Friends

I'm constantly trying to get my friends to workout with me- not only because I do it for a living, but because I care about the well-being of others, ESPECIALLY of ones I truly care about.

So today I was finally able to get some friends to come try CrossFit out. We (of course) started skill-work with the basic squat, moved onto the plank and midline stabilization, pushups, situps, and finally pullups.

THE LADIES

amrap in 10 min:
5 pullups
10 situps
15 squats

Sam 5
Sheena 8 rds
Tiff 9 rds +5, 8

and then THE DUDES

amrap in 10 min:
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats

Andrew 14 rds + 5, 10, 14
Marc 11 rds + 5, 3
Mike 8 rds + 5, 4

Wonderful stuff. Grabbed some ingredients, headed back to my place and we all enjoyed some Muscle Milk shakes.

ps
I ripped my left hand!

(kinda) Zoning

This past weekend Adrian and I drove 13 hours down to CFHQ for our first certification. Good times, learned a lot. We did FGB. My score was 245 as Rx'ed. The next day I didn't feel sore or anything. We did the med ball clean/burpee WOD. My reps were CLEAN and sexy, but it completely wrecked me and I feel like I have some minor rhabdo (!). Here's hoping that I recover tomorrow because I'm walking with a gangster limp. BTW, Tosh is gangster. He did at least 4 workouts in about a 24 hour span, probably PR'ing in most if not all of them.

This past week I've been attempting to get onto the Zone/Paleo diet. I've some good reading material- CrossFit Journal #21, A Week In the Zone, a vast number of blogs (Modern Forager, Robb Wolf, Scott Hagnas, etc) and some random cookbooks.

Yesterday I made this delightful dinner, inspired by a recipe from Robb Wolf.

my version:
1/2 lbs ground beef
3 chicken sausage links
1 bag stir-fry veggies
1/4 c marinara
1/4 c salsa


and then for today's dinner I made a salad from the remaining sausages along with some romaine lettuce, beefhouse tomato and a drizzle of olive oil.. and some freshly ground pepper!


I'm in need of Costco trip. Hopefully sooner than later. Getting of the crack is proving more difficult than previously thought.

Focus.

Oh, fitness blog! I have shunned thee and for that I am saddened.

Well, here's to new beginnings.

TO DO:
1. Blog my workouts here, daily
2. Also, read at least 10 pages of a book daily
3. Watch my nutrition closely and not to fall off (I'm attempting to Zone). CUT SUGAR!
4. CFWU and 10 minutes of stretching randomly throughout the day, regardless if I'm training or not
5. Pick up on the running!
6. Sleep more often, and on time
7. Budget everything
8. Stay focused.

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JACKIE
rd 1 completed at 7:48
rd 2 completed at 16:52
rd 3 completed at 29:38

I almost saw Pukie thrice.

Adrian didn't workout the other day

and he had a beer before noon.

(Wed)
The dudes and I did the 75 OHS, 95lbs WOD (75 reps done in as few sets as possible). Mike used 45lbs. He got 5 rds and both John and I got 4 rds as rx'ed.

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Today Sheena and I ran Greenlake. I tried what I've learned of POSE method thus far. The run was great- my knee didn't hurt (as much) and we finished in a very decent time. We both took one break during the run (due to a cramp and my knee uncomfortability) but it was dope. My calfs are done for. I didn't get DOMS. It was more like Immediate Onset Muscle Soreness. I walk like an old injured man.

Good times ahead though.

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I think I'm going to take a page from Skip Chase of Mt. Baker CrossFit (WA stand up!) and have my clients agree to allow me to come by at any point unannounced to check their fridges and pantries. Sugar is some bad stuff that I've also been trying to cut myself.

My back

Is murdering me.. and it's only been just over 12 hours since I did this little ditty:

21 deadlifts, 225lbs
42 pullups
15 deadlifts, 225lbs, dropped to 135 after the first 10 reps
30 pullups
9 deadlifts, 135lbs
18 pullups

12:11

I wasn't feeling strong during those deadlifts, but then again I haven't been paying attention to my heavy lifting for a while. This coupled with some terrible food choices this past week and lack of sleep (my buddy Dan is having some serious sleeping problems as well) aren't helping my health. I'm finding myself being a 'Debbie Downer' and it's not fun.

[article] UK & US Love Their Fast Food

from the Modern Forager:

Organic Consumers latest newsletter included this article: Who Loves Junk Food the Most: U.K., USA, or Canada?

From the newsletter:

44 percent of Americans agreed with the statement while only 19 percent of the French agreed.

And taking the grand prize (from the article):

Forty five percent of UK respondents agreed with the statement ‘I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up’.

Wow! 44% and 45% respectively! That is an unreal percentage of people that cannot give up fast food due to the taste. It’s even more amazing to me because fast food isn’t all that tasty. It’s mainly a combination of salt, sugar, and a crispy texture - very one-dimensional food. It hits the spot if you’re so hungry, you’re going to gnaw your arm (or someone else’s arm) off, but I certainly wouldn’t consider it “tasty food”.

So congratulations Britain. You have unseated the USA as the most fast food loving nation, though only by a small percentage. Notice that the French don’t appreciate fast food quite as much, though it’s still 1 in 5. I suppose that’s the result of a rich food tradition that the United States doesn’t have.

Read more.

Unhealthy

It's 2 o'clock in the morning and I'm completely awake.

Not only that, but I just cooked some Alfredo. It's homemade and fresh from scratch, but it's all CHO and it's night. For whatever reason I was feenin for it.

Ah. I need focus for this week.

RAINSTORM II

This Saturday I'll be holding RAINSTORM II at 11am at my gym.

It's free so come out for some metabolism-raising, fun times- and bring a friend!

No Bueno

not feeling strong at all right now.

did "Mary" earlier and i was hesitant with the pullups. i finished with 9 rds. i thought i'd have at least 12 done.

that's what 2 weeks of unhealthy food and alcohol will do to a body

an excerpt

"Eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, yet work together to produce health... And it is necessary, as it appears, to discern the power of various exercise, both natural exercises and artificial, to know which of them tends to increase flesh and which to lessen it; and not only this, but also to proportion exercise to bulk food, to the constitution of the patient, to the age of the individual..."

Regimen - Hippocrates

yay insomnia

i hate you!

note to self:

buy new running shoes and start studying the POSE Method of running and ChiRunning

5k's all day!

Here's to the Big Climb! Team Foundation Fitness is about to own this

Ross E. the Beast

one of my fitness heroes, Ross Enamait, put up a new training article and video up on his training website.

The Homemade Wheel



Free movement exercises are much better for midline stabilization than machines. F*ck an Ab Lounge or any other crunch machines.

STEP YOUR FITNESS GAME UP!

Personal Record!

I completely destroyed my last PR of 8:47 with CrossFit's 'Diane' WOD yesterday

Diane
21-15-9 reps for time:
225 lbs Deadlift
HSPU

5:00

I'm both shocked and stoked about it. Feels good either way though.

I also wanted to share this article...

Myostatin Drugs 4x > Steroids, Without Harmful Side Effects?



GET BIG! GET BIG! GET BIG!

from my CF Boards thread

i'm a bit late on starting this properly, but i thought hey! new year, new log! let's see if i can't stay on schedule.

as of 2008 0101 i am a 22 year old Filipino/Spanish male standing at 5'5", weighing in at 140 lbs (63.6kg). i don't eat poorly, but it's not that great either. (that statement is based on what my peers eat)

according to a Bod Pod test in late December 2007 my BF% is 6.7% meaning i carry 9.4 lbs of fat with a lean tissue weight of 130.6. the Bod Pod also concluded that my BMR is 1561. given that i have an "Active" activity level, then my BMR goes up to 2716. if i set my macronutrient ratios to 40/30/30 (CHO/Pro/Fat, respectively) then i should be eating

CHO 1086cal / 272g
Pro 815cal / 204g
Fat 815cal / 91g

i take a daily Centrum multi and a fish oil pill. on days i feel my immune system is weak (i carry stress and seem to get sick in the throat/neck area most) i will take anywhere from 500mg to 2000mg, which was recommended to me by a "wellness specialist".

sleep is my biggest "limit" (i don't like the word "weakness"). it's very hard for me to keep a set schedule. i am currently attempting to reset my circadian rhythm.

my occupation is being a personal trainer for my gym Foundation Fitness / Rain City CrossFit.

[ MORE HERE ]

Grand Opening Results

The grand opening of Foundation Fitness/ Rain City CrossFit was a complete success. Although everyone who RSVP'ed didn't show up, others were there to fill the spots, eat the pizza and drink the beers.

My demo workout, which I shall dub 'Kill Grip'



3rds for time:
20 KB Swings, 16 kg
15 Pullups
10 C&J, 95lbs
5 HSPU

(the official version will be 5rds, 20kg kb, and hspu will be with the parallettes)



Afterwards we held an inagural workout which I have named 'Roxanne'

21-15-9 reps for time:
Pullups
Burpees
KB Swing, 20kg
Box Jumps, 20"
Push Press, 95lbs




I am very excited for the rest of the year. Foundation Fitness is now my full-time job and I can't wait to build our rep as a gym!

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On the 7th Tammy, Mike, and myself did the hero wod 'Josh'.

For Time:
21 OHS, 95lbs
42 Pullups
15 OHS, 95lbs
30 Pullups
9 OHS, 95lbs
18 Pullups

Andrew 9:53
Tammy 15:?? M (45lbs, jumping)
Mike 10:07 M (45lbs, jumping)

i tore my hands up pretty nicely as well. didn't hurt so much at first because i didn't notice them, but during my cool down i looked at my hands and noticed the tears. the only other time i've ever torn was in high school gymnastics. i'm surprised that within my first year of CrossFit it didn't tear me up sooner!

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Saturday there will be a CrossFit Total at Level 4 CrossFit Seattle. We will help run the event and hopefully I'll be able to compete as well!

Too bad I didn't prepare )=

Results will be posted Saturday night. Stay posted!

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Here's a video of Cyril Raffaelli, a trickster/traucer/stuntman/martial artist. You may recognize his face. Click his name to see his profile on IMDB



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Finally, here's an article about making your own vanilla extract!

3/4 Ain't Bad

Last night I was determined to work out even if I had a coffee date with an old schoolmate (hi Kate!)

Sheena, Mike and myself warmed up, played with the C2 a bit and then went through some skills. Weird thing is we all finished our respective workouts at (nearly) the same time.

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10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep rds for time:
Push Press, 45lbs
KB SDLHP, 1 pood
KB Swings, 1 pood

Mike 10:30

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21-15-9 rep rds for time:
DB Push Press, 30lbs
KB SDLHP, 8kg
KB Goblet Squat, 8kg
KB Swing, 8kg

Sheena 10:30

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10-Min KB Swing Test (CF Style)

Andrew 208, 16kg

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I still want to workout today. Maybe after the Seahawks game because I'm gonna have some people over.

GO HAWKS!

That's my landlord's name

we finally got a C2 in the gym

"Christine"
500m Row
12 BW Deadlifts
21 Box Jumps, 25"

12:40, 145lbs deadlift

Happy New Year!

WELCOME 2008! What fun will we have this year?

from one of my favorite sites, Modern Forager:

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Ten Things To Remember In The New Year

January 2nd, 2008 Scott Kustes

Given that the calendar just ticked over to January 1st, 2008, there are a lot of resolutions to eat better and lose weight. Here are ten things to remember as you embark on your health journey.

1. Junk food doesn’t exist; there is junk and there is food.
2. Similarly, real food has no nutrition label. Food products have nutrition labels.
3. If a label tells you how healthful the product inside is, it’s probably not. Don’t be deceived by marketing.
4. Sugar is detrimental to your body in more ways than you can count.
5. Organic/natural junk is still junk. Thirty grams of sugar from honey is not more healthful than 30g of sugar from other sources.
6. If you are wondering if you should eat more vegetables, the answer is yes. I don’t care how many you eat, you should probably eat more.
7. Similarly, you should probably sleep more. Turn off the TV and go to bed. Given the quality of most TV programming, you aren’t going to miss anything of importance.
8. Don’t let “I can’t afford organic” keep you from eating enough produce. Organic vegetables are best. However, eating conventional is better than not eating produce at all.
9. You’re human and you will eat something too sugary and too carby. Don’t stress; just get back on the wagon.
10. And finally: health is a lifelong journey, not a quick-fix. Find something you can stick with.

Anybody have any to add?

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Read more.

SEE YOU ALL AT THE FOUNDATION FITNESS GRAND OPENING!

SPD = Seattle Police Department?

Grant & myself went through our own strength training

Squat 5-4-3-3-3
Press 5-5-3-3-3
Deadlift 5-5-3-3-3

185lbs - 205lbs - 225 lbs - 250lbs - 255lbs
95lbs - 110lbs - 115lbs - 120lbs - 130lbs
225lbs - 285lbs - 315lbs - 320lbs - 320 lbs

Grant's back was still recovering from Elizabeth so he couldn't go on with the deadlifts (the eccentric phase was killing his back)