Level 1 Cert Day 2 !!! & Hill Run, Med Ball Cleans, Pullups

Wearing a sand colored t-shirt in the top right corner just below the tallest guy in the photo who is wearing a black t-shirt....Yours truly.

2nd and final day of the Level 1 Cert.  I just wish there was a day 3, 4 and 5.  I could go all week!  

So today we had lectures on technique, nutrition, midline stabalization, and programming.  There were lectures, demonstrations and skill work for the following movements:  Glute Ham Developer hip extensions, GHD back extensions, GHD situps, kipping pullups, muscleups, rowing, snatching.

The workout today was:

~400M Hill Run

3 Rounds of:  15 Medicine Ball Clean 20lbs, 15 Pullups

~400M Hill Run

10:22

I was the 17th fastest out of the 50-60 Cert attendees.  Top 3rd, which isn't too bad, but plenty of room for improvement.  The fastest time in the class was 7:47.  The same athlete got 409 on FGB yesterday.  Sorry, but I can't help but be over-competitive and care too much about things like that.  It's just the way I operate.

I'll leave you with the highlights that I walked away from this weekend with.  These are words of wisdom.  Words to live by:

Your hips are the engine, and the spine/torso is the transmission for producing power with your body.  

The ability to stabilize the core is the secret to being a firebreather of an athlete.

Food is fuel that runs the machine (your body).

The food you put in your mouth will determine how you feel for the next 4-6 hours.

The 23 - 1   Rule:

Your workout takes about 1 hour of your day.  This puts in perspective how important the other 23 hours are.  What you do with the other 23 hours in your day provides a huge opportunity to do harm or good for your fitness level.  Therefore what fuel you spend your time consuming and how much sleep you get in that 23 hours is hugely important!

Badasses are on a zone paleo diet.

If it won't go bad, rot, or die, then don't eat it.

Never have a meal larger then 5 blocks and never go more then 5 hours without eating.

Fixing a glaring deficiency (weakness), is better for your fitness then just working on your strengths.

Work on your weaknesses!

Force x Distance % time = Power  ......   Power  =  Intensity

If you don't push to new levels of intensity you will NOT grow.

Intensity is where the good shit is!

Functional Movement is moving Large Loads Long Distances Quickly.

Increase work capacity across broad time and modal domains.

CrossFit is ultimately attempting to attain increased capacity/ability in life outside the gym.

Level 1 Cert !!! & Fight Gone Bad

My first Level 1 Certification.  Much needed since I'm a PT Instructor at the Police Academy now,  I probably ought to be legit about it. Heck I say its great as a garage gym CrossFit commoner to get to a Cert or 5 immediately if not sooner.  In that sense I should have gone to this Cert months ago!  

We had a ton of quality info shoveled at us today, all of which I soaked up as I scribbled notes furiously.  Much was review due to my reading of the CrossFit Journal (HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended if you don't subscribe yet!), but it was presented very well by some top notch Instructors highlighted by Adrian Bozman and Jon Gilson; two of my FAVORITE CrossFit blog/article authors.  We covered 9 of the foundational movements of CrossFit in lecture, demonstration, and practice:  the air squat, front squat, overhead squat, press, push press, push jerk, deadlift, sumo deadlift high pull, and clean.  It was outstanding to get such close coaching attention in so many lifts.  I was loving it.  Then it was time for some fun: 

Fight Gone Bad

3 Rounds of 1 min of each exercise and 1 min rest in between rounds

1. Wall-ball, 8 ft target (Reps) 24, 11, 10
2. Sumo Deadlift high-pull 75lbs (Reps) 18, 15, 13 
3. Box jump (Reps) 26, 14, 14
4. Push-press 75lbs (Reps) 27, 17, 11
5. Row (Calories) 14, 9, 13

Total:  236

What a doosey.  As if I needed to mention it to anyone who has done this WOD before, you know its a real beastie.  And today it was especially beastly.  That's what happens when you have 5 CrossFit Headquarters Level 1 Cert Trainers pouncing on any form of weakness, driving you onward through the misery that is intensity.  And I don't mean the stuffed animal kind of beast. This WOD was the teeth ground sharp, eyes glowing red, hiding under your bed, deep dark evilness that roams in the realm of your nightmares kind.  But I digress.  It was hard.  And that is good.  This was the first time I've done FGB as RX'd.  The medicine ball I have only weighs 10lbs, so that is the scaled down version I've been doing the last couple of times.  So me and the wall ball didn't get along so well, since this was twice as hard as I've ever done before.  But I sure did enjoy it because I was working out with ~60 other Cert attendees amidst a cacophony of screamed encouragement.  I'd love to workout in that environment daily.

Then to top off the day, after I got home, I had the opportunity to introduce CrossFit to my identical twin brother.  I taught him the air squat and shoulder press.  It was great to regurgitate a bunch of info I had just gotten on the movements at the cert which helped me remember it that much more. He did well for his first time and then rounded off the night with a max deadhang pullup effort of 9 pullups.  Not bad for someone who hasn't been working out at all, and has been known to define elite fitness as endurance runners (don't blame him, he was brainwashed as a HS and college track and cross country runner).  I was proud of how well he did picking up the movements.  We'll continue working on some more of the foundational movements and nailing down some benchmarks of his fitness so we can have something to work off and have a starting point for creating goals as we move forward.

Pretty snarky stuff!

So now its off to hold down my cot before the second day of the Cert!  

OHS,KB Swings, Dips/Single Leg Squats/Musclesups 9-21-08

15 - 12 - 9

Overhead Squats 75lbs

Kettlebell Swings 44lbs

Bar Dips

9:04

The dips were by far the hardest part. First set no problem. The second and third set were very broken and slow. The triceps were just shot. Gotta continue to work on this weakness. A friend Matt came over to workout. He's never done Crossfit before and after introducing him to OHS, I realized it was asking too much to have him do them as part of his workout. So he did the above workout with 95lb back squats instead in 4:52. He really smoked it and I was impressed with how good of shape he is in. Being a wrestler and swimmer and lifting on his own has certainly helped. Then we did:

Single Leg Squats

95 x 3

105 x 3

115 x 3

125 x 3

135 x 3

145 x 3

My back is still feeling a little suspect, so instead of doing low back squats, I did some single leg squats which stress the back a little less. It was good to do some form of the squat. Its been far too long.

30 Muscleups

18:35

Not really for time, just alternated single reps with Matt. But I did time it out of curiosity, so why not post the time, right? About 15-20 were full locked and turned out at the bottom, the rest were with bent elbows at the bottom.

Thrusters, Burpees, Rope Climbs 9-20-08

5 Rounds of 

7 Thrusters 95lbs

7 Burpees

3 Rope Climbs (8ft)

9:51

This was a good one.  I would have normally done this with 7 pullups instead of the rope climbs but subbed the robe climbs because of my torn blisters.  A buddy Andrew from Oakland PD came over and worked out with me at the garage gym.  He is new to Crossfit and has never done Thrusters before.  So he did them with 65lbs.  He finished the workout in 10:48.  Hopefully his schedule will line up with mine soon and we can start working out more regularly together.

Cash out of max Ring Pushups with feet up on jump box so we could get nice and deep.  I did 24 and Andrew did 20.

Row and Benchpress 9-19-08

4 rounds of 500M row, 4 min of rest between rounds:

1:38

1:48

1:52

1:54

I was hoping to PR on my first 500 and hit 1:32.  3 months ago I got 1:35.  That definitely wasn't happening tonight!  I guess that's what happens when you don't row much.  

10:00 min rest and did:

Benchpress

95 x 3

115 x 3

135 x 3

155 x 3 (PR)

165 x 1 (failed on 2nd rep)

Finally bought a flat bench so I can add benchpressing to my repitore.  Its a definite weakness as any other long armed bloke might tell ya. Yet another exercise to work on.

Sprints and Modified Lynne 9-17-08

Worked out with the Recruits today.  Did Sprint liners on a basketball quart...about 10 rounds of sprints of varying lengths including a sprint/air squat relay race.

Then did a modified Lynne.

4 Rounds of Max reps of:

Pullups                        30 - 17 - 16 - 15

105lb Shoulder Press       6 -  5  -  5   -  5

Rested 3 minutes in between rounds.  The 30 Pullups in the first round was a PR.  Pretty pleased with that.  10 away from my one year of doing CrossFit goal (in Feb) of 40 pullups.  We'll see, maybe I'll be able to hit 50 by then.  But I'll have to figure out the great blister battle I'm having.  I'm losing the battle.  Had two casualties today.  Ripped two big blisters, one on each ring finger.  That caused me to cut it short to 4 rounds instead of my planned 5.  The 30 pullups really took it out of me for the following rounds.  In rounds 2 and 3 I used a switched grip which I think really helped.

Nasty Girls 9-16-08

“Nasty Girls” Pack/Porch Scaling:

3 rounds for time of: 
50 Squats 
10 Seated Muscle-ups 
115 pound Hang power cleans, 10 reps

9:44

This was a tough one.  I loved it!

Dips 9-14-08

Still feeling my back and not much time, so I picked a weakness and did a super quick workout:

Dips 3 x 15

Rested 3 minutes between rounds.  (Actually did 17 in my first set).  14 unbroken in the first set makes for a pathetic PR.  At least all were strict full ROM.

Clean and Jerk & Pullups 9-13-08

Clean and Split Jerk

65 x 5

95 x 3

115 x 3

135 x 3

155 x 3

165 x 3 (PR)

Got a twinge in my low back coming out of the bottom of the squat on the very last rep.  I was hoping to move up to 170lbs so I'd have my bodyweight x 3, but the back twinge ended it for me.  I don't think its too serious at all.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow, might make it a rest day.

Max Dead Hang Pullup

17 (PR)

I had a tiny leg kick mid way up # 16.  Didn't quite get my chin over the bar on 18.  Haven't been doing too many pullups because of my constant issues with blisters.  Really need to get over the Blister blues so I can be improving on pullups like I need to be.

Deadlift 9-12-08

Deadlift

275 x 5

315 x 3

5 sets of 275 x 3

Last time I deadlifted I did 5 sets of 3 at 315. But my form suffered because it was too heavy. Decided to drop the weight back down and try and keep good form this time. Frusterating to go back down in weight but it was the right thing to do.

10 Muscleups full locked and turned out at the bottom. Not for time. Sets of 2 until 6 then did singles.

Fight Gone Bad Variant 9-10-08

Worked out at the Academy with the Recruits today.  

1.5 Mile run in 11:07  

Ran with some of the slower guys to try and push them, so this wasn't a PR attempt.  

Overhead Squats: 85lbs x 13, 95 x 3, 105 x 1, 115 x 1, 135 x 1, 150 (failed)  

I was shooting for a PR of 150lbs but out of the bottom my right arm drifted forward and I dropped it. Oh well.  

Muscleups not for time:  

4 unbroken (not locked and turned out) 

3 ‘real’ Muscleups unbroken ... First time I’ve ever done any with arms fully locked and hands turned out at the bottom. So this is a PR. From now on every Muscleup I do will be locked and turned out.  

2 

1 

3 bar Muscleups. Ripped my muscleup blister in the center of my right hand, so I stopped.  

Then did a Fight Gone Bad variation which was the Department's WOD:  

4 Rounds of  

12lb Slamball 

Pushups

Row 

Heavy Punching Bag 

Sumo Deadlift Highpull with 2 pood Kettelbell

Unfortunately I didn't keep track of my numbers but kept the intensity high.  

I'm having a ton of fun as an Academy PT instructor. I really enjoyed working with a couple of the recruits who stayed late to get more work in. Introduced them to L-Sits, L Pullups, Knees to Elbows, Toes to bar, front and side Planks, muscleups and Overhead Squats. How cool is that! A few got their first muscleups ever and all PR'ed in Overhead Squats since it was their first time ever doing them.

KB Swings, Burpees, Situps 9-9-08

5 Rounds for time of:  

10 53# Kettlebell Swings

9 Burpees 

8 Abmat Situps  

7:49  

Then did some more because it seemed like the stoopid thing to do.  

50 70lb Kettlebell Swings  

5:34  

1st time ever doing anything with a 70lb Kettlebell and only second time I've used a real Kettlebell. Fun stuff. The 70lber was a real evil...nogooder...I think I want one = )

100 Ring Pushups 9-7-08

100 Ring Pushups

11:57

I hung the rings down 2 feet off the floor and I did the first 41 with my feet on a 2 foot box so I was completely parallel.  After that I had to drop my feet to the ground to do slightly incline pushups.  This was quite a bit tougher then I thought.  Figured it'd take more like 5 minutes, not 12!

Snatch and Overhead Squat 9-5-08

Burgener warmup with PVC pipe and then with 45lb bar

Snatch

55 x 10

95 x 3

105 x 1

115 x 1

125 x 1

130 x 1 (failed)

Overhead Squat:

95 x 5

115 x 1

135 x 1

145 x 1 (PR + 10)

150 x 1 (Failed because I did not get full depth on squat)

compare to 5-14-08

Its been a long time since I've done OHS. Too long. Got to work them into my programming more like I used to.

1 Mile SandBag Carry 9-4-08

Carried a 100lb Sandbag for 1 Mile.

14:38

My goal was to do it under 15:00 min and I hit it.  The long term goal is to carry my bodyweight for 1 mile under 15:00 min.  That'll really take some work, because this was tough.  Surprisingly enough this really taxed my grip strength while holding onto the bag as it sat on my shoulders.  It was also very tiring on the traps, shoulder girdle and neck.  

Deadlift and Pushups 9-3-08

Deadlift

3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3  

315lbs

This was heavy for me.  Too heavy.  My form suffered because of the weight.  Especially in the 4th and 5th sets.  A rounded back.  Not a pretty thing.  Thats what I get for video taping my workout.  I should have used less weight.  I was upset with my breakdown in form.  So I punished myself with a cashout of black jack pushups.  Had one minute break in between each round.  Did the final 5 rounds all together with no breaks.

21-20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Pushups

Thats a total of 231 pushups.  I did them all unbroken.  Ouch.

Push Jerk 8-31-08

Push Jerk

95 x 3 

115 x 3

135 x 3

145 x 3

155, 155, 155 (failed), 155 (PR + 5)

160, 160 (failed), 160, 160 (failed), 160 (PR + 10) 

160 x 3 makes for a 10lb PR!!  I'm loving that I'm still making notable progress at 7 months of doing CrossFit!  My second rep of 160 went up super easy.  Considerably easier then any of the other 160lb attempts and easier then any of the 155lb attempts as well.  This leads me to believe my form still needs lots of work to get consistent.  On that 'easy' rep I just locked out my arms no problem at all.  I think this is because I got good hip explosion and probably more importantly I dropped under the bar super fast.  I also concentrated on setting my core and noticed a difference in feeling tighter and more solid throughout the ROM.  Need to fine tune my form so I can hit those lifts every time. The lifts that I failed were because I didn't quite lock out my arms and wasn't able to grind it up the rest of the way.

Compare to 7-25-08