Wearing an iPOD during a Race

This is a topic I wanted to address, because I like my music. I like to wear an iPOD every time I train. Some people say "cranking loud music to block out the psychological stresses is like cheating". Not every runner is out there racing to WIN. Some people have taken up the sport just for the fun or the exercise. Some people just want to finish, enjoy the race and maybe go out the next time and race against their own PR's. So if running with an iPOD keeps more people out on the road or trail and enjoying the exercise, then what's the big deal? And here's for all you maniacs who's argument is "we MIGHT not hear someone or danger coming" so it's unsafe. First, if we're on a controlled race course it should be well marked and the odds are very slim for an accident. If the guy trying to pass me can't "run around" me, well then he's not a very good athlete. Most people can still feel and hear things around them(situational awareness). If a car does come crashing through it's an "accident" and I don't think we all want to live our lives worrying about avoiding "true" accidents. Second, if you're really that worried about me not "hearing" then thanks for all the support for the hearing impaired. If your argument is they might not be able to hear then you are discriminating against every hearing impaired runner.

Check Out This Video

Here is a link to a video that Johnny Bunn & Eric Barber together for the South Central Sectionals. It's a great video so if you have time, please watch.






http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/Games2010_OKSectionalHighlights.mov

Basics of Self-Massage

Self-massage or also known as self myofacial release. It's a technique used to to apply gentle force to knots in the muscles, which releases muscle tightness and improves flexibility.
Equipment: Tennis ball and golf ball. Some people use a PVC pipe or a Trigger Point massager.
1) Roll out lengthwise and side to side on the sore muscle, or use your hands to kneed the muscle like dough.
2) Press and roll to a point of being somewhat painful.
3) Always start at the end of the muscle that is furthest from the heart.
4) If you find a knot in the muscle (you will know when you find it), work on it gently until it loosens up.
5) You can give yourself a fairly good back rub by lying on a tennis ball and carefully moving back and forth to massage the muscles.
6) The golf ball is especially nice for rolling under your foot when the bottom of your foot is sore.
This type of flexibility exercise can be performed every single day and can produce some amazing results.

Mark Rippetoe Starting Strength

Strength and Powerlifting Workout
Days Per Week: 3
Difficulty: Beginner
Designed By: Starting Strength
Reference URL: http://startingstrength.com/
Workout Goal: Increase Strength
Features: Full Body Workout

This is proven and very effective program that I have used and will put size on any person. If someone does this as a skill after a warm-up and before a CF WOD. Mark Rippetoes Starting Strength is one of the best programs for gaining strength and build muscle. It is especially great for new lifters since it provides an easy to follow template with only a few exercises per week.

Starting Strength Workout Overview
Here is the workout routine you will follow 3 days per week. You will be alternating the workouts week by week:

Week 1

Monday – Workout A
Wednesday – Workout B
Friday – Workout A
The following week

Monday – Workout B
Wednesday – Workout A
Friday – Workout B
Repeat the workouts week by week following the above example. Do not add more workouts during the week. You will be lifting heavy compound lifts that will workout your whole body each week. Your body will need the extra days to recover.

The Exercises
Workout A
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Barbell Squats 3 5,5,5 90+ seconds
Bench Press 3 5,5,5 60-90 seconds
Deadlift 1 5 90+ seconds
Dips 2 5-8 60-90 seconds

Workout B
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Barbell Squats 3 5,5,5 90+ seconds
Overhead Press 3 5,5,5 60-90 seconds
Power Clean 3 5,5,5 90+ seconds
Chin-ups 3 8,8,8 60-90 seconds

Assistance Work
You may be asking yourself where is the isolation or arm exercises in this workout. Since you are doing compound exercises, all muscles will be hit during the workouts. There is no need for any assistant or additional exercises.

Do not Change the Workout or Customize It!

Too many people like to change or customize a workout because they think it will work better for them. The starting strength workout has been tested with great results, so there is not need to change something that works!

Abdominal work is ok to perform. Hanging leg raises and weighted sit-ups would be recommended.

Weights to Use:
Be consistent with the weight you use each set. Do the same weight for each set. So if you do 100 lbs for the first set, do it on sets 2 and 3.

Every week make increase your weights by 2.5%. So if you do 200lbs during week one. you would do 205 lbs the next week.

Warm up Sets:
Be sure to do 3 warm up sets before your first exercise. You do not need to do warm ups for every exercise. Warmups should be about 50% your max and work your way up to your working set weight.

Example for working out using 200lbs as the working set:

100, 135, 165, then 200lbs

Wish Lemons Run 1k Results

Do you remember how good it felt to just let loose and run around during your childhood?



Running is a natural and enjoyable activity for children, no matter what their ages are. This was the girls first race. I told them to catch the Police motorcycle leading the race. It was so much fun to watch the joy on their faces as they ran. They both ran the whole 1k without stopping. Ella just tried to stay in front of the apple and pickle costumes. I would say encouraging them to run is the best thing you can do. As often as you can. And keep it lighthearted and fun.



I'm so proud of my little runner's.

Rope Climbing

Don't you remember climbing a rope as a little kid? Maybe you would swing on the rope for fun? Climbing rope is a very useful and functional movement. This was an Olympic Gymnastic event at one time, but was removed from that venue after the 1932 Games. In the United States, competitive climbing on both 20 ft and 25 ft, 1.5 inch diameter natural fiber ropes was sanctioned by both the AAU and the NCAA until the early 1960s, when these organizations dropped the events. As a result, intercollegiate competition in the USA disappeared at this time. In Olympic Games held in the USA, competitors climbed a 25 ft (7.62m) rope, but when post-1896 Games were held in Europe, an 8m (26.3 ft) rope was used. In almost all contests, athletes climbed for speed, starting from a seated position on the floor and using only the hands and arms. Kicking the legs in a kind of "stride" was normally permitted. However, at the 1896 Olympic Games, competitors were ranked by both time and style (holding an L-position) on a rope so long (15 meters) that some climbers did not reach the top and were therefore excluded. In all succeeding Olympics through the 1932 Games, competitors were judged strictly by time of ascent on a shorter rope.
From Wikipedia

Wish Lemons 5k Race

Check out the website www.wishlemonsrun.com

Location: Youth and Family Center,
11th & Main, Downtown Tulsa, OK
Click here to view a course map.

Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010

Schedule:
Registration: 7:30 am
Neal Sweeney 1K Fun Run: 8:30 am
Friends of Fred Dog Walk: 8:30 am
Wish Lemons 5K Run: 9:00 am
Awards Ceremony: 10:00 am

I will be there working on the POSE.

Happy Trails

Kiah showing no sign of being tired after 12 miles of running through the mud.

"Snatch/Muscle-up"

Mountain Sectionals WOD #2
In 12 minutes, reach a 1 rep max snatch
Add 2# bonus for each muscle-up completed in that time.
Mountain Sectionals scoring results here.



Snatch 185lb didn't really want to try for a new PR on this WOD.
57 Muscle-ups they felt good all the way through. No kips, just strict
Total 299

Great Times

The focus was there, the atmosphere was perfect, and I was in the ZONE. ZONE is the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.





I've met so many great people through CrossFit. Very proud of these people and this community.







This was such a great event with everlasting memories. Thanks to all who were a part of the South Central Sectionals. Thanks to Eric & Luila Barber!

Forearm Balance

Training Questions

I get emails from time to time asking, what I do for training. When I started blogging, I decided I would not post all my training. I keep a workout journal with all my training progress. I'm going to answer this email on the blog.

"I have a quick question for ya. I am just getting into yoga, adding that to my training regime. Do you do anymore workouts, other then a CF WOD and Yoga? Right now I am following the CF main site wods and I just started to incorporate yoga into the mix but I'm looking to do something more. I want to go as hard as I can to build as much strength and speed as possible from now until september. What kind of WODs do you follow? Do you just do the nextgeneration wods and yoga"?

I follow Next Generation CrossFit WODs 3 days on 1 day off. We always work skills and strength before our WOD. We lift heavy based on % of PR. I do Yoga 4 days a week so I'm able to get in the deep stretches. I usually do 1 or 2 endurance days whenever I can find the time. In addition to my training, my nutrition is Paleo with Zone measuring. I also get much needed sleep. I hope this helps and can answer any questions you might have.

Snake Run Results

Chad & Kiah(dog)12 miles in 2:12
Tyler 12 miles in 2:26
It snowed the whole time and there was tons of mud.

South Central Sectionals Video

CrossFit & Congressman

John Sullivan is grimacing, staring at the massive weighted barbell.

He wants to stop, lie down, possibly puke. But he must squat, pick up the 135-pound weighted bar and lift it clean above his head, at least two more times, before he can move on to the pull-ups. And then back to the rowing station, to repeat the whole sequence over. Two more rounds.

He must do this if he wants a shot at proceeding to the international CrossFit Games. Of the 101 men competing at sectionals in Tulsa, vying for a shot at the regional qualifier, the 45-year-old congressman is not the youngest, the fittest or the most likely to win.

But that won't stop him from trying.

Read more from this Tulsa World article

Snake Run

The Tatur Six Hour & Three Hour Snake Run works like this. The race starts a 9 am sharp. After six or three hours the runner who has ran the most miles wins.

The course will be a four mile circuit that you will try to complete as many times as possible. You can run four miles, stop, and call it a day, or you can run 20 miles, or you can run four miles, grill yourself some food and run a couple of more loops. You basically can do whatever you want as long as you attend this test of endurance. My friend Tyler and I will be running the 3 hour race and plan on running at least 12 miles in that time period. Sign up here....

Open Up Your Hips

In CrossFit training we use our hips for everything all the time. I know my hip flexors get really sore from all the explosive movements that I make. The hip flexors are a group of muscles that move the hip forward when running and walking. A great deal of stress is applied to this muscle group when sprinting and OLY lifting. Most problems with the hip flexors are due to a lack of flexibility. Imagine someone with a broken arm in a cast. When the cast is removed after eight weeks, the soft tissues around the elbow (muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even skin) will have shortened, and the elbow won't straighten out. It will take stretching over several weeks to restore the ROM(range of motion). So, if the hip is constantly kept in a flexed position ie sitting for hours every day, day after day, the hip flexors will shorten and shrink, limiting your ability to fully extend the hip. Spend time everyday streching out those hip flexors.


1)Lunge forward with knee on floor. Position foot beyond forward knee. Place hands on knee.
2)Straighten hip of rear leg by pushing hips forward. Hold stretch. Repeat with opposite side.

Sled Drag Backwards?

WOD #2 shocked everyone, once they started to go backwards with the sled drags. This picture is so funny, because Luila Barber was in my face the whole 4 minutes & 9 seconds. She gave her all to see me get through this WOD with a great time. I won't say the things that she said to me.

Amazing Event

This picture sums up my attitude for last weekend.

Video of WOD #2

The Athletes

Video of WOD #1

Regionals Here I Come

So here is the picture in which Ryan is referring to in his comment. PURE ADRENALINE


What an amazing weekend and amazing athletes.

Sectional WOD #2 Results

Results
For time:
50m Sled Drag running forward (male 90#/female-50#)
21 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running backward
15 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running forward
9 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running backward

My time was 4:09
Dragging a 90lb sled backwards was brutal!

Sectionals WOD #1 Results

Results
WOD #1
For time:
Row 500m
10 Squat Clean to Overhead (male-135#/female-83#)
10 Pullups (kipping or strict, chin clearly over the bar, full arm extension at bottom, no butterfly)
Three rounds for time.
20 minute time limit.

My time was 10:12

My Heats for Sectionals

WOD #1 12:30pm Saturday
WOD #2 6:00pm Saturday
WOD #3 12:30pm Sunday

I have been training CrossFit for 2 years in the early morning. The last heat of every workout will be interesting. Now all I have to do is beat the top time of the day. Easier said than done.

WOD #2 Announced

WOD #2
For time:
50m Sled Drag running forward (male 90#/female-50#)
21 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running backward
15 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running forward
9 Burpees
50m Sled Drag running backward
10 minute time limit.

I love dragging heavy things and burpees!

I'm READY for Battle

Today was my final major training day.

3 rds for time:
5 C&J 135lb
5 Pull-ups
2:00

Run 5k @ LaFortune 25:00 I think just guessing

mini WOD #3 all movements, but no run 4:01

1 min lateral burpee max (30reps)

WOD #1

So here is a video of Breck Berry head judge and past Games competitor. His time was 10:37 without much break. I can't wait to do this one again on Saturday morning.

Indoor Rock Climbing

Indoor Climbing is an increasingly popular form of rock climbing performed on artificial structures that attempt to mimic the experience of outdoor rock climbing but in a more controlled environment.

Tulsa, OK Sectionals March 13th

WOD 1
3 rds for time:
Row 500m
10 Squat Clean to Overhead (male-135#/female-83#)
10 Pullups (kipping or strict, chin clearly over the bar, full arm extension at bottom, no butterfly)

WOD 3
For time:
Run 250m
25 Snatches (75/45)
25 Kettlebell Swings (55/35)
25 Overhead Squats (75/45)
25 Box Jumps (20"/16")
25 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (75/45)
25 Wallballs (20#@10ft / 14#@8ft)
25 Thrusters (75/45)
Run 250m

The Burpee

Competition & Tapering

Check out CrossFit LA

1.Take an entire week COMPLETELY OFF from workouts. This doesn't mean do nothing. Warm up. Stretch. Practice skills. Do things that are short, quick, but not too intense.

2.Go to bed. Get lots of rest. Store it up for the week.

3.Eat well and drink plenty of water

4.Make a plan for the day of the event. What time you're getting up. What gear you need for the event. What your going to eat throughout the day. How you're going to warm up, and what time. What you'll do between events. Try to visualize the day - how you're going to perform AND how the day is going to go.

Operating @ 110%

I decided to take this week off from CrossFit training and only do Yoga. Probably the greatest reason for this is a mental one. Having spent weeks training for the Sectionals, getting into the groove of regular training and knowing that training will improve performance, it is sorely tempting to cram in as much training as possible right up to the last minute before the event in the belief that it will improve performance. I believe it is necessary to have the mental strength to rest and recuperate prior to the event to achieve maximum performance. My favorite thought to remember when struggling in a race or competition is “Pain is temporary, glory is forever!”

iPhone App (Sleep Cycle)

Have you ever woken up feeling completely wrecked when the alarm clock goes off, despite the fact that you have slept "enough" hours? When this happens you have probably been awakened during a deep sleep phase, and your whole day can turn into one long zombie marathon.

Other days you spring out of bed with a smile on your face, feeling completely rested even though you shouldn't. As the alarm clock goes off, chance seems to play a big role in how your day will become. But does it really have to be that way? This is where the Sleep Cycle alarm clock application comes into play.

Check it out

Different training styles

I do jiu-jitsu, yoga, crossfit, run, climb, lift, row, swim, bike, skate, and play dodgeball. How do you train?