It's A Mental Must

Back again to the old grind. Or should I say the old PUMP! That's juice head terminology for all of you jersey fans out there. But of ocurse none of us are of that life form, however I do like to follow the GTL lifestyle. It seems very simple and entertaining. My mother always said "beauty in simplicity".

So it has been said that the buddy system is best when going to the bathroom so nobody gets lost, but it is the same when working out! You don't want to get lost in your time or reps, so you have your buddy there to keep you going through it all. When you have a buddy to workout with, they can yell at you and ecnourage you to finish and get those last tough reps, or they can workout with you and keep the pace set and you can push each other.

Being men and full of testosterone, this is a great thing for me and my friends. We have an amazing competitive factor between us all, so when you see a friend next to you doing more push ups or doing them faster, you go faster so they can't beat you in the workout. It is simple psychology, men want to one up each other all the time.

Environment is everything when working too! So you have your buddy next to you pushing you along, but in those long and strenuous WOD's, nothing can keep you going better than some good music to keep that blood pumping in your brain. Your mind is the most powerful "muscle" in your body. Every workout depends on your mind set, so your brain is seen as a muscle in the fitness world, more so than a complex organ of nuerons and glia. But I am trying to avoid science on this entry so excuse my terms. So if you mind is happy and ready yo go, then your body will follow in behind it. So prepare your brain and keep it happy in your WOD to keep your muscling pumping just as hard as it.

Topic for tomorrow is the "off" day. we all dread it but they are a for sure occurence.

Track:

Practice Discus, using the full spin.

30 minute run

CrossFit

6 hills

WOD:

3 rounds AMRAP (reps)

45 seconds burpees
15 second rest
45 seconds thrusters 40lb dumbbells
15 second rest
45 seconds straight leg sit ups
15 second rest
45 seconds floor press 40lb dumbbells

Results: 

1- 71
2- 77
3- 71

Practical Power

Well here we are again with another day of fitness and blogging. I mean what more is there to life than those two things? I mean sure it is the cool thing to do to have a hot girlfriend and the play Call Of Duty Block Ops with the bros but neither of those come close to pure exercise and the rush it gives people... or maybe it is just me...

Time to do work son! So there are different types of strength out there. I mean you have people who can lift high volume (power lifters), endurnace (runners/cyclists etc...), and practical strength (CrossFit). Now sure someone can squat 400 pounds but is there a realife application for something like that? The answer is in 99% of people's lives, no. So what's the use in that kind of strength? To be honest it's only there for bragging rights which are pointless. CrossFit preaches that it's not how much or how many, but it is how fast. So the movements are onyl body weight lets say, but they are way more practical, for example, pull ups, push ups,unges, squat jumps all body weight. Now those will pay off when you are in daily life and playing sports or just walking up stairs. When will you ever have to push a 300lb board off your chest in real life? Never. The bench press movement is not a very practical one either. Now a push press can apply in lifting anything overhead or of that nature we all do sometime each month.

So the next time you are lifting, stray away from the olympic lifts and look for workouts that are more practical in movement nd weight. It is what us CrossFitters preach to all of those who follow us and has worked for us so well.

Now I realize I havent done a true WOD i quite some time and to be honest I have had impingement for a while so that put me out of commision and track is eating me up with time. But I assure you, that any spare time I have can be given to CrossFit!

Track

Discus practice. 96 feet
5 mile run at 65%

Workout

4x(10,8,8,8)

Squat Cleans
Sumo Deadlift
Side Squats
Squat Jumps
Isometric Squats ( hold at bottom position for 5 seconds)

CrossFit

Form Practice of Overhead Squat. Nobody likes them... NOBODY!

Chill Bro...

Another filled weekend. Working, track meet and more working out. And it felt good to do my first chest workout in two weeks after resting from it due to shoulder impingement. But lets get down to the real good stuff.

So lets say your in the gym doing your workouts and you have no clue how long to wait in between each set. Well not knowing this is perfectly okay because your about to read the answer!

Less than 1 minute rest: This is ideal when you are doing high rep sets. This includes anything 10 reps and higher. These use slower twitch muscle fibers and gather energy from multiple types of molecules in your body. Primarily ATP and Creatine Phosphate. So these types of fibers are unique in that they give less strength over a long period of time allowing more reps at a lower weight. So on a high rep day, shorten those rest periods.

1-4 minute rest: This is ideal when you are doing volume workouts. Meaning that when you are trying to lift heavy weights but only about 4 reps, you will want lots of rest in between each set. This is because you use fast twitch muscle fibers which pretty much rely on ATP for energy, so when the ATP is gone, they are unable to contract as well. As a result, they are only to be able to used for a few seconds at max strength, but they also yield a lot greater amount of power.

No Rest Super Sets: These are ideal when you are adding in abs to your supersets. A super set is designed to add cardio into an ordinary workout. A downside is they can't give you the growth potential that others can, but they will get you cut and hardened. So if you want the ladies, get on the supersets. Of course you need to get the mass to get cut first.

Track Meet:

Mile : 5:31

Discus: Would rather not talk about. tam did bad.


Workout

(4x10,8,6,12)

Flat Bench Press
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Standing Cable Flyes

Explosion Push Ups  (3x7)

Knee Raises (3x10)

My BAD! But It's Paleo Time!

Okay, okay. I have been a terrible blogger. I mean it was spring break and family time and I have actually had some homework. So I have been busy but the working out was still accomplished as always as it should have been for you!

Well as some of you may know, I now officially have a date to prom with a beautiful woman. Be jealous... But anyways, reading this blog not only gets you more fit but it also increases your game with the ladies. How? Well ask me and I shall tell...

Onto the good stuff! Diet Diet Diet Diet! Its the most important thing out of gym! I mean its the whole shibang! Its the milk to your cookies (which arn't paleo bee tee dubs). So A major movement in the CrossFit world is the Paleo Diet. Its pretty simple for guidelines. Eat lots of fruits and veggies along with lean meat at every meal. Stay away from dairy, sweets, starches, and all grains. May seem bad at first but now only does it increase health and lower risks for diseases like diabetes, it makes you feel great! The lack of processed foods and increased natural foods gives you much more energy. I mean i just feel happier when I eat healthier! I won't go into the science of it all but take my word unless you want me to prove it to you using the language of the nerds, which I dont think juiceheads will appreciate. So another main thing is protein. You may need to supplement to get all the protein necessary for your diet. I aim for about 300 grams a day which is tough to get so I usually supplement with two shakes a day. Now everyone is different, so we all have different needs. SO try and shoot for 1.5 grams of protein for pound of body weight. and also, we need calories. I am a very active person and need about 3000 calories to stay alive. SO cutting calories is not the way to get lean! I promise. Protein is the way to get big and lean I swear it! Again, trust me or I will overflow your frontal lobe with gibberish that you will fall asleep to. But feel free to ask as I would love to explain and fulfill my inner nerd.

Workout:

Track:

Discus Practice

3x8 minute whistle blow indian runs

Strength:

Rest day! I am sore all over. Legs, back, arms. Well needed

Hit The Stretch

Just another day in the world of fitness. Same old, same old for some people, but is it really the same old thing? No! New workouts, new weights, new everything! Or maybe that's just me and my addiction. Man I sure tell you school these days is getting pretty crazy. Here I am taking some classes that should be pretty difficult, I mean physiology, physics, Calc BC. And what do I get? The easiest year of my life! I mean it is crazy. I fell asleep in three classes today, not because I hate school and hate the lesson but because I am ahead in all of them and have nothing else possible to do! No classes to get ahead in even more. Some call it senioritis, but senioritis doesn't include getting straight 4.2 GPA

So, the topic for today is stretching! And it is one of my favorites! Not to mention one of the most important! So a lot of people follow the misconception that stretching before your workout is a need. It in no way is. A warm-up, yes but a stretch. NO! It is a waste of time in the beginning. For your warm-up you should do plyometrics and warm the joints and muscles up with movements and exercises but not static stretching. The real time to stretch is after your workout. It helps in so many ways! Your muscles will already be loose for starters, so all the stretching will go straight toward adding to your range of motion instead of loosening the tight muscle. Secondly, it helps keep your muscle fibers straight and in line with each other, reducing the risk of knots developing and cramps. The best of all, is a good and proper stretch will reduce soreness the next day!! I think we all can love that part of it! The stretch may feel uncomfortable but it is worth it. If it is painful then you may have a strain of some sort or are pushing too much, but uncomfortably feeling is what we are shooting for.

Better yet, stretching in a warm shower adds to the benefits. Not to mention just feels like pure bliss. SO when your showering after your intense WOD or run, toss some toe touches and Sampson stretches in.

Track

Discus Throwing


Workout-(Super-set Every Two)

3x(15,15,15)

Shoulder Press (in front of head)
Seated Cable Rows
Up-Right Rows
T-Bar Row
Lateral Deltoid Raises
Lat Pull Downs (in front of head)

3x (10,10,10)

Shrugs
Bent Over Deltoid Raises

Abs

3x(25,25,25)

True Sit-Ups


Now I know there hasn't been CrossFit on here for a while and that is because I haven't had time or energy to throw it into my days, I am hating it, but I owe my obligation to the track team more so then my own fun. So bear with me until I do the next WOD which I expect to be friday. I now do my WODs and CrossFit with CrossFit 707 for their equipment and expertise.

Wants Vs. Needs

Ahh. This weather is killing me. Rain is no fun. End of story. But good thing you make blogs inside!

So at what point do you say this is a pain that will not go away and needs to rest. I was faced with that decision today and man oh man is it the worst decision that I have to make. For example, I had a back spasm a week ago, so my lower back has been extremely tight and has not let up a whole lot and made working out and running an adventure each day. On top of that, the last three chest workouts I have done have ended up with left shoulder pain that ceases to go away. Now these are pains that are not serious in any way because there was no actualy injury. Chances are they are pinched nerves, tight muscles or inflammation. Now usually they can be worked through and will go away on their own. But be careful because not all of them do. Some of them need to be rested totally for a few days so they can have time to get some real recovery in. But when do you know to keep working out with them or to rest them. Well usually I give them three weeks to work themselves out. And if not, then the worst happens. Days with no working out. They are terrible I know.

I want more than anything to be out there demolishing a WOD in record time, hitting new lifting maxes, and running further and faster than I ever have, but none of this is possible if you are not 100%. So it may be worth taking a day or two off to rest and heal so you can return to 100% instead of wasting two weeks working out at 85%. Believe it's way better in the long run. And if I can take a break from the gym then anyone can. There may some some withdrawal but its normal. haha. I just get my gym fill from home by watching youtube videos of new workouts and the CrossFit Games. To anyone wondering there are other ways for different injuries, like working the muscle carefully, but that is for a later post.

So use your judgement wisely and remember your body knows best. Be smart and work hard.

Track

3 mile run in the rain :(

Man I ate some salad and orange before it and that was a mistake. My tummy was not in a running mood. Good thing it was only 3 miles.

Expanding Horizons

So I got my inspiration for this post from my run through the Benicia State Park. Fitness is not about what we can do or what we can't do, but its about what we are willing to try to do.

The Benicia State Park is a decent paved trail through a marsh, but along it are the various structures for workouts. There are probably 6 stations (that's a guess), and they are all awesome. They are there with a specific workout posted, but they are awesome in the sense that you can try all new things on them. For example, at the ring station where you are supposed to practice hanging and doing leg lifts, you can try and do ring dips, or improvised muscle-ups. Both of which are very good workouts and CrossFit staples. So practice up!

Now back to the general topic. The point of CrossFit is to defeat the specialist with consistency. So instead of going along with your regular workouts and schedule, throw something new in. Even a rest day, try a new movement or form of cardio. Variety is the key to success as I said earlier. Anyone can specialize in just lifting weights or just running or just biking, but a true person of fitness aims to succeed in all forms of of the exercise world. So instead of going on a run, go on a bike ride instead. Instead of rowing, jump rope instead. Forget weight lifting one day and do all body weight exercises (my favorite). And for those rest days where you don't want to work out, play a new sport. Like frisbee or volleyball, or some form of sport that you have never tried or are new to. The world is full of things to do, so why limit yourself to only a few? Even cheese-rolling if you will. Never tried it, sounds like a Community Park on a sunny afternoon type thing!

Track

5 mile run at 65%

Super enjoyable.


Workout

3x(15,15,15)
Superset each two workouts

Standing Dumbbell Curls
Tricep Pressdowns

Preacher Curl
Skull Crushers

High Cable Curls
Dips

Inverted Ab Thrusters
Calf Raises