Murph was a perfect WOD to close out 2010. The weather was unusually warm (around 60 degrees) with a little bit of rain. I'm looking forward to what 2011 has in store - a lot of big things happening!
I didn't have a place to hang my rings in order to do muscle ups, so I subbed in 3 pullups and 3 ring dips for each muscle up. Swings were done with a 70# DB. Finished with 8 rounds + 1 HSPU. I spent a lot of time balancing on my head wishing I could push myself up. Not my strongest performance.
I visited Parkland Performance Training today for a little team WOD inspired by CrossFit Springfield. We had three teams of three athletes to take on this nice little collaboration.
"My Pet Barbell"
100 HSPUs
100 KB Swings 55#
100 Push Press 95/65
100 Box Jumps
100 Situps
100 Hang Power Cleans
100 Pullups
100 Back Squats 95/65
100 Double Unders
Only 1 team member may be working at a time. Another team member must be constantly holding the barbell. A 7 burpee penalty is assessed to any team whose barbell touches the ground.
My team came in last at 28:40. It was fun to get after it with a garage full of people. I'm hoping to get another WOD like this in before I head back to Michigan next weekend.
Afterwards, I did my Wendler sets for Shoulder Press.
3-3-3+
95, 110, 125(6)
I screwed up and based my weights off of 90% of 155# rather than 160#. Regardless, I was fatigued after the team WOD.
Headed to play ball with all the has-beens pretty soon. The talent should be a bit higher than what I saw last night at the Braggin' Rights game, haha.
I was able to do everything unbroken except for the C2B Pullups, which probably took me longer than everything else combined. I am pretty frustrated with my pullups, but on a positive note my HSPUs felt a lot stronger.
After a long weekend in Kansas City full of good times and massive amounts of great (tasting) food, it was time to hit it hard today. I'm incorporating the Wendler 5-3-1 program into my training. I've read a lot about it and am interested to see if it's worth all the hype.
This WOD kills my wrists. I decided to go big for my last set of jerks and ended up only getting 2 reps. In hindsight, this probably wasn't a smart move.
I'm back home for the Holiday break, and I'm sad to say Michigan's winter weather has followed me. I did a WOD from home today, courtesy of the masterminds known as Kenny and Bob. What does that mean exactly? A lot of body weight movements. Oh well, they're something I need to focus on.
For Time:
50-40-30-20-10
Pushups
Situps
Back Extensions
rx'd: 12:32
I probably spent over half the time on the situps. I still struggle with them. It was good to get in a workout after a long weekend of traveling and eating poorly. I would like to say that I'm going to tighten up my diet starting tomorrow, but that's nearly impossible when I have Momma's cookin.
It felt great to leave the library and hit the gym today. Tomorrow is my last final (final final...?) of the semester. When it's all said and done I'm sure I will take some time to post and reflect on everything that I accomplished the past four months. For now, I need to cram as much as possible with the little time I have left.
Clean and Jerk
3-3-3-3-3
For Time:
5 Rounds
7 Pullups
14 Wall Balls (20# ball)
21 Double Unders
28 Abmat Situps
Clean and jerks went well: 135, 165, 185, 205, 225(x2)
My previous 1RM was 225#, so I was pumped to get it over my head twice. The next time this shows up I will definitely complete the third rep.
I finished the metcon in 13:14. Felt strong in everything except situps! They were awful and I labored through them. I do not understand how I struggle with such a basic movement. It's frustrating to say the least.
I dropped into Spartan CrossFit this morning and did a WOD with the 10 a.m. class. Here's what showed up on the white board:
5 Rounds:
AMRAP in 3 mins
3 Power Clean 135#
6 Pushups
9 Body Squats
Rest 1 min
I lost track of my rounds for each 3 minute set, but I know my first round was 7+ rounds and my final round was 4 rounds + 1 power clean. It was my first group class setting, and I really liked the environment. There were 9 of us all facing the same difficult WOD. It was motivating to say the least. It's not that I watched anyone when I started to struggle - I could feel them working around me. The surrounding sounds also pushed me to go harder. The barbells crashing on the ground, the grunts and groans of exploding through the bar on the cleans, the gasping for air during the minute rest, and Michael cheering us all on. It was great. It was my first opportunity to understand the whole "community" aspect of CrossFit.
I played ball again today at the IM gym. Studying has become my number one priority for the next week, so my training has suffered a bit. Yesterday I met with the owner of the new CrossFit affiliate in town. He had a good set up, and the location is just ten minutes north of me. I'm going in tomorrow morning to get in a WOD. It will be my first experience in a class workout environment and I'm interested to see how I like it.
Got a good run in at the IM East Gym. It was the first time I've played hoops for over a month, and it was nice to play a team sport. My finals are coming up next week, so my training may take the backseat to studying. Not the best case scenario, but I need to finish out the semester strongly.
Tabata interval training consists of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals (4 total minutes). Your score is the lowest # of reps for the 8 rounds.
Weighted Pullups = 4
Weighted Squat = 11
Weighted Ring Dip = 5
Weighted DL = 6
Total Score = 26
I haven't done tabata intervals in a while and forgot how tough they were. This WOD hurt. Badly.
I decided to do this WOD indoors because I despise running in the cold. My times suffered because of this decision. It's impossible to simulate a good running pace on a treadmill. On a positive note, I focused on my foot strike patterns. I am getting more comfortable with the POSE running method and I definitely feel like I'm running more efficiently.
After a great Thanksgiving of stuffing my face it was time to get back in the garage. I was humbled today to say the least.
"Diane"
For Time:
21-15-9
225# Deadlift
Handstand Pushups
Skill Work
3-3-3-3-3 Power Snatch
Handstand pushups are undoubtedly a weakness of mine. To be honest, I struggle with any body weight movement. I repped out my first 10-12 pretty well and then hit the wall (figuratively and literally). This seems to be the same problem I have with every body weight movement - my endurance is lacking. I labored through with some assistance from Kenny and Bob pulling on my legs and finished at 14:26. Handstand pushups will be incorporated into my warmup from here on out. I didn't go heavy with my power snatches: 95, 105, 115, 125, 135. I worked on the hook grip again. It is getting more and more comfortable. I also think I'm getting more comfortable with taking the weight from the ground over my head. Staying with my goals, I'm seeing progress. I'll be heading back to East Lansing tomorrow to finish out the semester. Looking forward to my last Christmas Break ever!
We came up with a Team WOD today where Bob, Kenny, and I each chose a movement. Kenny chose muscle ups, I chose pistols, and Bob chose tire flips (he was dying to use the new tires he picked up last night). As we were arguing on how to set up the WOD, Brock pulled up. We then agreed to do a 2 v. 2 Team WOD. Here's what it looked like.
For Time:
50 Muscle Ups
100 Pistols
150 Tire Flips (75 w/ big tire/75 w/ small tire)
All reps of one movement must be completed before moving to the next movement and only 1 team member could be working at a time.
Kenny and I finished the first two movements before Bob and Brock, and chose to knock out the flips on the big tire first. We finished in 18:14, with Bob and Brock coming in at 19:30.
Kept with the CrossFit Springfield programming today. Thankfully, I woke up feeling a lot better. My lower back and hip was loosened up after yesterday's doc visit. Here was the WOD.
Strength
3-3-3-3-3 Back Squat
MetCon
15-12-9
Bearhugger Squat 95#
Hurdle Burpees
Squat Progression: 225, 245, 265, 285, 305
I was pretty happy with hitting 305 for 3 reps. Based on an 85% scale for 1 rep this would put me at 360#. The most I've done was 335#. I'm not sure how accurate this scaling is, but I'm confident in saying that I'm getting stronger. Here's a look at my last set.
I finished the MetCon at 3:39. A couple of my hurdles were shady and a squat or two was not parallel. I'm still happy with my time though. It's always fun competing against the guys in Bob's Garage. It's even more fun when I end up on top. Granted, today's WODs definitely favored my strengths. I tried uploading the video but it would not work for some reason. I need to get better at this html stuff.
I'm back home this week for Thanksgiving, which means I will be training with the group of guys I started CrossFit with. Last summer we traveled together to CrossFit TNT to see how we would fare against guys who trained in affiliates. Here's how that ended up.
Unfortunately, my first day back I was not feeling 100%. I decided to do the main site WOD. Kenny and Bob did today's WOD and last Saturday's. Just to be clear, I only did half the workout that was chosen for today. Tip your cap to these two beasts. If you see them out, ask for their autograph. Haha, I'm only kidding. They are both awesome athletes and we have a good time when we all get together.
3-3-3-3-3-3-3 Push Press
95,115,135,155,165,175, 185, 195 (failed 3rd rep)
I went to the chiropractor immediately after. My L5 was out of line and he straightened me out with a nice crack. I'm hoping to be back on tomorrow, but if I'm still feeling tight I will rest. One thing I've learned since I started CrossFit, you're the only one who knows what's best for your body.
I've had the opportunity to see more live sporting events in the past week than I've had since I started law school. Last Friday I was invited by a friend to go to see the Detroit Redwings play the Minnesota Wild. There are rumors this is the last season the Wings will play in Joe Louis Arena, and I did not want to miss out on a chance to visit the place where the St. Louis Blues have often been on the wrong end of a beating. In fact, I still have nightmares about this moment.
Anyway, the Joe was everything I thought it would be. Full of fans in red and white cheering on their team. Our seats were great - low enough to catch a lot of details you cannot see from the nosebleeds, but high enough to where you could see the entire ice and watch plays develop.
I even had a little bit of revenge as the night ended. The Wings fell in OT!
The next day I headed south to Muncie, IN to watch my brother's final game as Ball State hosted the MAC leading Northern Illinois Huskies. It was Tony's first game back after suffering a scary concussion against Akron. I was glad to see him get back on the field and play strong. It was not a great game to watch though. The Cardinals got beat handily.
On Sunday Natalie and I decided to head to CrossFit Ice in Chesterfield, MO to watch the final day of the 2nd Annual Heart of America Competition. It was my first opportunity to see a bigger sized CrossFit competition. I stayed pretty quiet for the most part and just observed the teams labor through a pretty brutal final WOD. It was great to run into a few familiar faces, including Jeremy from CrossFit Springfield. Here he is in action.
As you can hear, I came out of my quiet shell a bit during this WOD.
Finally, we decided to try and scalp tickets to the Rams game. This was my first experience buying tickets off the street. It was stressful to say the least. We eventually found a deal we thought was acceptable and got to our seats as the second quarter started. The game was a blast! Well, up until this happened.
3rd and Goal from the 2 yard line, down 9 with 3 minutes and some change to go and you run a SHOVEL PASS?! Unbelievable! Had the Rams punched one in there, or even settled for a field goal, who knows what would have happened. But, they turned it over and Natalie and I joined the rest of the bewildered fans that filed out of the Dome shaking our heads in confusion.
All in all it was a great weekend. Not once did I think about my upcoming finals. It's crazy how much my attitude and outlook has changed since my 1L year. I wouldn't say I'm stress free at this point, but I definitely handle it much better. It's better for me, and I think everyone else will agree that I'm better because of it.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to check out Coach Izzo and the Spartans take on South Carolina. In my third basketball season at Michigan State, it was only the second game I've attended. I know - shameful. As much as I would like to turn back the clock to change that (I mean, they've been to the FINAL FOUR the past two seasons!), I can only make an effort to see as many games as possible this year. With that said, the Breslin is an incredible college basketball atmosphere. The lower bowl is filled with students. This rowdy bunch is known as The Izzone. The always-standing students have coordinated cheers for what seems like any possible situation. They jump, they clap, they fist pump, they sway back and forth. If I were ever lucky enough to score a ticket in The Izzone I would most certainly count that as a WOD.
I, however, was not in the Izzone. Nor the lower bowl. No, I was in the upper bowl, a place I have dubbed as the Ozone due to its high altitude. Either way, the game was a good time. I got a good look at the team, and what I saw was very promising. I look forward to seeing some Big Ten battles this year. The only negative aspect of the game was that it started at 10:00 p.m. I did not get to bed until 1:00 a.m. I had class a short 8 hours after that. Add a lack of sleep to the rough WODs I took on the past two days and you get a tired, sore Matt. I decided to take today off and rest up. At first I felt a bit guilty about my laziness, but then I looked across my living room and saw this...
That a girl, way to make daddy feel better about himself!
Today I did the WODs posted on the main site and CrossFit Springfield.
Hang Power Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 Reps
Then
5-5-4-4-3-3-2-2-1-1 Bench Press
After each set of 5, row 500m, after each set of 4, row 400m, and so on...
Post Start and Finish Loads for Bench Press
This was the first time I had worked on power snatches from the hang position, so I was clueless on where I would end up. The fact that I used the hook grip for the first time added to the uncertainty. I finished at 135#, failing 145# three times. I definitely need to improve generating power from my hips. It seems as if I cheat myself by not getting a good extension.
The bench press/row WOD was unique. It was unclear whether I was supposed to sprint through the rows or take my time, so I decided to maintain the wattage as close as possible to my body weight (195#). This definitely kept my heart rate elevated between sets, but didn't force me to rest. That being said, I was a bit overconfident in the weights I chose. I went 205#, 215#, 225#. 225#, 230# (failed), 230# (failed), 225#, 230#. I would have been better served making 5# increments each set and would have ultimately ended in the same place with no missed reps.
I'm headed out tonight to see the #2 nationally ranked Spartans take on South Carolina. I would say watch for me on ESPN, but I'll be so far in the nosebleeds there is no chance I get any face time.
For today's WOD I looked to non other than Crossfit Springfield, the box that unfortunately formed in the town where I went to college just as I was leaving. Last summer I had the privilege of training in the gym while I was in town for a wedding. I had the awesome opportunity to train with Jeremy, co-owner and coach at the gym. It was a great experience and I look forward to returning some day. Anyway, as always, he threw together a tough WOD.
For Time:
50 step ups to a 24" box with 135# on your back
10 135# Push Presses
20 135# Hang Squat Cleans
40 135# Deadlifts
20 135# Hang Squat Cleans
10 135# Push Presses
50 Ring Dips
As rx'd: 23:17
I spent more time than I would have liked resting. This WOD was as mentally challenging as it was physically. Instead of a 24" box, I performed my step ups onto a tractor tire. The rubber threw in a nice element of stability. By the time I made it to the ring dips I was smoked and struggled repping them out. Overall, it was a great WOD to start the week. Here's a shot of my setup.
I want to give a big shout out to David, the owner of this beautifully equipped garage gym. I'm very fortunate to have such an awesome place to train while in school. Thanks a ton man!
This blog will primarily serve to track my training over time, with the hope in mind that recording my progress (or regression) will provide a source of motivation and accountability. I have been following a CrossFit training methodology for a little over two years now and am convinced that it is the best way to achieve a well-rounded, high level of individual fitness. But, it has been admittedly difficult to stay dedicated on a consistent basis while being a law student. For me, it is a waste of time to pursue a goal without committing a full effort. I apply this mentality to every goal I set for myself, yet I have been inconsistent when it comes to my personal health and fitness. The time has come for that to change.
I bounced around trying to develop a title for my blog. "Resisting Complacency" seems to be the perfect fit for the approach I plan to take.
Complacency (kuhm'pley'suhn'see): a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug-satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.
It is far too easy to fall into the comfort zone. While this is definitely true for fitness, I feel like it can be said for any aspect of life. It is something that I try to avoid because I know that there is always room for improvement. Again, this blog will serve primarily as a training log, but it will also give me an opportunity to put my thoughts in writing. I have no problem facing the fact that I'm a nerd. I enjoy writing. As with individual fitness, I strive to become a great writer. It's important to me now and will be increasingly important as I begin my legal career.
Alright, I know, this all sounds very serious. I would assume the black and white background only adds to the dullness. I'm not suggesting that I fail to sit back and enjoy my accomplishments. Nor do I overlook the many blessings I have be given. It's just that I fear becoming idle. Hard work pays off. Thankfully, I was taught this at a young age and have come to realize that it's true. That being said, I will now take the time to point out a few things that I'm always happy about and content with.
1. A family that is more supportive than I could ever give credit for. I realize not everyone can say this, and I try to never take it for granted.
Athletics have always been a staple in my family. My mom was a collegiate volleyball player and has been a volleyball coach (at the high school, college, and now middle school level) for as long as I've been alive, my dad was a collegiate basketball player and coached me growing up, and my younger brother is currently a collegiate football player finishing up his sophomore season. Do work 4-7!
2. I'm with a great girl who adds to this support on a daily basis. She's my best friend. She is also a CrossFitter - get it gurrrrrl!
3. I have another great girl in my life. I consider her the GDE ("Greatest Dog Ever" for those of you who aren't up on your Rob &
Big references). Meet Roxy!
4. Last but most certainly not least, I recently received a job offer! I will be serving as a law clerk to an Administrative Law Judge with the Drug Enforcement Agency after I take the bar exam this summer. I cannot wait to live in the Washington D.C. area. I anticipate my arrival to our Nation's capitol will be similar to John Wall's home court debut.
OK, maybe my Dougie isn't on Mr. Wall's level, but you all get the point. I'm hyped!
I think that's enough background information to get this blog off the ground. Hopefully I will stay pretty consistent with my posts and not flake out.
