Zombie Fitness!!!!

The Onslaught is coming!!!

2010-06-20T22:22:00.001-04:00

Some Inspiration

2010-04-29T14:42:00.001-04:00

Its like I dont even check the damn thing!!!

2010-04-09T11:11:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I'm just lazy and know I should post more but I don't... But anyways, Spring has sprung (did I really just type "spring has sprung"?!?!) in the city. OK so apparently we're just going to bypass Spring altogether and go straight to Summer. Its been down right hot lately. Not complaining, I will take being too hot over too cold any day, I just like to be eased in a bit. Much like all of the fun stuff that happens during a physical.

Anyways, so with better weather around now, it means hills. And by hills I mean hill runs. Nothing increases the suck factor of training more than running up a trusty old hill. If you re not incorporating these into your training regime, well then you re not moving north of the V-line. So get to it. Find yourself a nice long or steep hill and run up that bitch about 25 times. And when it becomes easy? Well start strapping on the weight vest!

What? Why?

2010-02-15T00:27:00.000-05:00

Totally unnecessary but still awesome!!!!

Excuses-A frequently used tool

2010-01-24T17:04:00.004-05:00

When I was pledging to enter my fraternity (the Black/Latino Greek hazing way-not the Rush drinking way) one of the brothers gave me a quote that left an indelible mark. My line was in trouble for not completing an assignment on time and we told him our "reason" why it couldn't be accomplished to which point he replied, "Excuses are tools used the the incompetent to build monuments of nothingness and roads to nowhere and those who use them seldom amount to anything." There was a deafening silence-later to be broken by our voices for said excuse.

The time we spend trying to explain why we couldn't do something right could be cut short by simply fixing the mistake. If you find yourself not being able to go to the gym for your regular routine, there is plenty of floor and gravity available to drop and do 20..like 20 sets of 20-pushups, situps, sprint, carry something heavy while you do it. There are plenty of fitness modalities out there to accommodate all gym rats and homebodies alike. There are experts who can teach you how to be great under the bar, powerful with a homemade sandbag, and yes even P90X (although I'd personally never do it myself). Point is-everything works if you stick with it, and if you're willing to commit to it.

You just need to ask yourself, "What's my excuse not to be great today?"

Simple!

2010-01-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

Stick with Simple:
Please stop asking about rack pulls, speed sets, board presses, waves, etc... You need to be pressing, squatting, and deadlifting at the least (a power clean here and there wouldn't hurt either). Sorry to say, I know you want to hit a PR on everything but you are not an advanced lifter. I’m not an advanced lifter and I have been doing it since I was 15 years old. So you want a higher deadlift? Well here's a thought, try deadlifting more. You want a stronger upper body, then why aren’t you bench pressing? It’s not functional? What exactly about having a stronger upper body is not functional? Too many people want to get too fancy and complex with their training, when in reality its best to just keep it simple. Simple does not equal easy. In fact quite the opposite, simple is really hard. Then again, this is probably the biggest reason why people don’t keep it simple.

28 Days Later

2010-01-20T01:41:00.004-05:00

He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery. ~Harold Wilson

Change is coming...adapt or be the entree.

Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown!

2010-01-17T23:55:00.000-05:00

Basic Fitness/Health Advice

2010-01-06T11:38:00.002-05:00

With the new year, people always want training advice. Its not hard and really everything out there is just a fancy spin on some basic guidelines that everyone should follow:

1. drink water
2. eat fiber/fruits/veggies
3. sleep
4. eat protein
5. take a basic vitamin
6. take fish oil
7. move on a daily basis

These are the low hanging fruit that anyone, I dont care how busy, can do. Now I would also say some barbell and conditioning work added to number 7, and you have yourself a pretty damn good base on which you can build yourself on top of.

Choose your Weapon!

2010-01-01T18:24:00.002-05:00

Are You A Zombie or the Hero?

2010-01-01T17:30:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year! A brand new decade is upon; now is the time we let go of past regrets and hopefully remember the message of

hard learned lessons. We talk about training for the Apocalypse but let's first be clear on what a zombie really is.

Zombie (n): A zombie is a creature that appears in books and popular culture typically as a reanimated dead or a mindless human being.

People can be zombies too. Most of us do what we are told or believe facts about health, nutrition, and politics without giving it a second thought. Sheepishly following what the self-appointed experts say, we waste years doing something because we simply weren't aware there was another, and often times, better way to do it. The Zombie Apocalypse is already here-some of them are co-workers, gym members, even family members who take what is said on TV or written in print as gospel.

The key to innovation is being willing to break the rules-whether it be this way one should eat or believing that light weights at high reps is the cure-all of getting ripped; thinking outside the box often leads to great and amazing achievements. However, the price for such a journey means more hard work, increased discipline, and a willingness to take learning into your own hands rather than allowing yourself to be spoon fed information.

Be willing to break some rules-your and everyone else's, and you may find yourself being that badass that tells people how to survive instead of being the subject of a horror story told as warning for future slayers.

The Dead Shall Rise!!

2010-01-01T00:35:00.000-05:00

In these first few moments of 2010, lets reflect back a little over the past year and decade...... Done? Good. Now forget about all that shit because its in the past. The year of the Z has arrived. All over the dead are shedding their dirt and rising. The Earth is cracked, the seas are boiling, and what you knew, is not the truth anymore. What are you going to do about it? Will you sit back and wait for the dead to drag you down with them? Or will you stand up, grab your tools and get to work? Its time to forge a new destiny and march on to the light with fury. Don't sit back and wait. The dead are coming to get you, its up to you to decide your future now. Are you man or are you meat?

No Fucking Excuses!

2009-12-25T16:40:00.000-05:00

Old School Vs. New School

2009-12-01T23:14:00.000-05:00

Strength in Difference

2009-11-21T18:26:00.000-05:00

In life, sometimes those we begin our journey with may not be those who stay on the course trip and make it to the end. However, through different circumstances, fate or coincidence-what have you-we find ourselves surrounded by a motley crew of people who push us further than we had imagined possible, and change our course for the better.

This would accurately describe my training adventure. Crossfit has brought me in contact with people as different from me as Woody Harrelson is from Wesley Snipes. Seeing them side by side, one is inclined to ask, "How can those two be friends?" I get that reaction every time I lift with Justin aka Thor. He's burly guy from Florida-Slayer-loving old school hip listening, and wears skulls and bones on most of his casual clothes. Me, leaner (not so much these days-damn donuts) New Yorker-hip hop and R&B raised, listen to the occasional heavy metal bands. Yet through Crossfit, we found our mutual love for lifting heavy things constantly, Call of Duty, eating, and a mutual hate for all things doucher (faux hawks, emo-musicians, and bad lifting form).

At the gym, we constantly get the "Huh?" look from people when we lift or when we road trip to various affiliates. It is until people talk to both of us that they realize our most common similarity is that we are both...assholes who have no problem speaking their minds freely that they realize we are actually brothers from another mother.

Whatever your journey in life is: whether through fitness, academic interests or social activities, be prepared and more importantly be open to welcoming in those who don't fit into your nifty little box of who should be on your team. It's often by doing things differently that you meet different people who challenge your beliefs, values, and in the gym to get that elusive PR. Being taken far from your comfort zone leads to discomfort i.e. growth. Be odd and welcome the stares-people always line up to see a hero but no one wants to step up and be one.

So get out your zone-remember, when the zombies show up, the ones who are most comfortable will be the hors d' oeouvrs.

For the mean time

2009-11-08T23:45:00.001-05:00

Inspiration!

2009-11-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

Now go out there and Kill ii!!!!!

Daily Apoc Training 11/1/2009

2009-11-01T15:34:00.001-05:00

Rest today... Take it easy or some active recovery.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, and Daily Apoc Training 10/31/2009

2009-10-31T09:57:00.000-04:00

Have a great Halloween today!!!!

Work up to 1-rep max in the back squat

rest as needed

Work up to 1-rep max in the bench press

Oops and Daily Apoc Training for 10/30/2009

2009-10-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

Missed a couple of days of training posts, no excuses just fucked up... Training for today includes:

Presses at 3x5- work up to a 5 rep max

Conditioning:
5 rounds for time:
w/20lb. weight vest
10 burpees
20 squats
30 ab-mat situps
40-yard bear crawl

Daily Apoc Training 10/26/2009

2009-10-26T13:24:00.000-04:00

Work up to 1 RM in the Standing Press...

Metcon:
As many rounds as possible in 12 mins:
7-L-arm KB cleans 24kg
7-R-arm KB cleans 24kg
7-push-ups
250 meter row

Daily Apoc Training 10/25/2009

2009-10-25T00:40:00.000-04:00

Active recovery rest day... Foam roll, stretch, eat and get some rest.

Daily Apoc Training 10/24/2009

2009-10-24T10:11:00.000-04:00

5-3-1 Day Squats and Bench Press

3x70% 1rm

3x80% 1rm

Last set as many reps as possible at 90%

5x10 squats at 40-60% 1rm

Kroc Rows:

2x10 (each arm) at weight you can complete

1x as many reps as possible (each arm) with heaviest weight possible

Thanks to EliteFTS for this one!

2009-10-23T11:05:00.001-04:00

Daily Apoc Training 10/23/2009

2009-10-23T09:48:00.000-04:00

8x200 meters
rest 90 sec. between efforts

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~Thomas Edison

FYI!!

2009-10-22T09:45:00.000-04:00

Keep training hard!

Extreme Geekness... But Im back!!!!!

2009-09-29T11:19:00.000-04:00

Been a while, but back... With a whole new bag of tricks!

Summer of Hell 3!!!

2009-06-01T13:24:00.000-04:00

The invasion has begun!!!! The zombies have attacked and we are running for our lives. Who will survive the summer of hell 3? It’s upon us again!! Will the carnage be too much? This is not for the weak willed! Come if you dare!!!

The Leopard Never Stretches

2009-05-18T16:27:00.001-04:00

2009-05-11T11:40:00.001-04:00

“I never worry about anything other than not achieving my goals.”

-Jim Wendler

Jack Ab attack

2009-04-21T22:42:00.000-04:00

So at the suggestion of my good friend Thor, I too am joining the Crossfit Virtuosity "Abs Challenge". One of the fun things about Crossfit is that there is never short of some maniac out there (Keith) who feels compelled to share his suffering with the rest of the community. As with the Burpees Challenge, the Abs Challenge is definitely something that is going to be fun to attack and difficult to stay consistent with. LOL. But with summer coming up, it's a timely challenge.

I wonder if during the winter we'll have a "French Toast" Challenge? I'm so winning that shit.

So anyway...I'm doing this challenge because of 1-Positive peer pressure, 2-my goal is to increase my total strength so I can get the elusive 1000lb total, and increase my athletic performance so that I can be competitive for amateur boxing tournaments in 2010. 3-In my profession (acting), it can't hurt.

So here is what I ate on Day 1 and 2:

Day 1:
Breakfast-protein shake
Lunch-chicken and salad
Snack -protein bar
Early dinner-roast pork
Dinner; Franks with cheese and some greens

WOD-Heavy Deadlift. 315# 1x5. Pullups 3x7

Day 2
Breakfast-protein shake
Lunch-Franks with melted cheese and pickles
Snack-pepperoni and cheese
Dinner Baked chicken and greens

WOD-Boxing

More to come.

Thor's Day 2

2009-04-21T20:15:00.001-04:00

Rest day today... Need to get to bed early due to getting up at the ass-crack (before dawn that is) for team 6 tomorrow.

Meals today:

Breakfast-

Egg salad & cheese stick

Lunch-

Various cold cuts & cheeses

Dinner-

Steak & greens with olive oil&vinegar dressing

100-days Ab Challenge

2009-04-20T23:16:00.000-04:00

Day 1 begins!!! So I took on the challenge from Keith at CF Virtuosity:

Anyways, so the God of Thunder is trying to be less, "Thunderous" and drop a few, while gaining some more strength. I figure at least this way, it will keep me honest!!!! Stay tuned for the shenanigans that will ensue!

So Day 1 begins:

Breakfast:
Egg salad
Cheese Stick

Lunch:
Various Lunch Meats and cheese

Snack:
Pepperoni slices

Dinner:
Hamburger, no bun, cheddar cheese, bacon
3/4th cup steamed Broccoli
Side of Blue Cheese dressing

WOD:
Deadlifts:
315x1x10

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1:
slamball 25# ball
sledgehammer swings on tire
= 4:03

3x3 weighted pull-ups (20# vest)
50 airsquats w/ weighted vest (20#)

Sport. Redeemed!

2009-02-27T15:01:00.000-05:00

The Road to Redemption is paved in blood, sweat, and tears!!! Will you join us?

Success is a team sport

2009-02-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

Powerlifter and human monster Dave Tate, owner of EliteFTS, had this to say about training partners: "You're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner...I always felt it was my responsibility and my duty to get the guy next to me stronger than I was. And all the guys who trained there felt the same. One person may have had better genetics or more mental strength, but it didn't fucking matter. What matters is that you're going to be as weak as your weakest training partner."

I recently had my best total in a year. 890-with a 170lb press, 315# back squat and a #405 DL at 185#! I give the credit to my consistent training and the constructive, yet at times venomous, motivation from my training partner Justin aka "Thor".

I already had in mind a number I was going for during my warm-up. But during my lifts, it was Thor's prodding that made me jump from 290# to 315#. He said, "Why not jump up. You've been doing the work to get there." So I did. Then instead of the pat on the back I was expecting, he followed up by saying, "It looked kinda easy. You could have done a little more. Too bad it's your last lift." Asshole-but he was right. I had limited myself because I was feeling sore from the day before so I set the bar lower for myself. But a good friend or training partner will get help you get out of your own way and push your limits in a way you may not even think is possible. It doesn't help that Leslie, his wife, is the same way too.

Our job as trainers is to motivate our clients to go beyond mediocrity. The gym is the one place that a person can go for constant motivation and leave with a sense of accomplishment. Especially during these dour economic times, we have an added responsibility to inspire our clients with a sense of success that they may not be receiving from work or at home due to stress. And helping someone get a PR may be generate a type of mental momentum they can carry outside the gym as well.

Speaking from personal experience, I know my athletic success is due in part to large degree of the consistent support, albeit sometimes motivational-ly demeaning at times, from the Crossfit members I train with. And I do my best to give it back as well. Great teams win by putting the goal above themselves. At Crossfit, even when competing against each other, we are pushing each other simultaneously. For us "teamwork is working together-even when apart".

Despite our constant verbal jabs which have become part of our training routine, Thor and I are close friends. It's hard for me to sandbag when he's lifting as hard as he can. See, successful people always surround themselves with other successful people. Whether in the gym or not, make sure the people in your circle are helping you to achieve. If not, they are slowing the team down. And you're going down with them.

Historic Occasion!

2009-01-22T15:18:00.000-05:00

So this past week something truly epic and monumental happened… Yeah, yeah sure we swore in our nation’s first black president. That’s pretty important. But even better, I gave my first seminar. At Crossfit Brooklyn, we had a Carnival of Skills day. We took a break from our regularly scheduled programming (read CF Mainsite WOD) to try and do something a little different for the members. The schedule was as follows:

• 11 - 1: "Big Engines Don't Slow Cars Down: Strength Training with Squats and more!" w/ Justin Algera.
• 1 - 3: "Kipping Klass" w/ Torch
• 3 - 5: "Hell's Bells: Kettlebells and you" w/ The Supreme Court
• 5 - 7: "Virtuosity Gymnastics Preview: Come and get a taste of CrossFit Virtuosity's programming with Coach Keith. Try tumbling, cartwheels, handstands and more." w/ Coach Keith Wittenstein
• 7 - 8:30: "The Tao of Hauling Ass: Running properly." w/ Kurt Tullar
• 8:30 - until: "The CrossFit Kitchen Sink - Great skills that don't come up in WODs much" w/ Erica and Jeff

So my section was talking about lifting. Now this can mean many different things, but I tried to focus mainly on squats, the bench press (since this is something we rarely do in crossfit) and pulling technique. I also went through the Burgener warm-up and some other snatch technique work and progressions. All in all, I think it did go pretty well. There was a good turnout and people appeared very receptive to what was being discussed. Of course any endeavor such as this is going to produce a couple of issues here and there, but nothing that really took away from the presentation. The participants were great, very engaging, and had some really great questions. I wish I could have touched more on the Olympic lifts, but unfortunately there just didn't end up being enough time, but I will definitely focus more on that next time. What I found is that 2 hours wasn’t nearly enough to get everything in I wanted to, so next time I will limit the information I plan to go over. This is something I should have been aware of as a staff development trainer, but I’m still fairly new to this arena, but now I know better. And we always know what GI Joe used to tell us, right?

Be a caterpillar: Train Quietly...Perform Loudly

2009-01-06T01:37:00.000-05:00

Most people notice butterflies. Lovely little creature with gossamer wings, a tapestry of brilliant colors arranged so uniquely that it reminds us how beautifully created the universe is. Kids chase butterflies, and there are even museum exhibits dedicated to observing various species of butterflies in all the opulence.

Oddly enough butterflies have a short ass life span.

The caterpillar however is the real genius behind this insect. The butterfly spends 90% of its life as a caterpillar. It in this stage that the butterfly builds its body up for life as the ephemeral insect. The caterpillar plods along eating dirt and plants. It is the unsung hero that keeps on drudging along until it is time for it be cocoon itself into its next phase of evolution.

Training is much like that. Everyone wants to show off the hot abs, tight butts, bulging biceps, in essence-be a butterfly. But few are willing to cocoon themselves in hard work, sweat, strict diet, and consistent training in order to emerge as one. Most people would rather take short cuts into the butterfly stage but they, like the real butterfly, will have a short life span before the fat packs on again until they get back on the next new crash product that slimmed them down so fast in the first place. However, those of us who plodded along with heavy weights, lung-searing metcons, opting for healthier snacks, and taking the night off to rest instead of the wild night of drinking, can emerge from our cocoons brilliantly in all seasons. You will be a force to be reckoned with.

Same goes with any other goal. If you lock yourself down and put in the work now, when your season comes, all the world can't help but notice how excellent you are, and people who didn't notice you before, will chase you like the kids in the field.

So be a caterpillar-train quietly so you can perform loudly. And the world will notice.

It has begun!!!!

2009-01-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

2009 is here, Zombie Fitness goes Weapon X!!!

Happy New Year to everyone.

That Time of Year!

2008-12-31T13:16:00.000-05:00

It’s that time of year again (or should is say end of year). It is one of the beauties of life, the human idea that no matter what we have done, how badly we have screwed up, or veered off our path, there is always a chance to start over and try again. There is always a new hour, day, week, or year just ahead for us to pull our heads out of our asses, and try something different. Or achieve our goals. Or live the life we want to live. Is it easy? No of course not, but like I’ve said before, nothing really worth having is easy now is it? Besides if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and we don’t want to be like everyone else, do we?

So take this time to think about what it is you want. How do you want your life to be? Do you want to muddle through in mediocrity, doing just enough to get by or do you want to be a strong ass, pipe-hittin’, fire-breathing, BAMF (bad-ass-mother fucker)? The only person you have to answer to is the one staring you in the mirror at night, but are you going to like what he or she will say? If not, a new dawn is on the horizon just waiting for you to come and greet it head on. Care to join us?

IT'S COMING!!!!

2008-12-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

Prepare yourself!!!

Success Leaves Clues

2008-12-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

Tony Robbins is a great and inspiring motivational speaker. He made a great point in this clip-"Success leaves clues. Why reinvent the wheel?" As we near the end of 08 and begin 2009, it's important to take inventory of the important accomplishments that you've made: Did you hit your target weight? Did you improve on your lifts? Did you make and break PRS? Are you on the brink of making a career change or leaving that dead-end job? Are you in a healthier relationship? If so, then you have a good blue print from which to build from in making the next year even more successful. But if, like so many others you haven't, then it's time to make a new plan of attack-and more importantly see it through!

Whether it's getting in shape or getting a business together, it's important that you possess a clear and focused goal of what you want to accomplish. A goal without a number is just an idea. It's not enough to say you want to lose weight-how much and how soon? These targets give you something concrete to aim for.

The next habit of successful people is that they get a map-know where you'd like to go but be open to having that journey take new and unexpected turns. Replicate the success of someone is doing what you want to do-no need to reinvent the wheel when you can have a concrete example of someone doing what you want to do. Then take it a step further and get a mentor-nothing makes a trip faster than a guide. He knows the best way and all the cool shortcuts that his experiences taught him that he can now give you to get you to your destination faster. Being a trainer, I've had the pleasure of taking a client who thought they had one set of goals and opening their eyes to even more and exciting ones.

Lastly, get out of your own way. Learn to divorce yourself from the words "I can't", or the phrase "But I'm just not...(fill in your own blank. You can have a great map , sharp mentor, and still not accomplish a damn thing unless you ultimately believe you can succeed. Be willing to tell yourself you have what it takes to get there and that's 80% of the battle. We'll take care of the 20%.

See you at the rack.

Here's my Farm!!!

2008-11-25T10:42:00.000-05:00

First off, the video for today has nothing to do with today’s post. It’s just a hilarious clip and I can watch it for hours, and it cracks me up every time. So I’m sharing it with the world. Now, on to today’s topic.

ABOUT CONFIDENCE:

I’ve always been a “shit talker”. Nothing mean or malicious, just some good natured ribbing. Whether it’s my sports teams, a game of Trivial Pursuit, or while being down in the trenches during football, I was always popping a little junk out of my mouth. It wasn’t that I thought I was better than anyone else, but hell, life, especially sports and entertainment, should be fun.

But don’t confuse this with confidence. Confidence is something different. To me, confidence is a belief in yourself, and the ability to do something. It is an important aspect in one’s life, especially when it comes to health and fitness. To me as a coach, instilling confidence in someone is one of our main jobs. It is as essential as teaching a proper squat, snatch, or pull-up. I’m not saying that we have to be one of these touchy-feely, new-age gurus, but if we aren’t helping people mentally as well as physically, then we are only doing part of out jobs. And the fact is, if a person doesn’t have some level of self-confidence, they are never going to get that squat down, no matter how excellent our coaching is.

There are a number of ways to build confidence in someone. It can be pushing them when they don’t think they can do it, but you know they can. It can be drilling the same movement over and over again until they know it in their sleep. Or it can be simply just encouraging them and finding the one thing right they are doing while doing 99 other things incorrectly. Sure we correct the mistakes, but we over exaggerate the positive. Myself, I was taught using old school methods of tearing someone down, to build them back up. This can be very effective, as long as we remember the “build them back up” part. All too often this step is ignored, and we wonder why so many people don’t seem to grow past a certain point in their training.

True self confidence comes from the idea that no matter what shit life shovels your way, you are going to do whatever it takes to continue to do the best that you can. You may not always be first or win the prize, but know that you gave it your best. As coaches, and really just as people in general, we should strive to do instill this each time we are teaching. Because if and when the Zombie Horde is on your ass, what type of person do you want covering it?

Poppin' the undead off!!!!

2008-11-15T12:10:00.000-05:00

LEAD FARMER MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!

The Beginning!!

2008-10-23T08:42:00.000-04:00

Its been a while, but back from the dead!!!!

Anyways, remember your first day of school? No? Me neither. Remember your first Crossfit workout? What about the time you first attempted a kipping pull-up and you felt like you were the biggest spazz on earth? Well the thing is we all have to start somewhere. Every fire breather, Olympian, professional athlete has started at point A. Now there are some people who are genetically better than others at certain things. That doesn’t mean it’s any easier for them. And yes, there seem to be people in society who just appear so gifted that they never have to struggle, and everything comes to them with ease. Even if that is the case, we are talking a very small part of the population.

The beginning is the most fundamental step in any endeavor we embark on. The old saying goes, “you have to crawl before you walk.” This is a very important, albeit clichéd’ statement. The fact is, if you don’t start at ground zero, you will never reach the limits of your potential. It’s those “bricks” you lay in your foundation at the beginning, that are going to support you when you reach up to be the tallest building in the sky. Everyone wants to be the next great one. But how many of us will step out on a limb in the beginning to fall down, get up, and try again until we are so good at step one, that step two is easy by comparison?

So when you start something new, embrace that beginning. It’s the only time you will be doing “it” for the first time. This is the time when you can say to yourself, “I may not be the best at this, but I’m going to put in the work to be the best at it that I can be.” And hey who knows, maybe a fire breather is beginning to take shape in you.

That's pride #$%%^ with you! F#$ pride.

2008-10-17T00:53:00.000-04:00

Pride often prevents us from doing things that we would normally reconsider. Thor's previous article about starting from the beginning is linked also one one's ability to put pride aside and be willing to start from the bottom up. How often do we stay in our comfort, or shy away from having someone new coach us with different techniques-whether it be how to lift better, run faster, or perform Olympic lifts because we are afraid it may make us look inadequate or like a novice.

The key to improving as an athlete during performance, or life in general, is to allow ourselves to be continually open to new information, even if that information rocks old and deeply entrenched dogma that we tend to cling so stubbornly to. Just because you've been doing something your whole life doesn't mean you've been doing it right the entire time. Ideas on techniques are always changing and improving-be open to it all and don't be afraid to change your scheme. Muscles, much like your mind, grow faster in change.

Don't be afraid to go from varsity to freshman every now and again because you may have missed something on the way up. Whether it be taking a non-paying internship to get to the next level, or going to specialty gym to deconstruct your preexisting techniques and relearn how to do something, taking pride out of the equation allows room for another factor-success.

"Hittin' Snatches..."

2008-09-05T10:19:00.000-04:00

When we talk about Olympic lifting, we are in fact talking about Weightlifting. Many times, this compound use of the word is used in error to describe the idea of weight training. Of course terminology or incorrect word use is irrelevant and in the long run doesn’t really mater. What does matter is the actual correct use and practice of the lifts themselves in your training routine.

Olympic lifting is comprised of 2 lifts; the snatch and the clean and jerk. With the snatch, the lifter will move the bar from the ground to an overhead position in one movement. In the clean and jerk, the bar goes from the ground to the shoulder/chest area (clean portion) and then from there to an over head position (jerk portion). Off of these 2 core lifts, there are also a number of different variants employed to help train the lifts as well as provide coaches and trainers of other athletes and sports the ability to get similar benefits from the lifts without employing the full range of motion of the contested lifts. Both exercises (and their variants) are unparalleled in their function of building dynamic and optimal strength. In contrast to the more traditional power lifts (back squat, bench press, and the dead lift), which are far more functional for building and testing absolute strength, Olympic lifting relies on ballistic movement and is about building strength through explosiveness and power.

So why should you use these lifts? Well first off, the Olympic lifts basically employ every single muscle in your body. Even your pinky finger gets some sort of workout from doing a snatch or a clean and jerk. To move a load from the ground to overhead, just about all parts of your body are going to be used, and as you increase the weights, this becomes more and more a necessity.

Second reason is the efficiency of training with Olympic lifting. Since you are working so many muscles in your body at once, not too mention working a number of different “systems” within your body, your workouts become much more efficient. That is you can do more work in less time. Let’s face it, in this day and age, time is a scarce commodity. No one wants to spend 2-3 hours in the gym when they can be done in ½ -¼ the time while increasing the quality time spent with family, friends, or other worthwhile activities. Sure working out can be a source of enjoyment for many of us, but we don’t want to make it so much like a job. We all have enough of that in out lives already.

This brings us to the final reason you should be Olympic lifting. Olympic lifting is fun! Sure it can be frustrating at first when you aren’t as skilled and having difficulties with figuring out your mid-hang position from your landing stance, but doing the lifts and going heavy is just damn fun. Who wants to spend more time trotting around on treadmill for 45 minutes when you can throw up and drop heavy weights? Sounds like a no brainer to me.

Epic Fail!!!!

2008-08-06T10:59:00.000-04:00

Everything I’ve ever accomplished in life has come from the result of some failure. For example, I found Crossfit because I hurt myself running and couldn’t really workout for a while. I was miserable and depressed. My knee was hurting so bad that I didn’t even want to get out of bed, let alone do anything athletic. I would go to the gym, wander around, and leave in a pretty terrible mood because everything I tried just made things worse. I remember one day going to the gym, and looking at these 2 rowers off in the corner of the gym that I always wondered why they were actually there. But I said what the hell, and I found I could get on one of them, row, and it didn’t bother my knee. Problem was they weren’t very useful for me as I felt that they weren’t really working anything. But I always heard how great they were. So off to the internet I went, looking for advice on how to row properly. Up came this weird little site called Crossfit. The rest, as they say is history.

Failure is one of the greatest motivators of men. Usually, the initial reaction to failure is to blame everything but the person staring back at us in the mirror. But the thing is, if we put the blame on something else, there is nothing left for us to do to correct the problem. We cannot change other people or those events that we have no control over. It is up to us to take responsibilities for our lives and actions, and make changes in ourselves. Once we assume that responsibility, then we can look hard at what it is that failed, and hopefully make the corrections needed to change that disappointment into something different. This is how we succeed by failing.

In his “Last Lecture”, Randy Paush said that brick walls are there to let us prove how badly we want something. Failure is one of these brick walls. It can be discouraging, it makes us feel bad, but it also makes us look inwards to ask ourselves, “Do we want this?” Failure is the great equalizer. It separates the weak from the strong. The weak are those who will give up, and bow out first. The strong will remain standing, trying to do what it takes to continue to overcome whether it’s the first, fifth, or hundredth time they have attempted something.

Constantly Varied

2008-07-25T01:20:00.000-04:00

Life doesn't care what you're good at. It just puts you to the test and you get a pass/fail grade right on the spot. If you're good at running but aren't strong at your lifts, then you may find yourself in a position where strength, and not speed, is required to save your life or someone else. If you're strong "like bull" but slow as an otter, then life may put you in a situation where sprinting may determine how fast you or a loved one gets help or away from danger.

As this video shows life is full of unexpected curve balls. Because of this, Crossfit aims to makes sure its workout are "constantly varied". This means you will never do the same work out daily. Every day something different will be thrown at you; we may drill a certain exercise every day during the week, for example squats, but spin it in a more unique but equally torturous way. This is because we believe it's important to train our clients to be adaptable to any type of activity. We aren't out to make perfect Oly-lifters, or sprinters. Crossfit is geared towards making athletes who can lift, sprint, jump, push, and pull equally well.

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."-Gen. Patton. This philosophy ties into what our training philosophy is and why we are successful in what we do. We don't tell you to lift 3-5 sets, 8-12 reps then do cardio 3 times a week for half hour. We throw a hopper workout together and give you the tools to attack it. Whether you do your 21 Fran pullups straight (and god bless you if you can) or break them up into 3 sets of 7, at the end, 21 pullups have been done. Each day you get a workout that forces you to put your thinking cap on and forces your body to recruit the same muscles over and over, or you make new muscles work for the first time.

In a hazardous situation involving zombies or any minions of the undead, you're going to need every tool your body has to offer at your disposal. Train your entire body to be a functional machine capable of adapting to constant threats because in the apocalypse, this is definitely a case of use it or lose it.

Sorcerous Ways!

2008-07-16T13:06:00.000-04:00

Pick your cliché. There are numerous ones out there. But there is no substitute for hard work. Quick fixes are just that. Quick, and pretty much useless as tits on a hog. The only thing you can do is go out there and bust your ass. Sweat, tears, blood, and iron. There is no magic pill, no super secret formula. Work ethic and common sense will win the majority of the time. Add in a little good advice, some sound teaching, and an extra push from your training partners, and you have a deadly recipe for success.

I always get people who ask me, “ooh, tell me some tips to workout and lose weight.” I usually tell them that I am probably not the one to ask because you wont like what I have to say. Then when they push, I just tell them to stop eating junk and work hard, it’s that simple. They then walk away either pissed off or thinking I’m an asshole (of course they are probably correct with that assumption). Sure I could go into more specifics, but let’s be honest, they don’t want that. They want me to tell them something from a fantasy world that will get them in great shape with minimal effort, and the fact is that does not exist. Sure some people are blessed with better genes than others, but there is no gene out there strong enough to over shadow a strong work ethic.

So no matter what it is, trying to get that extra few pounds on your squat, getting that chest to the bar in a pull-up, finish those last few hours needed to for your internship, or surviving the nuclear winter, a little luck is good, busting your ass with hard work has no substitutes. Have faith, there is no force greater!

Hold on! I'm coming to get you!!!!

2008-07-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

From the clip it would seem that grip strength is very crucial skill on the part of mountain climbers but what about us mere mortals that have to climb the daily ladders of success? Is it useful to us? Damn skippy!

"Grip strength is the force applied by the hand to pull on or suspend from objects and is a specific part of hand strength...Grip strength is a general term also used by strength athletes, referring to the muscular power and force that they can generate with their hands. In athletics, it is critical for rock climbers and in competitions such as the World's Strongest Man. Grip strength training is also a major feature in martial arts, and can be useful in various professions where people must work with their hands." -Wikipedia.

Grip strength tends to be the limiting factor on deadlifts when the weight gets heavier and the reason why pull-ups suck so much after doing so many repetitions. Improving your grip allows you to work longer and increase your overall work capacity. It also has applications in your daily life. Nothing sends a strong message like a firm handshake. Thus, grip strength even helps make a good impression on Wall Street!

Some great simply tips to improving your grip: towel pull-ups, using a wider bar when doing presses or deadlifts, Captains of Crush grip strengtheners are just a few.

When the shit hits the fan, you want to be able to pull yourself up over a ledge with a 30lbs ruck sack on your back, or more importantly be able to hold on the to the hand of that loved one dangling for dear life. Dropping weights is one on thing-letting go of someone into a horde of flesh-eating zombies is another. Get to work now. You never know who may depend on that grip of yours.

Dark Nights...

2008-06-29T22:54:00.000-04:00

"The Night is Always Darkest Just Before Dawn!"

Doesnt it always seem that at times, its just better to say "fuck it" and walk away? I mean its easier to just give up.

"Eh, Im already fat, what's the sense in watching what I eat."

" Im sore, no way am I going to train today."

" The zombie horde is here, and there's just so damn many of them. Why not just turn the gun on myself, since Im tired of fighting."

But see, there is always a way out, always time to fight. Whatever it is, look for it. Don't think about tomorrow, or the next day, just fight for the next minute. Then another minute. Then another. Hell even if its just for another 10 seconds, whatever little bit of time that you can reach for, do it. Pretty soon, you will find that you have lasted another day. And if you can get one day, you can get another. And keep going from there.

So what's the point, the meaning of all this? Never give up. Always fight. Regardless if its that bad patch in your marriage, your family that seems to be falling apart, that donut that's just calling your name, that muscle-up that just seems to be right out of your reach, or that insurmountable horde of zombies that are just 10 paces behind you, there is always a light at the end of the darkness. Sometimes its hard to see through the clouds and the trees, but trust me, its there. All you have to do is decide to keep on fighting!

Plan of attack!

2008-06-20T02:11:00.000-04:00

"A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."-General George Patton.

When you go work out, do you just wing it or do you go in with a plan of attack? Do you say to yourself, "I'll do whatever is available to me when I get there", or do you wake up with the concrete routine of "Diane" or running, or heavy lifting?

WODs are programming to help you get out of your own way of procrastinating at the gym. Knowing what you're going to do at the gym helps you to mentally prepare for a killer workout and also helps you to moderate your eating as well. On a heavy lifting day, you definitely want to eat more. On a brutal metcon day, like a G.I. Jane, you may want to add more carbs or fats to give you more energy.

Having an agenda before you set foot in the gym, or leave your home rather, allows you to not only maximize your time, but maximize your gains as well.

Fail to plan and you may be planning to fail. And when the zombies show up, winging it may not cut it!

Proof?

2008-06-12T11:26:00.000-04:00

Is our impending doom nigh? If so, have you picked up a weight and put it over your head? Or are you still thinking that the pec-dec will help you get strong enough to survive an attack? What about sprints? No, of course 45 mins on an elliptical a few times a week will be enough to keep you fit enough for survival. I tend to believe its as Coach Rip says,"Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general."

Run Zombie Run

2008-06-01T23:52:00.000-04:00

If you've seen any horror movie, at some point the victims are sprinting for dear life, and of course nothing is more frustrating than watching someone with a clear head start suddenly trip and fall. Then of course, said slasher/killer/zombie has their gruesome way with wobbly-legged teenager. End of story. Thus, one of the most fundamental skills a Crossfitters needs to be proficient at is the ability to run. It doesn't matter of you're running a 100 meter dash or a 5k, running is an important fitness skill and a very important survival skill.

Running fitness translates well into your other WODs as well. Having the stamina to get through Helen will in fact help you get through Fran. Running stresses your lungs and body in a total impact way. Olympic sprinters like Michael Johnson are squatting between 300-500lbs and running 400 meters in less than 30 mind-blowing seconds. You shouldn't have to make the choice whether to be strong or fast-you should be both.

You'll never know when you will be in a situation when you may have to lift something heavy suddenly, but you run for the bus or the train if you're late. You chase down the traffic cop to stop him from giving you a ticket because you're just about to move you're car. And anyone who has kids knows that you're running around after someone all day. See where I'm going?

For us at Zombie Fitness, running (besides heavy artillery or that serum that can cure your rampant zombie problem) is one of your most potent weapons in your arsenal. Being able to outrun a horde of undead creatures is clutch. But being able to perform physical activities after a run is a true indication of great condition. I mean what's the point of getting to your destination and being too tired to climb over that barbed wire fence or open that hatch into the bunker before the napalm bomb drops?

So...Run Zombie Run WOD
Run 400 meters (or around a long block). Do 10 handstand push ups
Run 400 meters. Do 25 squats
Run 400 meters. Do 30 burpees.

Post times and comments. Remember, zombies are everywhere...and sometimes they look like people.

Juice's Log

2008-06-01T23:18:00.000-04:00

So today started a little bit of basic training. So for basic training day 1, came up with a little WOD I found on another crossfit site (and for some reason, Im totally drawing a blank on which one right now). The WOD goes like this:

-Hold a hand stand for 5 total minutes.
-Each time you have to come down, you do 25 squats/25 situps.
-Record total time to take to complete and how many reps of squats and situps done.

My time and total reps were 14 mins w/ 125 each of squats & situps. I started off trying it a certain way and I probably could have done this in less time but I was pacing which next I do this WOD, Ill try it a different way.

Basic Training Food:
Keeping calories withing 6-hour window today (11am-5pm), with starting a fast at 5:30pm and ending tomorrow at 9:30am (16-hours) with the following meals:

Breakfast- cashews and smoked cracked pepper turkey
Lunch- Burrito Bowl from Chipotle w/ steak, chicken, pinto beans, salsa, lettuce, & guacomole
Dinner- Skillet w/eggs, ham, onions, mushrooms, and cheese.

Motivation...

2008-05-31T17:38:00.000-04:00

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end..."

-Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore

I remember one time while finishing up our time at 5 Points Fitness, one of the fighters there asked me if I was training for something. I asked this person, what he meant by this? His reply was, “well I see you guys always working out so crazy here, and there must be something in particular you’re training for.” At the time, I didn’t quite have the idea of Zombie Fitness in my head and training for the apocalypse, but my reply was basically, “nothing really, this is just how I train.” He laughed, and said, “Wow, I wish I had that kind of motivation.”

Motivation is a funny thing. It’s different for all people. For some, its monetary gains, for some its glory, and for others it may just be personal satisfaction. It’s as unique as someone’s fingerprints. No two people are going to be the same. However, an interesting thing about motivation is that all of us need it in everything we do. Sure, there are varying degrees, but that drive to accomplish a goal or do something has to be there in all creatures. Motivation is quite simply the force for our behavior, where behavior is defined quite simply as action. This action drives the way we relate to our environment. Whatever the motivation is, it’s as important as the air we breathe because it affects our lives everyday. It determines if we get out of bed, go to work, eat a veggie vs. a greasy burger, or pick up a weight.

So what’s your motivation? Why do you train? Why do you get up in the morning? I find motivation many times in the simplest of things. Some times something quite small such as a quote or a scene from a movie for example sparks that drive in me. Sometimes I need more, though such as the threat of a zombie horde creeping up on my behind. But there is always something. So as you sit there, as you breathe, always ask the important question in yourself. Why do I do this?

Your Own Apocalypse

2008-05-29T22:41:00.000-04:00

When Justin and I came up with the concept of Zombie Fitness-training for the Apocalypse, it was out of the fun spirit of being fit enough to survive a horrific catastrophe where mankind was faced annihilation and zombies ran rampant. Being able to survive such an event meant being in peak physical condition because every minute would be a do-or-die situation.

But on a basic level, we all have those moments when we feel like our world is coming to an end: whether it be losing your job, a loved one to an unfortunate accident, not making the cut for your team tryouts, or having a broken heart: these moments all feel earth-shattering on some level. Now imagine having to deal with these moments with an injury, or being sick, or being alone with no productive outlet to deal with those emotions. You see, own personal hell seems to deepen by a few more levels. It's like that saying goes, "At least I got my health."

This is why Crossfit seems to be the best way to train-it's programmed to train you run, jump, and climb, push and pull your way through any physical obstacle. But it also trains you to be mentally tough as well. It takes a lot of fortitude to gut it out through a WOD like Fran or Murph. It takes an inhuman amount of drive to eat correctly in a world surround by chain zombies like McDonald's and Wendy's-now those are some bad ass monsters there! And Crossfit allows you to train side by side with people who share the same views on having kick-ass, gut-wrenching workouts just like you and me. And speaking from personal experience, you develop a genuine camaraderie with someone you spend time suffering through the "Filthy Fifty".

Crossfit is built to give you the toughness to get through a WOD, your bad at the office, and if necessary, yes-escape from a horde of flesh-eating zombies while your milkshake-drinking friends are buying you more time to flee by being digested. Everyone has a role in your life.

So train hard, and think harder. Remember, there are zombies everywhere. And sometimes they look like people.

Pressing on...

2008-05-29T09:33:00.000-04:00

So as the moment seems to be coming where my days at the box are numbered, its starting to become clearer that I need to really sit down and begin to program a little better. Right now its kind of a mish-mash of whatever WOD I can do or come up with something for that day. So in the near future, that will be something that I need to focus a bit more on.

So with all that being said, I did do the main site WOD last night and it was a little harder than I thought, as my shoulder was a tad achy for some reason. The WOD was:
Shoulder Press
3-3-3-3-3

My scores were 145-155-155(x1)-155(x1)-150(x2)-135(x5). Shoulder just wouldnt hold up after my first set of 155. Since I failed at the others, did a final set of five at 135. Presses can be so frustrating at times.

Summer of Hell p.2

2008-05-27T17:32:00.000-04:00

So today starts something I did last year that worked pretty damn well. I call it my Summer of Hell. Im about where I started out at last year, but have started already (although this past Memorial Day weekend was particularly nasty). Im going to take this next few months and just work like a banshee to get back my mojo. Im going to try some new things, ditch some old, and truly make this a bold damn summer. Lots of stuff to look forward to for the next few months, and Im jumping in head first. So nothing left else to say but welcome to my Summer of Hell part 2, care to join!?!?

So today I started with a version of the mothership WOD because I couldn't do some of the R'xd exercises. I had to hang out around the homestead today due to my 360 being delivered after catching the RROD. So my WOD today was:

Run 1 mile
Two minutes of each:
1 pood kb sdhp (31)
30 pound Dumbbell thruster (20)
30 pound Dumbell cleans (13)
Double-unders (30)
Push-ups (30)

Post total time and total reps plus calories (from row) to comments.

The clock runs continuously for the ten minutes after the run.

My total time was 18:43 (8:43 mile) with a total score of 124. The breakdown of score is in parenthesis above. This for some reason really kicked my ass. I think it was because today was probably the warmest/muggiest day of the year and I did it in the hottest part of the day. Took a while to recover, but after this weekend, I needed a good kick in the ass.

Excuses!

2008-05-22T14:23:00.000-04:00

So yeah, Its been a while since Ive posted... I slack on this shit sometimes and its my fault. I'm not going to make excuses. Sometimes I just forget and then get lazy and put it off. Then I think, well its been so long why bother? And to be honest, that's a piss poor attitude to have in anything you do. It starts in something small, but then infects other parts of your life, and then you are making excuses for everything.

So I'm going to work on that. Not going to say its going to be better over night, but I'm going to work on this shit. And for everyone out there who is thinking about making excuses for yourself, I give you this:

It's Turning!!!!

2008-04-24T11:33:00.000-04:00

So the weather around here is finally getting to and stay at human levels of livability. I for one am more than excited. This Florida boy can only take so much cold and jeans and jackets and what not. SO it’s nice to finally be able to slip on the shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops! Anyways, here are the past few WODs for the Zombie Crew (which is just one person right now, but hey it’s a beginning right?)

Friday 418:
Main site WOD was Michael but I have had my fill of the workout as we have done it so much that it’s become my bane of a workout. So instead I did “Allison’s B-day WOD” which was:
Row your age in calories (33)
Back squat your bodyweight for body age reps (235x33)
Pull-ups- number of reps is your age (33)
Row your age in calories (33)

This took me 13:00 on the dot and really sucked the life out of my backside. You know it’s bad when the pull-ups are the easy part for me.

Took Saturday and Sunday off as those back squats killed my posterior chain.

Monday 4/21:
5X5 Back squats
Holy shit, back squats again!?!?! Did 245 sets across. I was still pretty tight and my back was pretty sore after this. Glad to get the heavy work though.

Tuesday 4/22:
This was out at the pier for Pose Running technique. We did a number of drills and I feel I am slowly getting it and B-Squared commented that it is coming along. We finished with 3-200 meter runs and 3-600 meter runs. Those were no joke and they pretty much kicked my ass.

Wednesday 4/23:
Rest day on main site, but went into the box to teach the beginners class. Had them do some jump rope warm up, then a Tabata something weird. It consisted of squats, push-ups, sit-ups, and burpees all done Tabata style. A few couldn’t even finish.

After that did a CFNYC classic, Scott’s Mom. This is putting 95 lbs on the bar doing as many OHS as you can, then as many front squats as you can, finishing with as many back squats as you can. Rest, then take the weight and do as many presses as you can, then push presses, then push jerks. Only rules are once you set the bar down you are done, and you can’t go back to a lift you’ve already finished. My totals were:

OHS-20 Press-20
FS-20 PP-10
BS-60 PJ-10

A little tight from the past few days so the squats hurt a little more than usual and for some reason the presses were murder today. Not my best scores on this at all. Besides all that, been working more on stretching and some dead hang pull-ups and really trying to get my body weight and gymnastic skills better. I have a loooooong way to go with those. Mostly diet related, but that is going pretty good right now as well.

2008-04-17T22:55:00.000-04:00

Last few days of WODs here... First on Wednesday it was "Nancy" which is:

5 rounds:

400 meter run

15 95 lbs. OHS

17:05 subbed 500 meter row one, to see how much different it would be and two, because I hate the people on the street and if one more person blows cigarette smoke on me when I run, I'm going to go all Hulk Smash!!! on them. Next time I will do the run (hopefully at new place) and will up the weight to 115lbs because the 95 # OHS were a bit too easy.

Tonight we did "Elizabeth" which is:

21-15-9

135lbs Cleans

Ring Dips

Time was 9:27 with power cleans. I figured why not. We always talk about other WODs using cleans any way so I figured I would do that tonight.

HPC!!!

2008-04-15T14:34:00.000-04:00

The WOD for yesterday was ME Hang Power Cleans... Basically 7 tries to get as high a lift as you can. My break down for them was 185-185-195-200-205(f x3). The 200 seemed fairly easy, but as I started my attempt at 205, I tweaked my sciatic muscle, and lost any power and failed on the last 2 attempts as well. Now my left ass cheek is sore and its off to working on some more Pose running tonight at the pier.

The Project Begins!!!

2008-04-14T14:36:00.000-04:00

So today begins Operation Zombie Fitness... This is an idea that has been poppin' around in my head for a while, and the only way for it to stop driving me crazy is to just fucking do it already. I don't know where this will all end up, but this is the official start date. As more and more days go by, this idea of Zombie Fitness will take shape and grow, to hopefully one day be a fully functional and out of control idea of elite fitness and personal growth. Strap in and lets go, the ride, as they say, will sure as shit be bumpy as hell. I mean, we are talking the Apocalypse here!!!