time : 14:32

* PR - 1:14 !!

Notes: Muscle-ups felt great. I joined Crossfit Ventura for the workout. The PR in the 400m is only by 1 second, but I'm taking it. I said no more air squats, but it is impossible to say no to Colin & Huff. There are rumors of an affiliate gym opening mid-Aug. That would almost be cheating for my challenge.

Mental Preparation & Physical Execution

WOD

BS, singles, 225, 275, 305

BS, rack, walk out, & partial squat, 315, 345, 345

Notes: Coming back from 9th Circle of Training Hell : Over-training. There are many circles of Training Hell, e.g. plateaus, regressing, and not working out. Similar to Christian hells in that only Christians go to Christian Hell, only people who are serious about training go to Training Hell. I was able to rack and walk out my challenge weight. Generally, I am able to cash, squat, the checks I write, rack and walk out. I feel very confident and focused. Working on maintaining Tranquil Mind.

Mo' Wieght, Mo' Better

WOD

pull-ups, 3X3, 100 lbs
pull-ups, 2x12, towel

L-sit X 3 (:35, :25, :15), rest 1:1

Notes: Feel beat up. Left shoulder is tweaky when I try to push heavy weight. I am happy to be moving more weight with pull-ups. The last inch is always the hardest. Have to remember to do L-sit barefoot. Shoes feel like concrete blocks.

Forgetting to Disengage the Emergency Brake

WOD

800m X 1 (2:40), rest 5:00
400m X 2 (1:18, 1:21), rest 1:1
200m X 2 (:38, :41), rest 1:1
100 X 1 (:18)

Notes: The poor air quality from Gap Fire has finally improved enough to resume outdoor training. It felt like I forgot to disengage the emergency brake and I was wearing a 20lb vest. I suck at running. Part of the problem was my "warm-up", which including jumping rope. Jumping rope is suppose to make you more athletic, i.e. improve coordination, agility, balance, blah, blah, blah. If is not part of challenge I need to stop doing it. I am banning myself from jumping rope and air squats until after my challenge. I had planed on more 100m sprints but my left knee became unstable. I tore my meniscus 5 years ago mountain biking. The muscles around my knee make up for the slack but when they get tired my knee becomes unstable. Time to stop training for the day. I have been overtraining lately but I am hoping for some Supercompensation .

Training ADHD

WOD

Jumping squats, triples, 135, 135, 185

box jumps, highest box, two and one legged

Stronger Leg

Weaker Leg*

Tabata row (20s on/10s off X 8), about 100m each time

* It steams from a very serious injury that happened over two years ago. Rule #1 : Don't get injured. Notice how I paw the ground. That is my psychology trick for getting amped up. Crossfit suggests you stamp your feet.

Notes: I was planning on max effort shoulder press day but my shoulders were tired from yesterday's gymnastics. I want to train whatever I am doing. I went "crazy" yesterday and detoured from just challenge training. The same thing happens with climbing. When I boulder, I want to campus and get super strong. When I climb routes, I want to do laps forever and get super endurance. I had to settle for lower body dynamic effort. Reason #276 the UCSB sucks: the plyometric boxes are too small/not stackable. I am unable do a 1 RM box jump. First time doing Tabata row with new display, it is easier to focus on the workout. I improved in later intervals, my spm went from 35 to 34. Pull harder, not faster.

A Day at the Beach

WOD

1) various class "A" moves, e.g. muscle-ups, levers, and flags

Monkey Hangs
I was psyched because there are no pull-up bars in SB long enough to do them.

Campusing
These bars are not close together.

The Transition
Enjoying the view from the top

2) rope climb #1, 15', no feet, up and down
rope climb #2, 15', l-sit, up, down, and up
Making no feet rope climbing harder

3) pull-ups, max reps : 26*

* Personal Record

Notes: Went down to Venice and Santa Monica Beach. Santa Monica Beach had better toys, but less history. Played on the beach all day and had too much fun. The rope climbs felt easy, really boring campusing. I found a set of bars that were perfect for kipping pull-ups, i.e. thin with little bounce, It was easy to set a PR. I had more pull-ups in me but want to save something for climbing tomorrow.

Pray Not for Light Burdens but for a Strong Back

WOD

Clean, 5X3, 155
Deep catch, high elbows
Easy to have good form at light weights

DL, singles, 315, 365, 385(f), 365
Got to look up. The body follows the eyes.

dips, 30X1

Notes: Short session because of bad time management. I have enough Physical Capital to keep climbing and hard training for my challenge. I am over-stretched if I "train" for climbing.

On Fire !!!

WOD

1) Back squat, singles, 275, 285, 295, 305,
(all sets had additional 40 lbs of chain)

2) "Angie"
100 pull-ups
100 push-ups
50 GHD sit-ups
50 sit-ups
100 squats
time : 16:35*

* PR by 3:30 minutes

Notes: I am starting to mutant, 4th day on and setting a PR. The squats felt great. The chain helped the walk out because it punishes fast, unnecessary movement. In addition, I was walking out 345 but only had 305 "in the hole". I love working out outside but air quality was low because of the Gap Fire. I am a geek, here are the splits: 6:30, 8:20, 13:10, 15:03. Last time, the pull-ups took 10 minutes. The best place to make up time is the GHD sit-ups. Those are freaking hard, but I getting better at them.

Trying to be Flash Gordon (or Hans Florine)

WOD

10 DL, 225
10 dips, 25
3 rounds : 4:10

Bench, triples, 175, 175, 195, 195, 195

100m sprint every 30s for 8 rounds, aka Tabata run

Notes: Feeling the effects of third day on. Speedy on DL and dips. Hopefully, speed work carries over for the dips because it is hard to go heavy. Good to get under the bench. The reps were quick until last set. The sprints suck because running sucks. Congratulations to Hans Florine for regaining the Nose speed record (off the couch).

Just Another Day

WOD

1) clean
155 X2
175X2
185X2
195X1

2) OHS
155X4
135X10

3) 25 KB swing, 1.5 pood
10 Curtis P's , 95
4 rounds : 14:20

Notes: Another Crossfit SB clinic, this time it was olympic lifts. Everyone knows that I need the help. I gleamed on nugget. On the clean, I need to stay on my heels and keep pulling back. Overall, it was not inspiring because no one else went heavy. The OHS were good practice. It is very strange going heavy for high reps. Another thing to learn before my challenge. First time with Curtis P's. Good stuff.