Equal Opportunity Suffering

Break

2010-04-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog.

I am truly enjoying keeping it, and I will continue to update it, but not for a couple of weeks. There is a lot going on in my life, and I have to take a break from the blog in order to manage it all. Of course, that doesn't mean I will take any breaks from CrossFit!

Please check back during the first week of May!

A concert and a WOD

2010-04-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Keyport Concert Series is a staple for Navy Band Northwest. It is a constant conglomeration of concerts that run all year, except for a little while in the summer. Today was one of those concerts, and assisted living facilities all around the area were there in force!

Anyway, my hand is still good and mutilated, but it is healing pretty well, despite losing a couple of stitches today, maybe during the gig. Oh well, I feel fine. Good enough to do overhead squats!

AMRAP in 20 minutes:

15 knees to elbows (K2Es)
15 overhead squats (95lbs)
15 back extensions

This workout kicked my booty, especially the overhead squats. I think it is a neglected movement for me. It is odd, because I do plenty of squats and overhead work, even a great deal of thrusters, but I am having some difficulties translating the skills. I am keeping my grip wide and my shoulders shrugged. The weight is back and over my heels. Anywho, I am having difficulties with it, which might just be a matter of developing the fine muscle control and muscular endurance to keep the weight stabilized overhead.

Rounds: 5 + 15 K2Es

Not bad for the gimp.

Kitsap County March For Babies!

2010-04-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

This is my amazing wife, Emily. She is the March of Dimes Community Director for... uh... like half of the state of Washington, actually. This is the busiest time of year for March of Dimes, because it is when they raise the majority of their money through the "March For Babies." If you have never heard of it, people ask their friends to donate money to their "walk," which they collect and then turn in on the day of the March For Babies, just before they do a 5 mile run/walk around the city. There are a lot of moving parts, she had 45 volunteers working for her today - lots of work!

Of course, she does all kinds of fund raising and awareness activities for the March of Dimes throughout the year, but we are all especially proud of her today for pulling off such a flawless event, and everyone think about her next Friday when she does the same thing in our state's capitol (she is the only Community Director in the state who manages more than one March For Babies event each year... crazy).

You rock, babe!

Ok, now for the CrossFit. My hand is still gimp and will be for a while, but I am slowly forcing it to do my bidding. Today I took on thrusters. I have to forgo the form a bit, which I am sure Dan would yell at me for, but I have to "death grip" the front squats. Sorry, Dan... it is the only way, because I can't bend my fingers back, yet.

Thrusters
3-3-3-3-3

Loads (lbs): 135, 135, 140, 145, 150

I am fairly convinced I could do a bit more when my hand heals, but my front squat PR is only 175lbs, and my push press PR is only 165lbs, so I think I am pretty close to where I should be for a 3RM, especially for not having complete use of my right hand.

There is great news today though, and I will let the video tell the story:

20 double unders, in a row! After eating a relatively Paleo lunch at Mandarin Chinese in Silverdale today (except for the excess salt, it really was mostly a Paleo meal...), I felt like a MetCon big-time. I am still suffering in this department, because I hate running, I don't own a rower (YET!), and most of my favorite CrossFit WODs are still inaccessible, due to the condition of my hand. I am making do with what I know, though!

2 rounds:

100 double unders

1 minute rest between rounds

Record times.

Times: 2:50; 3:05

I really almost had a better time on my second round, but the last ten double unders just really got to me, and I couldn't get my rhythm in sync. Oh, well, I am totally proud of this time. A month ago I was still afraid of double unders.

GHDs and back extensions

2010-04-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

I am posting a day late, I know. Today is actually my rest day, but yesterday I had a frustrating WOD, discouraging me from wanting to talk about it.

I need a Glute Ham Developer. My makeshift solution really hurts my feet and makes my legs cramp up, not to mention the discomfort in my... *ahem*

So, this is an excellent lessons-learned about purchasing a GHD without a split pad, since that is essentially what I am working with now, and it is very uncomfortable.

Alright, here was the WOD:

5 rounds for time:
30 GHD situps
25 back extensions

My time? Well, it is hard to say. My stopwatch read 19:05. That is what I recorded in my logbook, but I could've gone so much faster if it wasn't for the balance issues trying to flip over in my contraption. The sharp edges of my plyobox aren't a problem when I am jumping on it, but rolling over on it scratches my legs and draws blood!

So, any ideas? I am leaning towards the Wright GHD. Thoughts?

More double-unders

2010-04-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Get used to it, people! My right hand is mush, so I need movements that don't require a tremendous amount of grip strength or my right-hand ring and pinky fingers. So, today I pull this one out of the main site March 2010 Archives.

5 rounds for time:

40 double-unders
30 box jumps (24" box)
20 1.5 pood kettlebell swings

Again, no pictures. Sorry, I just don't have it in me, plus my hand is gross and camera shy.

Time: 26:32

As much progress as I made on the double-unders, the box jumps proved the most difficult part for me, and the kettlebell swings were challenging due to the fact that I was so concerned about my hand. The last thing I want is to pop a stitch, because anyone who knows me realizes I would sew it back up myself with a paper clip and twine before going back to the emergency room - I hate "public health spaces," which is what call doctors' offices, e-rooms, hospitals, clinics, labs, etc. To quote Steve Carrell, "The office is not where you go to die... that is what hospitals are for."

Anyway, I am super proud of my double-unders. Not only did I do more today in one sitting than I ever had before (previous record was 150), but I also did 8 in a row!!! That is, one right after another, just like those crazy folks at the CrossFit Games. Awesome. I am amazed at my own improvement in this regard. Not a bad time, although there were much more impressive ones posted in the comments on the main site! I love it - Lots of room to grow!

I look like Hellboy...

2010-04-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

I realize as I sit here and type, looking down at my hands, that one hand is easily twice as big as the other. That, and I look like Franken-Hand.

Again, no pictures today. Those might not come back for a while. My life is just a little haywire at the moment, so I am lucky just to get out there and train.

I can't play trumpet, I can't focus very well, and I am in some pretty serious pain, but I tell you all right now - This will not deter me from CrossFitting.

Back Squats

3-3-1-1-1

Then....

3 rounds for time:
50 double unders
50 back extensions

The back squat workout comes from KCF.

PRs all around!

Back squat loads (pounds): 165, 175, 180, 185 (PR), 190 (new PR!)

Time on double unders/back extentions: 18:30 (PR by over 10 minutes!)

I am especially proud of my progress on double unders. I actually did 15 without stopping the rope. This really improved my time, compared to only a week ago when I did this workout at over 28 minutes!

My hand really hurts, despite being on tons of meds. I have to go back to work tomorrow, and we will just have to wait and see what that is like. Ah, life... always keeping things interesting. I would like to say how awesome my wife, Emily, is for stepping up around the house, especially with respect to doing dishes, which is usually something I do, since she makes most of our awesome meals. I love you, baby!

Tonight's meal: Grass Fed Beef Filet Mignon with baked broccoli florets. mmmmmmmmmm

Baker

2010-04-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have to share a tragedy that occurred this weekend. Baker, our newly-adopted English Springer Spaniel, attacked me on Saturday night, at about 11:00pm. It was a brutal attack that has left my right hand in pretty bad shape, lots of stitches and swelling.

We no longer have Baker, it is very sad, and we are heart-broken. The next day, I had to workout, and relieve some of the stress and anger. I made up this workout and named it "Baker," a goodbye to the dog I used to know.

Baker

Tabata Sequence:
box jumps (22.5")
36lb kettlebell swings
AbMat situps
95lb back squats

No pictures. No videos. Just a painful farewell WOD.

Box jumps: 9, 10, 9, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9

KBS: 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 9, 9

Situps: 16, 15, 15, 15, 13, 13, 13, 14

Back squats: 6, 5, 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 6

So, to all my fellow CrossFitters, I am looking for WODs I can do without my right hand for the next couple of months. Please e-mail me your ideas.

Squats, squats, and squats... oh, and some PRs, too!

2010-04-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today was 1RM squat day!

Overhead Squat
1-1-1-1-1

Front Squat
1-1-1-1-1

Back Squat
1-1-1-1-1

After an upper-body week from hell, it felt really good to knock these squats out. Also, I spent the entire day, starting at 8:30am, sitting in a chair doing schoolwork. So, I was glad to get out in the garage and get some!

Loads: Overhead squat: 95, 115, 135, 145 (PR), 150 (fail); Front squat: 135, 155, 165, 175 (PR), 180 (fail); Back squat: 135, 155, 170 (PR), 180 (PR), 185 (fail)

So, 15 squats (yeah... ok, so I only actually completed 12), and 3 PRs!

Now, I think I will watch the Men's Chipper from the 2009 CrossFit Games.

Rowing intervals and command PT

2010-04-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

Row 1600 meters
Rest 3 minutes
Row 1200 meters
Rest 2 minutes
Row 800 meters
Rest 1 minute
Row 400 meters

Record each time.

Can I just say how much I love rowing? I really wish I had one of these, because I think I would use it all the time. Now, having said that, feeling like your legs are going to fall off at about 600 meters and thinking to yourself, "Oh good, just 1000 more meters!" is unpleasant at best.

There is a great volume of data (articles and videos) in the CrossFit Journal that discusses rowing technique. A couple of months ago I really clued in on a couple of points, including the damper setting, the start strategy, and some basic form issues. It has been extremely helpful. I am hoping next month to break my 3k time.

Times: 5:57, 4:29, 3:00, 1:27

So, today was also command PT, and we had these guys do "Angie."

Angie

for time:
100 pullups
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats

Great efforts all around, as usual. With our semi-annual PT test coming up, the pushups and situps give us a good idea of where everyone is in terms of projected performance, but it should be noted that we uphold standards on these events. Pushups go to the floor, and all the way back up. The Navy... well... they do the best they can :)

Push presses, knees to elbows, lunges, pullups - Busy day!

2010-04-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be a rest day for me, but I completely forgot about it and hit a WOD anyway! Oh well, good for me. I was planning on an AMRAP WOD from the main site, but again was distracted by the siren song of Kitsap CrossFit's programming. I love presses, so I couldn't resist trying my hand (arms, legs, core, anything else I could use to propel that weight upwards) at this WOD...

Push press 5-5-5-5-5

Max reps knees to elbows between rounds.

After Angie and the Bear Complex, my upper body is pretty well gone, but hey, as Mr. Salo would infer, "Sisu." Ok. Get some!

I used my rings for the K2Es, because the pullup bar was honestly ripping up my hands. I am not sure if that is cheating, but if it is, try telling my abs that!

Loads (lbs): 135, 145, 155, 165, 170 (fail)

K2Es: 10, 8, 8, 8

Is that all? Noooooooooo.

Here is the rest of today's WOD!

For time:

40-30-20-10 reps of jumping pullups and walking lunges.

Time: 4:56

Sometimes you get the bear...

2010-04-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

... and sometimes the bear gets you!

"Bear Complex"

5 rounds of 7 sets of the sequence:
power clean
front squat
push press
back squat
push press

115lbs. Bar is not allowed to rest on ground.

Record time for each round.

Alright, Kitsap CrossFit, we are even now for the Smokehouse Relay! That's right, The Bear Complex is the posted WOD from KCF today, and what a workout!

Admittedly, I was pacing myself during the first round, but that totally went out the window once I realized how difficult certain elements were to become as the WOD progressed. I felt comfortable with the weight, but lowering the weight into the back squat position proved my undoing.

Times: 1:46; 1:59; 2:20; 2:41; 3:17

The inability to rest the weight proved rough, but, again, the worst part was lowering the weight into the back squat. I will definitely be tackling this WOD again... just maybe not for a little while :)

The board says it all:

Great WOD! I will definitely be popping the fish oil tonight - come to think of it, I believe Emily is making mahi mahi!

Angie

2010-04-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

For time:

100 pullups
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats

Ah, days off! The day was spent doing schoolwork. Hours and hours of schoolwork... but I always get my WOD in! On a side note: These straps made from athletic tape are amazing. Shoot me an e-mail if you want instructions. Last time I did near this amount of pullups in one sitting, my hands were destroyed and I have learned my lesson.

Here is the video of WOD excerpts.

Time: 18:46

Don't fear the double under...

2010-04-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have been working on so many movements and exercises during my skill sessions - muscle ups, overhead squats, split jerks, butterfly pullups, handstand pushups, L sits, and yes... double unders. I have an excel spreadsheet filled without every workout I have done since October 2009. It also contains all the WODs I plan to do in the future, updated each day from the main site and Kitsap CrossFit.

This growing list of WODs is filled with double unders and GHD situps, because I don't have a GHD, I hate my globo gym, and honestly, as much as I am ashamed to admit it, I have been exceedingly apprehensive about double unders. Well, today I conquered my fear.

3 rounds for time:

50 double unders
50 back extensions

At best, I can only do four or five double unders before the rope gets caught under my toes or heels, the rope gets out of sync with my jumping, or I just lose the rhythm altogether. It is embarrassing, but I have realized that before I could knock out 21 kipping pullups on the first round of Fran, there was a time not that long ago when I couldn't kip. On my first visit to Kitsap CrossFit, I couldn't do the requisite 10 pullups for the baseline assessment. I ask myself, "Sullins, how did you get better at pullups? How did you learn to kip?" The answer is not that I waited to do WODs that incorporated those skills until I was comfortable. I did Fran. It sucked really bad and took forever. I did Angie. It sucked and took forever. In facing those exercises, doing my best, and working hard at it, I am stronger, faster, more coordinated, agile, my balance is far and away better than it was, etc.

So, that is my strategy on double unders. You will notice on the video the quality of my double unders is not good, but I am going to keep doing WODs with double unders until I own them!

You will also notice I am, for the first time on my blog, wearing long sleeves. I am also not wearing my Vibrams. Yeah - both of those elements are circumstantial. Please, see the medieval torture device below.

Invented in 1066 a.d. by William the Conqueror, it was one of the most effective torture devices until outlawed by the Papacy in 1429. Some methods are just too much.

Also, I am again faced with not having a very effective way of doing back extensions, so I improvise. CrossFit is all about no excuses, which is one of the reasons I think it is so popular. I try my best to stick to this philosophy.

At last, here is the humiliating video of excerpts from this WOD.

Alright, great WOD, but would someone please get Will Ferrell out of my garage!

I have often heard that there is something wrong if you don't fear your workout. I believe this completely and without reservation. I also believe that avoiding an exercise out of fear is not in keeping with the highest traditions of CrossFit, and it only can deter progress. Fear your WOD, respect it, and then conquer it!

Time: 28:24

Smokehouse - Take 2

2010-04-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today's WOD performed at Kitsap CrossFit - but should be familiar if you have been following the blog. Derek and I crafted this after doing the team gymnastics relay at KCF the first week of March, and Dan and Amy decided to use it at their premo facility in Poulsbo, WA! It was an invite (not to mention challenge...) Derek and I could not refuse.

"The Smokehouse"

For time:

10 burpees
100 thruster
10 burpees
100 sumo deadlift high pull
10 burpees
100 chest to overhead
10 burpees
100 front squats

Performed in teams of 2. Both members must complete the 10 burpees prior to beginning barbell repetitions. Only 1 team member is allowed to work at any given time. Repetitions do not have to be evenly distributed.

Recommended weight: men - 75lbs; women - 55lbs

For media on this one, you will have to visit http://www.kitsapcrossfit.com/!!!

Time: 21:46 (shaved off 2:54 from our last time - we must keep coming back to Kitsap CrossFit!) Once again, it was totally brutal. During the SDHPs I really felt for a moment like I was going to have to "step out" for a moment. Hard work!

Thanks to everyone who gave this WOD a shot and committed their maximum effort. It is inspiring and continues to drive me forward in my own quest for elite fitness.

Awesome community. Great coaches. Good people.

Split Jerk!

2010-04-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

This workout was fueled by GRASS FED BEEF! Our "chill" order came in today and it was soooooo amazing. I haven't had meat that wasn't at one point frozen in a very long time. Sullins' two thumbs up, especially for all your Paleo-ers out there. Way delicious and packed with Omega-3s!

Split Jerk

1-1-1-1-1-1-1

I love this lift. I have been working on it in skill sessions, watching Mike Burgener videos from the Journal, and just generally getting psyched to try this left again.

The lift from the video is my PR!

LOADS (lbs): 115, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, X (failed attempt at 185)

My last personal record, about 4 months ago, was only 135lbs. I feel like things are really starting to come together. I have a long way to go in many ways - HSPUs and muscle ups need work, as do double unders. My o-lifts still require a great deal of professional help to clear out issues with form, but I feel like I am at least being safe and making improvements.

At the same time, I look at repeat WODs "across broad time" and realize amazing improvement in speed, endurance, stamina, and strength. Perhaps more importantly, I find that the "sport" elements of CrossFit such as agility and coordination are dramatically improving. The other day I was walking up my garage stairs with a box from Costco (yes, we shop at Costco, but we don't purchase 30 lbs of rice at a time... we buy eggs in great quantity, though!). Anyway, I was wearing my crocs, which really have seen better days in terms of tread, and I slipped down the stairs. Not only was I able to catch myself on one leg at the bottom of the stairs, but I maintained my balance in a one-legged squat position and didn't drop any of the groceries.

I wouldn't want to make a regular practice of this clumsiness, but even just a year ago, something like that could have ended rather badly, at least a rolled ankle. Again, thank you CrossFit!

On a side note, I was going to hit a second WOD today, a metcon with KBSs and double unders, but after a three-hour-long funeral honors job this afternoon, I was just too tired. Ah, the Navy.

A 2009 CF Games WOD

2010-03-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today's WOD comes from the 2009 CrossFit Games in Aromas, CA, where Mikko Salo became the Fittest Man Alive and cemented himself as a legend in the sport of fitness: CrossFit.

AMRAP in 8 minutes of the triplet:

4 HSPU
8 72lb Kettlebell Swings (KBS)
12 GHD Situps

Once again, it sounds oh, so easy. Of course, my handstand pushups still need some work, but I am getting them deeper everyday!

The home-made parallettes are still unbroken. I stand on each one before I use them just to make sure. Call me a skeptic, but I choose life.

Determination. I was really trying to get low - head breaking the horizontal plane created by my hands.

KBS during round 1

Final: 5 rounds + 4 HSPU
I scaled the kettlebell swings to 53lbs, mostly due to my lack of possession of a 72lb (2 pood) kettlebell. The handstand pushups were by far the worst part for me. I probably could have gone heavier on the KBSs. I guess it is almost time to invest in a 2 pood KB!

Chalk marks of pain!

Ok, ok, ok... everyone who has been to Sullins' Gym is asking the same thing right now: GHD situps? How did he do that in his garage? hmmmmm, well I had to improvise or go back to the gym. See below:

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention - I also hit a Strength and Conditioning WOD before command PT: Weighted Pullups. Seven sets of 1 rep maxes.

LOADS: 25-35-40-45-50-55-60 (pounds)

It looked pretty funny with all those weight plates strapped to my body, but it was awesome! 60lbs is a PR for me! Four months ago my max weighted pullup was only 40lbs. THANK YOU, CROSSFIT!

Chapter 2!

Today is a two-fer. You will recall "The Chief" from a couple of days ago. Well, as much as it sucked for me, I had to get Derek to have our command PT group try it. Today, our chief did "The Chief," and loved it.

The Chief.

Cliff and Chief gettin' some.

Chris is a natural born CrossFitter. You should see his squats.

James and Chief fighting for every second.

There were great efforts all around. The Chief's results? Well, let's see if he posts his rounds in the comments :) I will say he did well, as did everyone.

The Chief

2010-03-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

No, I wasn't promoted, two pay grades... yet. :) No, that is the name of today's WOD. Created in September 2008, this workout pays tribute to Chief Petty Officers of the sea services, but hey let's be honest... mostly the Navy.

The Chief

5 cycles:

As many rounds as possible (AMRAP) in 3 minutes of:
3 135lb power cleans
6 pushups
9 squats

Rest 1 minute between sets

I have to admit, this was pretty wicked. What got me more than anything else were the squats. Pushups were totally easy (thank you, CrossFit... those used to really suck for me), and the power cleans became pretty challenging near the end. I wouldn't want to do it without being able to drop the weight, that is for sure.

1. 5 rounds

2. 5 rounds

3. 5 rounds

4. 4 rounds

5. 4 rounds

I wasn't sure if I should count partial rounds, so I didn't, but I was on my sixth round of squats on the first cycle! Not too shabby. Of course, by the end, I finished my fourth round with only 10 seconds left.

If you have been following my blog, you know we have a Chief in our command PT group. He is a warrior, and goes for the full CrossFit intensity every time. If only they were all like that!

Wall balls, L pullups, and TONS of schoolwork

2010-03-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

For time:

50 wall ball shots,
25 L-pullups

40 wall ball shots,
20 L-pullups
30 wall ball shots,
15 L-pullups20 wall ball shots,
10 L-pullups
10 wall ball shots,
5 L-pullups
Medicine ball = 20lbs, thrown to 10 ft target

Disclaimer: It is raining like mad today, so no going outside with my brand new medicine ball, especially not for its inaugural WOD, not that I have no intention of getting it dirty. After all, we are talking CrossFit here - no excuses! That said, I stayed indoors, but my garage ceiling is only 9' tall, so this is not as rx'd.

What a workout! I knew the L pullups would be tough, but I guess I discounted the wall ball shots, since I have been using the NBK medicine balls, max weight 12lbs. Really tough.

This is my last round of wall balls and pullups: (don't bother adjusting your sound, this one is silent)

So, as you can see, my L pullups need some work. My knees bend way too much, but not too bad for me!

Time: 17:32

On a totally different subject, here is a video of my dog, taken by my wife, Emily, who FINALLY was groomed yesterday, and he looks like a million bucks!

Baker, the English Springer Spaniel!

Aside from killing myself with a great WOD, playing with and walking our dog (Emily has been doing most of that today), and trying to decompress and get ready for another... ummm... lovely week at work, I am up to my eye balls in school work. I am on week 4 of my e-commerce class at BU, and it is really getting into the weeds with web site performance metrics. Ugh! I hate fine details.

Snatches... and a very large bruise

2010-03-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Before anyone gets too concerned, I will say upfront that the large bruise was not the result of dropping the weight on my head.

Oh, the snatch. It alludes me. Despite working on this lift for several weeks, it still isn't where I want it, especially the landing aspect. Oh well, practice makes perfect!

Snatch
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Ultimately, this went pretty well. I was able to put up 5 lbs more than my previous personal record.

Loads (lbs): 95 - 105 - 110 - 110 - 115 - 115 - X (failed attempt at 120)

The landing needs work, I am still pulling too early, I am coming up on my toes, and the bar is not getting over my heels. UGH!

In other news, some great things have happened recently. 1). Baker finally was groomed today! We have had this guy for almost 3 weeks and he has smelled a bit like a rotten tomato during that time, but today he is beautiful, clean, happy, and smells... well... like a dog, but a clean one! Pictures to follow...

2). Wright Exercise finally got their amazing medicine balls off of back order, and Jason Hughes sent my 20lb ball UPS!

Awesome!

3). The bruise: So, there is this great shortcut I use that cuts several minutes off my commute to and from work, but it involves some rocks that are sometimes pretty loose depending on how wet it is. Also, there might be some steepness. It looks a little like a cliff. ANYWAY... I was riding up this rocky slope, my rear tire lost traction, and the lack of momentum made me lose my balance. I was fighting the loss of balance, reached the top near the road, where I finally lost the battle to gravity and fell over (I was clipped in) and landed on the side of my leg/hip on the railing.

This is the result:

I think it looks a bit like Saturn. What do you think?

Grace and deadlifts

2010-03-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

First off, let me apologize for the lack of media in this post. The workout this morning was so incredibly disappointing to me that I didn't break out the camera. The workout this afternoon was so awesome that I didn't break out the camera (I didn't want to miss any of it!), so I am sorry.

So, why did the workout this morning suck, you ask? Well, remember that post all those weeks ago where I said how lucky we were to have such a cooperative gym staff at Navy Base Kitsap? Yeah, I completely take it back. We planned on Fight Gone Bad, and were totally stoked. Joel, Derek, and I showed up very early to set everything up, when the NBK gym manager very rudely instructed us not to remove barbells from the weight room. I will resist the incredible urge to rant about this. In short: NBK gym - add one more person to your growing list of unsatisfied customers.

Instead, Derek had the group do wall ball shots (with very light medicine balls... again, the gym is not designed for elite fitness) and pushups. The group got a good workout, and I have to keep telling myself that, but I didn't take pictures, and was in a pretty foul mood the rest of the morning.

Thankfully, our band hall is a disgusting cave of infestation, so we all got to go home early. I took advantage of the "Aloha Friday" by inviting a bunch of people over to hit a WOD at Sullins' Gym (my garage). Derek, Joel, and Cliff all came over this afternoon and we followed the Kitsap Crossfit prescribed workout from a couple of days ago. Such an awesome afternoon, people. We have to do this more often. It is such a better environment than the gym!

This WOD comes directly from Kitsap Crossfit.

"Grace"

for time:
135lb cleans - 30 reps

Followed by deadlifts.

5-5-3-3-1

30!

Time: 5:25, as rx'd.

Loads: 225lb for the sets of 5 reps; 235 for the sets of 3 and 1.

I have never done Grace, so this is a benchmark. In a couple of months I will program it again and see how well I can do!

Everyone else did great as well, and I think a good time was had by all. This is what I love about CrossFit: It is all about no nonsense fitness, supported by a community of amazing athletes, including the guys that came over this afternoon to workout on their own time in my garage.

I dare you to find an equivalent experience on a treadmill. Actually, I know you won't, so why don't you save yourself the hassle and just start CrossFitting?

The Gathering

2010-03-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

Normally we have a nice little command PT group about three times a week, convening early in the morning to take on some CrossFit WODs and learn and enhance our skills. It is easily the best command PT program I have been a part of in the Navy. Today, however, was truly a site to behold. Several of the other small group PT leaders at Navy Band Northwest were either absent or simply decided to join us for a fantastic gymnastics relay, almost completely stolen from Kitsap CrossFit's Bring a Friend Day.

We had 16 people, including Antoinette Murray, the awesome CrossFitting spouse of Cliff, divided into 4 teams of 4. The course was laid. The gauntlet was thrown.

NBNW Gymnastics Relay

For time:

Run 300m

"Riser Jumps" - 100

Run 300m

Burpees - 200

Run 300m

Situps - 300

Run 300m

Squats - 400

Numbers are for the group as a whole. The entire team must complete the run before any reps can start. Only 2 members of each team can perform reps at a time and the reps do not have to be distributed evenly. The best time wins!

We aren't exactly sure on the distance of the run. It was just a course we laid out around the band building on Navy Base Kitsap, but based on the times of several participants, 300 meters is pretty close.

The athletes at Navy Band Northwest met this challenge head on, and we were proud to facilitate the event (just see Derek's proud face below).

"This is my proud face"

Most groups started with the "riser jumps." These things were definitely "tested" today, with several people jumping on them at a time, exerting what must have been several hundred pounds of force with each jump. They are normally used on the bandstand for music performances. I have to say, I am pretty satisfied with the purchase of these risers from Wenger Music Corp., and this is a better use for their product!

This is Joe, our resident expert at vertical leaps. Most people drive to work. Joe just jumps twice.

We had the tunes blasting (I have identified at least one positive thing about being in the band - having access to awesome sound gear and guys who actually know how to hook it all up correctly at the drop of a hat), and, even though I didn't get too many videos (I was too busy taking it all in) they are video evidence that NBNW had an amazing WOD.

These risers are good for more than just standing around!

The band room hasn't seen such a great use in probably a very long time.

Such an awesome workout for the band. It was pretty obvious a lot of people were not used to the kind of intensity CrossFit brings to the table, but everyone ate it up. Joel later put it very well, "Maximum effort is contagious." Very well said.

My only complaint for the morning, besides being unable to participate myself (someone has to make sure things are going smoothly!) was that it was interrupted and only 1 team was able to finish, with an excellent time of 27:43. Everyone else would have been done within two minutes, as all teams were done with the runs and were on their last sets. We were suddenly informed of the presence of a surprise visitor to our facility later that morning that required everything be cleaned and ready to go AND everyone had to be in a specific costume many did not have on them. Ah, the Navy... Nevertheless, good job to all, congratulations to Chris (team captain), Greg, Billy, and Eli for pulling off a majestic win.

...

So, I know what you are thinking, "What about you, Josh?" Well, inspired by my co-workers, I went home and hit a CF WOD I had been considering for a few days after viewing a recent CF Journal video of Jason Khalipa and Chris Spealer. Here is my WOD! Yes, today you get a two-fer!

For time:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 reps of 115lb cleans
Between each set, perform 1 "Cindy" sequence.

For those unfamiliar, "Cindy" is a WOD that asks for AMRAP in 20 minutes of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 squats.

Round 6!

My goal on this was 15:00, which I knew was optimistic, but I definitely didn't hit that mark. The Rx'd weight was 155lbs, and I already scaled it down to 115lbs.

Time: 19:47

I am happy with it. It just gives me room to grow, and shows me that I really need to work on my overhead o-lifts, because that got NASTY by the 8th round! For all my co-workers wondering if my workout was as bad as theirs, I offer the following evidence:

The WOD that needs no introduction

2010-03-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Fran"

For time:

21-15-9 reps of:
95lb thrusters
pullups

My previous best Fran time was 7:01. I knew I wanted to beat that, so I set my goal at 1 minute per set. Had I stuck to that, I would come in at 6:00. I will let the video do the talking.

Time: 6:56 (PR... barely!)

I am proud of the time, but you can clearly see from the video that, even with some editing I lost a huge amount of time to resting between thrusters. No excuses. Sisu! Great WOD, great time for me!

Rings... how I loathe thee.

2010-03-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

This day started out nice - a slow morning spent with my wife and new dog, Baker. I sipped espresso, did a little school work, and hung out. The middle of the day was... unpleasant for me, so ending it with a great WOD really turned the day around. Oh, yeah, Emily made the best spaghetti squash with meatballs! Nothing like coming home, working out in your own gym, and eating an awesome home-cooked meal with grass fed meat!

Ok, so today I decided to do Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth"

For time:

21-15-9 reps of:

135lb cleans

ring dips

I did this workout back in November, scaled it down to 105lb cleans and used a static dip station. My time was 17:01, a time I was pretty proud of. So, this time I wanted to try the Rx'd WOD, especially since I have my own rubber plates to throw around and awesome rings setup in the garage.

Big thanks to freak trombonist Bob McChesney for the ragin' sound clip, used completely without his knowledge or permission.

Like the video states, I actually got a personal record on this one, despite the incredible difficulty on the rings. I was very nervous about the weight of the cleans at first, but decided that even if it took me longer than my previous best time, I wanted to use the heavier weight and focus on form over speed. The cleans were hard, but the hardest part of this WOD is the ring dips... hands down! I am so glad that I used the heavier weight on those cleans, because the pride I feel over that accomplishment balances out my embarrassment over my performance on the rings. Nevertheless, I gave it everything, left it all in the garage, and I am proud of tonight's workout.

Time: 12:29 (PR!)

How to embarrass yourself on the internet

2010-03-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

Simple. Video yourself trying to do handstand pushups!

Today's WOD:

With a continuously running clock, perform 1 handstand pushup (HSPU) and 1 pullup the first minute, 2 of each the second minute, 3 each the third minute, and so on, until the clock catches you in the middle of an incomplete set of reps.

At that point, continue with whichever of the two exercises you are still able to successfully complete in under a minute.

Record the number of successfully completed minutes of each exercise. This is your score.

The WOD sounds a little weird, but it is a simple workout, just do HSPU and pullups until the minute runs out and you are still in the middle of one of the exercises. Then keep going on the other exercise until the clock catches you on that one, too. Brutal!

So, here is a video of my awful HSPUs. I thought I had them hummin' along, but videotaping the exercise makes me realize I am absolutely not going down far enough, which is a real drag on so many levels. Video evidence:

I got everything I need, but I don't got a good HSPU...

1 minute rounds of:

HSPU:      6
Pullups:   13
Score:     19

Not so bad, but the HSPUs are finding their way into my skill sessions each day. Additionally, I am leaving out the parallettes and every day before I leave the house I am going to do some. We'll see where that gets me!

Can't...feel...my......legs.........

2010-03-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, CrossFit, I know you are trying to make me stronger, but my legs are going to fall off! I did max weight deadlifts today, so let's recap the last three days: 1. 95lb back squats - 135 reps; 2. The Smokehouse; 3. deadlifts.

No more legs for a couple of days, ok? Sheesh. Alright, movin' on...

Today's WOD:

Deadlifts
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

So simple. So perfect. So hard!

I PR'ed this WOD, so I am really happy this evening. My previous deadlift personal record was 255lbs, set not even a month ago, but I must have had my Wheaties (do they make a paleo version of Wheaties?) this morning.

The battlefield is set.

Starting the 3rd PR load!

This is actually a 265lb load, ten pounds heavier than my previous personal record!

Today I PR'ed at 270lbs!

I love progress.

"The Smokehouse" Relay

2010-03-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Derek and I came up with this WOD after completing the Kitsap CrossFit "Bring a Friend Day" gymnastics relay WOD. We really liked the team aspect of a relay and wanted to find a fun and effective way to incorporate something similar with our command PT group. We also have been trying to focus on WODs that use olympic lifts, so that everyone can gain familiarity, not to mention get a lot stronger!

Thus, this barbell relay was created:

"The Smokehouse"

For time:

10 burpees
100 thrusters**
10 burpees
100 sumo deadlift high pulls
10 burpees
100 push press/jerk
10 burpees
100 front squats

WOD performed in teams. All team members must complete the 10 burpees prior to beginning barbell repetitions. Only 1 team member is allowed to perform reps at any given time. Repetitions do not have to be evenly distributed.

**A note on weight: We are using a globo gym for command PT, so in the interest of making things more simple, we restricted each group to one barbell and weight. To facilitate this, we divided people into groups of similar strength conditioning levels. In a perfect CF world, I would give everyone their own barbell and let them tailor the weight to their personal fitness needs.

Recommended weight: men - 75lbs; women - 45lbs

Enough talk... here are the goods!

Derek knocking out those thrusters!

I almost used 95lbs instead of 75lbs... what was I thinking?! So glad I stuck to 75!

Dear front squats,

I hate you.

Sincerely,

Josh.

So, Derek and I teamed up on the 75lb barbell and knocked out this beast of a WOD before everyone else arrived at 7:30am. We finished up just in time for everybody to walk in and see us in our final throws, after which we immediately named it "The Smokehouse," because by the time you are done, you feel like you have been sitting in a sweat lodge for several hours.

Tandem burpees. Gotta love it! Those guys standing around in the background aren't with us :)

It feels good to be done, doesn't it Derek?!

Joel pushing out those push jerks like a pro.

Time: Derek and I completed this WOD in 24:00! Any challengers?

You can't ask for a better way to start off a day of work! They do this in the civilian sector, too, right?

If you give this WOD a try, please let me know what you think!

Navy Eval Signing - Torture Day!

2010-03-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever been in the Navy knows either the term "eval" or "fitrep" and today I signed mine. I actually don't really mind the eval process and the corresponding counseling that goes along with it, but most people do, so I thought the title would be appropriate.

Also, since my rest day was yesterday, I decided to really punish myself with a WOD from the main site that incorporates two of my least favorite exercises: Back squats and muscle ups. To be honest, I love muscle ups, but only one or two at time :)

Here it is!

For time:

5 muscle ups
15 back squats
10 muscle ups
30 back squats
15 muscle ups
45 back squats
10 muscle ups
30 back squats
5 muscle ups
15 back squats

Back squats are 95lbs

Perfect example of awesome muscle ups (yeah, right!)

The last two sets of back squats just killed... It was bad.

So muscle ups and back squats are weak for me. According to CrossFit methodology, we attack weaknesses. I did that tonight and I feel good about it. We'll see if my body feels good about it tomorrow morning at command PT, when Derek and I have programmed an atrocious barbell relay!

Oh, yes... for those keeping track, my goal was sub 20:00. Not this time, Sullins. 23:50.

Equipment-less WODs

2010-03-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Alright, I have been prodded by some prospective CrossFitters to post some WODs that do not require any special gym equipment. There are plenty of CrossFit workouts that are extremely challenging and also do not require barbells, weights, plyoboxes, Concept 2 rowers, etc.

For time - 150 pushups.
The CrossFit caveat: Every time you drop your knees to rest you must stand up and perform 15 squats before continuing the pushups.

This WOD was created by one of Kitsap CrossFit's members.

Form Standards:
Here is a great place to talk about standards with regard to form.

Pushups - Chest touches ground at the bottom, elbows lock at the top. Feet can be spread apart if you prefer.

Squats - Arguably the most fundamental human movement. Feet about shoulder width apart. Keep your head parallel. Heels stay in contact with ground, weight stays back on heels. Resist temptation to transfer weight to the balls of your feet. The movement is initiated by the butt - send it back and down. Put your hands above your head, keeping them as far from the butt as possible; the ears move straight up and down. Break parallel with the thigh and send your body back up. At the top of this movement, you stand as tall as possible.

If it sounds like a lot of work, it is! It also takes a lot of practice, but, as Coach Glassmen (founder and creator of CrossFit) says, "...when you are 90 years old, you will still be able to get up off the toilet by yourself."

So, give this WOD a try and let me know what you think. My PR is 11:10, having done 105 squats.

Here is another one from the main site:
Lunge walk 400m

DISCLAIMER: I did this Thanksgiving Day 2009 and I couldn't walk correctly for 5 days. Scale accordingly (buyer beware) - depending on your level of fitness, maybe scale to 330m, or even 200m. My PR is 29:45 on the 400m.

Form Standards:
Knee comes in contact with the ground. No "studdering" steps with the feet. If this isn't challenging enough for you, then 1) Have I seen you in the Olympic Games recently? and 2) Add an appropriately weighted plate (or anything) overhead.

So, for those of you thinking about CrossFit, these workouts require nothing except your time and MAX EFFORT! Go as fast as possible with the best form possible. If you add a pullup bar and maybe a jump rope to your arsenal, I can recommend exponentially more WODs that will kick your butt without having to go to a gym (just make sure you can kip on the bar... those ones that go in a doorway won't work).

Enjoy, and please let me know how it goes!

Helen

2010-03-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

"Helen"

3 rounds for time:

400 meter run
21 reps - 53lb (1.5 pood) kettlebell swing
12 pullups

The 1.5 pood kettlebell wasn't heavy... until round 2 :)

Round 3. I am really working hard to maintain the standards. It slowed me down, but I feel good about it.

My pullups are getting so much better. I made up a lot of time from the KB swings on the pullups.

My goal was sub 10:00. On WODs I have never done before I usually check the main site and develop an average based on men my age and weight and try to beat it. Most of the time I actually get pretty close, surprisingly enough for me. Of course, I have yet to see Jason Khalipa, Tommy Hackenbruck, or the fittest man alive (Mikko Salo) post their performance results to the site. Not bad for me, though! I find that writing down my goal for the WOD really makes a difference. It sets a permanent goal and I do not want to disappoint myself. If you don't do this already, give it a try.

Funeral and shoulder presses

2010-03-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

It isn't a CrossFit-ism this time! My job involves occasionally providing final honors for deceased military members. It is a privilege. The one I did today was up in Bellingham, so I spent the morning on schoolwork, taking care of my new dog (totally awesome), and drinking the best coffee in the world (Smoky Mountain Blend... their darkest roast). Then I spent the next 8 hours either driving or playing taps.

I got home and did this main site WOD:

Shoulder Press

3-3-3-3-3-3-3

This is my third lift. I know my head is not in a neutral position. I am working on it!

This was my final attempt at 110lb. No go, but my head position is better, no?

Loads: 95lb, 100lb, 105lb, 105lb, 110lb (failed), 105lb (failed), 100lb.

I wasn't about to let the last three sets be failed attempts! There is really nothing insightful to say about this. It isn't a personal record. Three weeks ago I put up 115lb, but I was surrounded by people routing me on. After a very long day (not to mention the day after a WOD that left my hamstrings just destroyed), it isn't so bad, and I definitely left it all in the gym... er... uh... garage. :)

Deadlifts, and pushups, and retirement ceremonies. Oh, my!

2010-03-12T19:11:00.000-08:00

Today's WOD comes from the main site:

10 rounds for time:

135lb deadlifts - 15 reps

pushups - 15 reps

Easy, yes? Maybe not. Photo journal below is telling.

I am doing my best to knock out those pushups!

I started out at about a 45 second per round pace.

Chief and I going for broke.

Almost done, and almost dead!

Last round!

Last couple of reps. Really pushing it out.

Like the Vibrams?

Derek conquering his rounds.

Majestic.

My time: 14:36, not too shabby!

So what is with the retirement ceremony thing in the title of this post? Well, there is nothing like starting the day with a smokin' WOD, and end it with a two-hour long stretch of sitting still, doing nothing!

On the fourth day he rested...

2010-03-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

... at least that is how it would have gone if the Christian God was hitting CrossFit WODS! So, today is my rest day. Normally, I probably wouldn't post anything, but it is a special day. This has nothing to do with CrossFit or nutrition (although it may improve my run times...). Emily and I brought home our dog today.

MEET BAKER!

Em and I have a cat named Fuji (the mountain I conquered in Japan... see below), so it seemed logical to name our dog after a mountain I have climbed in Washington State.

Me on top of Mt. Fuji, Japan.

Emily and I have been looking for a dog for 6 months now, and it has been really rough. The shelter here has 40-60% Pit Bulls, which we couldn't have even if we wanted one, due to our lease agreement on our home. This little bundle of joy was there waiting for us when we checked last Saturday. Enough talking. Here are the goods:

The coup de grace!

Improved run times in my future.

Two immovable objects collide... ummm... or the cat just stares at the crated dog.

Tomorrow is going to be totally brutal, but I won't spoil it for you. Just come back and see the pictures!

1 rep max snatch (10 minute time limit)

2010-03-10T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today's WOD is today's post subject. This is a lift I have really been practicing during my skill sessions and I know it still needs a lot of work. Soooooo, I am posting my first video of myself on my blog.

Sorry for the lighting and general lack of clarity. It is my garage and I am no Spielberg. 110lbs is my PR!

Now, not to get too far off topic, but I want to share two more things with you today:

1. I love my Vibrams Five Fingers KSOs!

Totally awesome. No more pain in the balls of my feet coming down from the pullup bar or rings!

2. I made this shake today (completely paleo!)

Yes, it is a goofy picture, but I am kind of a goofy guy.

Ingredients (just in time for St. Patrick's Day):

2 cups of fresh spinach

2 TBSP coconut milk

1/2 cup almond milk

1/4 cup raw walnuts

1 whole banana (the one I used was a bit less than ripe... oh well, still good!)

Place in blender (I prefer a Vita-Mix) and blend to desired consistency. YUM!

Italian dressing or sugar water?

2010-03-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Credit for this find goes to Rainier CrossFit.

Ingredient list for Kraft fat-free "Italian dressing":
water, vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, contains less than 2% of parmesan cheese (part-skim milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), garlic, onion juice, whey, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate and calcium disodium edta as preservatives, yeast extract, spice, red bell peppers, lemon juice concentrate, dried garlic, buttermilk, caramel color, sodium phosphate, enzymes, oleoresin paprika

I read these ingredient labels all the time, before I eat almost anything pre-packaged, but I rarely get past the third ingredient. As soon as I see high fructo... I stop reading and move on, so it is crazy to actually pay attention to everything else they cram in there. Without a doubt, Michael Pollan would refer to this as an "edible food-like substance." I would only voluntarily put this in my mouth if I were starving (literally, not just really hungry).

On that note, in my line of work we are often provided a meal by a sponsoring activity in lieu of paying us a per diem allowance. I rarely eat what they offer, because it is almost always done as cheaply as possible and features ice berg lettuce salad with dressing like this.

It doesn't have to be this way, people! Here is an example of real salad dressing a la Son of Grok.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tblspns balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 teaspns dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic glove finely chopped or minced
- 1 tbslpn shallots finely chopped or minced
- 1 tblspn red onion finely chopped or minced

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. mix thoroughly
3. Store in sealed container in the refrigerator
4. Shake well before use and Enjoy!

6 ingredients. Kraft has... ummmm... too many.

3,200 meters of death

2010-03-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Turns out rowing is hard!

Today's WOD:

8 rounds for time (not including last 90 seconds of rest):
row 400m
rest 90 seconds

Wow. NBK recently acquired two totally awesome Concept 2 Model E rowers with PM4 monitors, so Derek and I couldn't resist the opportunity to put them through their paces. Hmmmmmm... think again. Halfway through this WOD I was thinking, "Who is putting who through their paces now?!"

Brutal. I wish I could say this was taken during the WOD, but no one was there to take it, so we posed for this one.

Victorious following a truly great WOD.

Time: 21:50

150 pullups?!

2010-03-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

Yes... 150 pullups. Oh, and 150 squats, 150 pushups, and 150 situps just for good measure!

Here is the WOD as prescribed on the CrossFit main site:

For time:

25 squats
25 pullups
25 pushups
25 situps
50 squats
50 pullups
50 pushups
50 situps
75 squats
75 pullups
75 pushups
75 situps

So, I woke up early this morning to knock this one out. I had considered scaling the workout down some, but opted to try the whole thing. I am so glad I did. I have been really working on the cyclical, or "butterfly," pullups. With this style of pullup the body moves in a circular motion around the bar and the chin actually vertically clears the bar several inches away horizontally. Anyway, when mastered one can do a lot of pullups very quickly. I am very proud to say that I completed the first 25 pullups without stopping at all! When I visited Kitsap CrossFit 6 months ago I couldn't knock out 10 pullups in a row.

A pullup during the round of 50

So, the pullups were definitely the time killer, but I have to say I finished the 25s and 50s at about 10 minutes. I thought I was creaming the WOD this time, but the round of 75s totally killed.

75 round... almost done!

Ultimately, I finished the whole WOD with a final time of 26:50. It isn't a great time, but it is the first time I have ever done 150 pullups in less than a half an hour. At this point I will go ahead and plug my pullup bar: The Studbar. It is a 4' long pullup bar drilled right up into my garage ceiling. It is tough as nails and I can kip on this thing with complete confidence. All in all, I feel victorious today.

My Abmat... really makes a difference on situps.

So, this was all before I left my house. I still had to go to command PT at NBK gym (see previous post: Night and Day). Thankfully, we were working in our small CrossFit group today, so all was right in the world. The rest of our group scaled the WOD down to 15-25-50 reps and everyone just killed it and gave it their all. The winner today of the warrior spirit award goes to Cliff, pictured below. He earns a pictorial reviewand video spot on my blog!

Great effort on the situps!

Assisted pullups with the barbell.

Sorry, ladies, Cliff is happily married! It is effort like this that keeps me inspired in my own workouts. Cliff's squat form is pretty amazing, way better than my own, and he is making leaps and bounds with strength. I think his power to weight ratio will be very high in just a few short months. Congrats, Cliff!

Tomorrow is a lovely set of running intervals for a metcon, and I am doing a 1 rep max snatch when I get home. Stay tuned.

Night and day... or effective versus a joke.

2010-03-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

So, I was reluctant to post anything this weekend, because I don't have any media. I need to do better about taking pictures and movies, but I don't want to be a tourist in my own life, ya know?

Anyway, after a lot of thought and some painful weekend WODs, I wanted to share some often-made, completely unoriginal, yet somewhat humorous and validating observations. This all started the day after my CrossFit Total PR and the nasty Air Force WOD (see two previous posts), both of which completely kicked my butt.

On Friday, instead of breaking into our small groups for command PT we had a large group "cardio kickboxing" class led by a Navy civilian Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) facilitator. I am plenty familiar with these classes and the usual Navy command PT session, so I showed up early to do Stephen (5 rounds for time: 30 GHD situps, 30 back extensions, 30 toes to bar, and 30 stiff legged 95lb deadlifts). It was absolutely wicked and I didn't finish before muster time. Ah, the Navy... Now, I am going to put out a disclaimer right now: I am thankful for the gym facilities on Naval Base Kitsap (NBK). The employees are generally professional and friendly and I am very appreciative that they allow us such a significant level of flexibility with the equipment (we haul around barbells into racquetball courts, throw medicine balls against walls, monopolize several pieces of equipment at once, and often corner off an entire section of the gym floor space, etc.). Sooooo, thank you NBK gym staff for being awesome.

Movin' on... This cardio kickboxing workout was a total joke. Putting aside the fact that the majority of the requisite movements were totally ineffective (just because you put people on a Reebok balance board doesn't make unweighted, imaginary punches in any way functional or intense), there were no standards. Looking around, not only were people truly getting nothing, except wasted time, out of the ordeal, but the lack of standards and proper observation and training created a ripe opportunity for injury. It is amazing to me that the gym staff (not only at NBK, but all "globo style" gyms) is so afraid of CrossFit and that they seem to think it is so dangerous. CrossFit, under the correct supervision and training, is far and away more safe than the vast majority of activities undertaken at this facility. Football and basketball are both played daily and produce far more injuries. Even this cardio kickboxing class is more dangerous than what we do in our small CrossFit group.

For example, let us look at squats: There really is one correct way to air squat. There may be some acceptable variations, but there is only one ideal, perfect, squat form. I am glad to have been instructed on this by professional trainers at Kitsap CrossFit, and I find myself extremely critical of squats after receiving such great coaching. The facilitator of this cardio kickboxing class looked more like she was bowing than squatting during the movement demonstrations. I have to say that, with the exception of our CrossFit group members, who were total troopers for putting up with a less-than-CrossFit-workout, the squats were pretty bad around the rest of the group. Incorrectly executed squats can spawn terrible injuries, especially in the back and in the knees. I will make a bold statement: A series of unevaluated squats that repeatedly permit things such as a bent back, knees far in front of toes, etc., are far more of a threat than any properly trained and observed movement in CrossFit. CrossFit instructs fundamental movements and coaches people through these exercises with proper form, which prevents a lifetime of cumulative injuries doing basic daily tasks.
Upper cut that!

Ok, that was a rant. Apologies.

The story has a happy ending (G rated). That same day I went home to my totally awesome home garage gym and did Stephen (the whole thing this time), which was brutal on my abdominals and took 23:30 even with some slight scaling (feet on floor after each toe to bar movement). Saturday, I got up a whole lot earlier than I normally would have on my only weekend with no gigs and no school. At 8:00am Derek, Joel, and I went to the "Bring a Friend" Day at Kitsap CrossFit, and brought along a colleague from work, the spouse of another coworker, and Joel's girlfriend. What a great time! Great WOD that I fully intend to steal in our PT group at some point!

We divided up into 4 groups of 4 and, while only allowing two people to work at a time, performed 100 ring rows, 200 burpees, 300 situps, and 400 squats, each seperated by a 200 meter group run. At just under 24 minutes, our group got second place, but it was a great effort by everyone and a load of safe fun. It was a night and day set of experiences and totally reaffirmed my evaluation of CrossFit and the methodology promoted by its founders.

Next post will have some pictures of great CrossFit moments. Promise!

CrossFit Total (Personal Record!)

2010-03-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

After a long day that started at 4:00am, there is nothing like a good WOD to wake up for the rest of the evening! It had been a while since my last "CrossFit Total," a benchmarking WOD used to gauge progress and shoot for personel records (PRs). It consists of the following three olympic lifts:

1. Back Squat
2. Push Press
3. Deadlift

You get three attempts at each lift with about 3-5 minutes between sets. Your best of the three is added to your "total," hence the name of this particularly nasty WOD.

My last CrossFit Total was 555, but I had a serious form issue with my back squats. After taking the fundamentals course at Kitsap CrossFit a few weeks ago, I really made a commitment to myself and to the CrossFit community to keep the numbers, whether that mean form, reps, rounds, or whatever the "unknown" brings, as legit as possible. It has really made a difference for me. Really focusing on my form has decreased recovery time, increased real strength, and has aided my efforts in tracking my progress, which I am really obsessive about.

So, when I started my back squats, I tried for 185lbs, and had to dump the weight at the bottom of the squat. Fail. Turns out when you go all the way down to the fully extended squat position it is much more difficult to start the momentum back up. I ended up with 165lbs. The great news is, however, I PR'ed my deadlifts! (see below at the moment of victory)

The moment of victory! The bar is even bending a little bit :)

Despite the loss (not really... the initial number was tremendously inflated) of 20lbs on the back squats, I ended the WOD with a CrossFit Total PR.

Back Squat: 165lb
Push Press: 145lb (same as last time... I could have gone another five pounds, but I need some 2.5lb plates)
Deadlift: 255lb (PR)

CrossFit Total: 565 (PR!)

Always on the golf course, my &%#!

2010-03-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, "Air Force" was rough this morning. Evidence is as follows:

Joel knocking out a burpee.

Derek, taking a post-Air Force nap in a pool of his own sweat.

Me... immediately following my 20th front squat. It isn't pretty, I know, but elite fitness comes at a price!

Sooooo, Air Force impressions: My strategy was to get through the thrusters as quickly as possible. I knew the squats were all going to hurt, but I figured if I could fire through the thrusters, I would have a bit of a break with the sumo deadlift high pull and the push jerks. Totally wrong. Again, the ingenious programming made the sets tremendously more challenging. By the time I got through my push jerks, it was all I could do to stabilize the overhead squats, so they ended up being the hardest element.

Derek, Joel, and I should up early to command PT to knock this one out, and it ended up knocking us out, but everyone championed through. The rest of our group showed up 30 minutes later for the same torture. Great WOD!

To recapitulate:

20 thrusters

20 sumo deadlift high pull

20 push jerks

20 overhead squats

20 front squats

4 burpees every minute, on the minute, until completion of all 100 reps.

My time to completion: 7:58, as Rx'd (95lb)

Grand total of weight lifted: 4.75 tons

Air Force WOD

2010-03-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's 7:00am WOD:

For time:
20 thrusters
20 sumo deadlift, high pulls
20 push jerks
20 overhead squats
20 front squats
Every minute, on the minute, stop all work and complete four burpees before continuing lifts.

Why do I suspect this will hurt more than usual? :) Pictures to follow...

GET SOME!

Plyoboxes

2010-03-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

A plyobox isn't necessarily a cornerstone of a CrossFit box, but it is certainly a hallmark!

I found a fantastic article in the CrossFit Journal that contained plans to make a 20" box. Two small problems: 1. It requires tools... tools that I had never heard of; and 2. I suck at making things... and fixing things. In fact, I have a terrible habit of making things worse.

So, like a good resourceful CrossFitter, I enlisted the help of my friends! Meet Eli Pugh, Navy Band Northwest's own master woodworker. An accomplished craftsman with many high quality pieces of wood furniture to his name (and an impressive, Santa's elf-like, workshop in his garage), I merely had to suggest the project and he was all over it.

Eli masterfully using some sort of table saw to make angles on one side of the box.

Now, it took us all of an hour to get the first box done (see below) and sitting in his driveway. However, I wanted to make two and thought we had purchased enough materials to make 20" and 24" high boxes. A little math proved me wrong (foiled again).

Then it struck us! We didn't have enough wood to make a second box, but we had enough to make an extension box to raise the 20" box 4". The best part was that it took Eli about 5 minutes to cut the pieces, and glue and screw them together.

Here is the finished product sitting in my garage gym. I kept it natural wood, just using polyurethane to seal it. I like the homemade look and there is something rugged about it that spray-painting would screw up.

Awesome plyobox! Anyone who wants to make their own, check out the CrossFit Journal article. Anyone interested in purchasing one of these Eli Pugh specials, shoot me a comment Blogger!

Trample the weak, hurdle the dead...

2010-02-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

My name is Joshua Sullins. I am addicted to CrossFit. I was first turned on to it in 2007 by a notorious bunch of Naval Officers attending the Naval War College in Newport, RI. I was a chronic-cardio junky (just ask my beautiful wife, Emily, who put up with my gym-goings) and was always at the gym seeing these guys doing what, at the time, looked like the most dangerous and bizarre training ever conceived. I approached them to question them about it one day and, just like the CrossFit community I have come to know and love, they enthusiastically invited me to join them. I accepted, with some reservations. The extent of my training was the elliptical trainer, pushups, and situps. I could not even do more than two pullups in a single sitting. They guided me through the steps of a workout that included, for me - they were using heavier weights, a 55lb shoulder press, box jumps, burpees (which I knew from boot camp to be "body builders") and pullups.

Fast forward 10 minutes: It was excruciating. My body was completely in shock, my lungs felt like they were bleeding out and, yes, I kept going. The traditional CrossFit romance story would say at this point something like: "I was hooked," but such was not the case. I thought it was dumb, could not be sustained as a regular training regemine, and it lacked the cardio element that I thought was so crucial for weight management. I used to weigh-in at a lean 320lbs (see below), so weight gain was not on my to-do list.

New meaning for "larger than life;" I look like Violet Beauregarde AFTER the incident at the Chocolate Factory...

So, I continued on my merry cardio way, doing about 45 minutes to a solid hour of elliptical training 6 days a week for another 2 years. A working definition of insanity: Repeating the same action time and time again, expecting different results. I maintained my weight of about 165lbs for about 18 months, through tours with Navy Band Northeast in Newport, RI and on board the USS BLUE RIDGE with Navy Band, U.S. SEVENTH Fleet, stationed in Japan. While there I met some EOD guys who were hardcore into CrossFit and I noticed they were pushing around 500lb tires, dragging hugely weighted sleds, performing lots of pullups (kipping, of course) at a time, and just generally in amazing physical condition. They were not using either of the two "globo" style gyms on base, however, they were using their shop, that had ample space for them to workout during the day. I wasn't sure about CrossFit, but I was frustrated with my own program, which was really getting me nowhere fast.

I began checking out the exercise demos on the CrossFit web site (very humbling) and reading some of their free literature, growing more curious and anxious to begin. In September of 2009 I moved back home, to Washington State, and, after having been convinced to take the plunge by Emily, I made the switch to CrossFit. After doing it for about a month I realized three things:

1. Despite scoring Outstanding High on my last four Navy Physical Readiness Tests, I was not in nearly the shape I thought I was... thanks, CrossFit.

2. I should've stopped with the excuses years ago and done this program!

3. I needed training beyond the web resources.

After a month I had increased shoulder press ability by 30%, deadlift by 17%, etc. I was faster in sprints and had far more endurance on longer cardio events. Now, here is the typical CrossFit line: "I was hooked!" I met with the proprietors of my local CF "box" (the affectionate term coined for CF gyms, which tend to appear nothing like a traditional training facility) in October of 2009, and decided to take their fundamentals class, although I waited a couple of months to do so. In January 2010, my command allowed us to start a CrossFit PT group, performing "CrossFit inspired" workouts three times a week, and teaching basic movements and methodology.

Thus, my title: Equal Opportunity Suffering. This is what CrossFit is all about and it is why I believe in it - no matter what kind of shape you are in, how old you are, or even how many limbs you are missing, there are success stories to correspond with your situation, and CrossFit will be an unlimited source of physical and mental challenges, providing a lifetime of fitness. Coach Greg Glassman, the creator of CrossFit says it best: "The needs of an Olympic athlete and our grandparents differ by degree not kind."

This blog is all about my journey through CrossFit!