Saturday, May 30, 2009
Balance
Balance. Sometimes before starting a WOD, you have to set a goal that will help your overall game. For example, today's workout involved straight shoulder press, russian kettle bell swings, and ring rows. I know that shoulder strength is a key element in all the primary movements involved in crossfit as well as many life situations so I chose to sacrifice time for weight and made sure I pushed my limits. Although it slowed me down a lot, I beat an old PR by lifting 125lbs 3 times in a straight press. That felt good. The KB swings and the rows were easy but I needed the time to work on shoulder power. Secondly, in the last two weeks my abdominal and core stabilizers have dramatically improved. In plyo play, (4 minutes of plank pose, switching from side to side, lift leg and arm while balancing on the others) there is no strain. And the Glute/Ham machine sit ups, I can now go back all the way and touch my fingers to the ground before blasting back up. This is a great improvement and I hope it translates into a stronger bottom and more drive in the Oly lifts and thrusters.
Friday is my day
I love Fridays.
Go to the gym after work as my lovely wife and children are not usually home until 7:30.
Get to work out and hang out.
Lots of running in the WODs this week. Not a bad thing but not my favorite.
Today was "The Vortex" Mile and a half run with every minute stopping and having to do either 10 push ups or 20 split jumps. Harder then it sounds. 10:25. Blowing gas.
The Zone diet is translating into more energy throughout the day. Although I worked hard all day, I still had the juice to push pretty good. My biggest problem these days is allergies. Spring brings forth some nasty reaction to grass pollen. Tough to catch your breath.
Go to the gym after work as my lovely wife and children are not usually home until 7:30.
Get to work out and hang out.
Lots of running in the WODs this week. Not a bad thing but not my favorite.
Today was "The Vortex" Mile and a half run with every minute stopping and having to do either 10 push ups or 20 split jumps. Harder then it sounds. 10:25. Blowing gas.
The Zone diet is translating into more energy throughout the day. Although I worked hard all day, I still had the juice to push pretty good. My biggest problem these days is allergies. Spring brings forth some nasty reaction to grass pollen. Tough to catch your breath.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Active resting
Day off training today. Had lots to do work wise so busy nontheless.
Active resting in terms of being aware of tight spots, sore muscles, any impingements that might be developing. As you do the checklist in your head of where you hurt, stretch these areas out and try to restore normal movement through gentle exercise. By flushing the area with blood, you can get rid of the lactic acid that is causing some of the discomfort and improve your rate of recovery. Stretch, ice, hot tub or showers and focused movement can really help. So
Active resting in terms of being aware of tight spots, sore muscles, any impingements that might be developing. As you do the checklist in your head of where you hurt, stretch these areas out and try to restore normal movement through gentle exercise. By flushing the area with blood, you can get rid of the lactic acid that is causing some of the discomfort and improve your rate of recovery. Stretch, ice, hot tub or showers and focused movement can really help. So
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Working Hard
Great Day,
I have to work this coming weekend so I took today off to be with my kids and my lovely wife.
But...I still got up at 5:00 and went to Spark where I received some fabulous 1 on 1 training with Kim Leyton, the owner and head trainer. We worked on Push Jerks and Split Jerks as I had commented that I wanted to improve my Oly lifts and the jerk is a key element. Hand positioning, head movment, and the dip/drive/land sequence fells really good when you get it, really bad when you don't. The Oly lifts are a sequence of movements that cannot be thought. You have to train it until it becomes part of muscle memory or else you overthink it and screw it up. One of my issues is that I don't get aggressive enough under the bar. You need to actively drive yourself down under it, even in the jerk. So today, that was a focus. 135lbs is a very comfortable weight to train on. Not too heavy to get tired real fast, not too light so that you float under the weight. All in all, it was a great time.
Then I went for a few business meetings (day off is a relative term), and then I had time to go back to Spark and do the WOD. Todays WOD was a 1600 meter run, 100 push ups, 100 squats.
Finished in 11minutes, 17 seconds. Not bad. Felt really good from the morning workout. Body was already warmed up and ready to go so the WOD felt great.
Diet was good today and I treated my family to gelato. Delicious.
I have to work this coming weekend so I took today off to be with my kids and my lovely wife.
But...I still got up at 5:00 and went to Spark where I received some fabulous 1 on 1 training with Kim Leyton, the owner and head trainer. We worked on Push Jerks and Split Jerks as I had commented that I wanted to improve my Oly lifts and the jerk is a key element. Hand positioning, head movment, and the dip/drive/land sequence fells really good when you get it, really bad when you don't. The Oly lifts are a sequence of movements that cannot be thought. You have to train it until it becomes part of muscle memory or else you overthink it and screw it up. One of my issues is that I don't get aggressive enough under the bar. You need to actively drive yourself down under it, even in the jerk. So today, that was a focus. 135lbs is a very comfortable weight to train on. Not too heavy to get tired real fast, not too light so that you float under the weight. All in all, it was a great time.
Then I went for a few business meetings (day off is a relative term), and then I had time to go back to Spark and do the WOD. Todays WOD was a 1600 meter run, 100 push ups, 100 squats.
Finished in 11minutes, 17 seconds. Not bad. Felt really good from the morning workout. Body was already warmed up and ready to go so the WOD felt great.
Diet was good today and I treated my family to gelato. Delicious.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Form and Function
Got to take my 6 year old on a field trip today. It is always good to volunteer and spend some time doing something out of the ordinary. However, despite this day being a "day off", business calls so I have been taking care of things since getting home.
I was thinking earlier about training your weak points and think it is time to add a little more power lifting to my routine. I had the privilege of taking part in an Olympic Lifting Certification seminar with Coach Mike Burgener in April so I have more insight as to the mechanics and form of the oly lifts. I am going to incorporate more Oly lifting in my non-Spark (Spark Sport Conditioning is my affiliate of choice) training days.
Training the clean and Jerk and the Snatch, specifically using Mike B's warm up and skill drills.
A good hour on the platform certainly can wipe you out.
I was thinking earlier about training your weak points and think it is time to add a little more power lifting to my routine. I had the privilege of taking part in an Olympic Lifting Certification seminar with Coach Mike Burgener in April so I have more insight as to the mechanics and form of the oly lifts. I am going to incorporate more Oly lifting in my non-Spark (Spark Sport Conditioning is my affiliate of choice) training days.
Training the clean and Jerk and the Snatch, specifically using Mike B's warm up and skill drills.
A good hour on the platform certainly can wipe you out.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday Benchmark
Ahh Mondays.
At the gym for 6:00 am this morning as per usual. This entails having everything I need for the day ready to go. Truck and tools squared away, cooler with my zone food, clothes for work and clothes for play, briefcase, samples. etc. Out the door at 5:30 to make it to my affiliate for 6.
We had done a benchmark on Saturday and guess what, another one today.
Now, Mondays are difficult for me because I usually get no more than 3 to four hours sleep on Sunday night. I get to thinking about all the minutia of the upcoming week: jobs to complete, jobs to start, invoicing, bill payments, supplies required, blah,blah, so I lay awake for a long time.
It makes Monday WODs a little more challenging because I feel a little slow.
Today we did "Annie R U OK?" which is a wonderful little monster of 30's. This means that for each exercise, you do thirty reps at the prescribed weight before moving to the next.
Annie R U OK
Row (calories)
DB Thrusters (40lbs)
Box jumps (24 ")
Sumo Deadlift High Pull (65lbs)
Medicine Ball cleans (20lbs)
Burpees
Wall ball (20lbs)
A good one for sure.
Overall, I expected to be sub 15 minutes when I first looked at it and during the workout it felt pretty good but I needed to rest more then usual. Also, during the thrusters, I felt as though I wasn't solid coming out from the squat and that my mid line stabilization was weak. It showed in that I wasn't able to push press the weight as much as stand and press. Fatiguing and inefficient. However, I still finished in under 15 minutes but I think I can do sub 14 without too much problem.
One thing is that I have been taking my runners off for most of the WODS because I like to feel solid. This does not help for box jumps. Slows me down as I don't bounce off the top of the box but have to step down to preserve my feet. Really helps for power movements though.
All to say, today was good, tomorrow will be better.
At the gym for 6:00 am this morning as per usual. This entails having everything I need for the day ready to go. Truck and tools squared away, cooler with my zone food, clothes for work and clothes for play, briefcase, samples. etc. Out the door at 5:30 to make it to my affiliate for 6.
We had done a benchmark on Saturday and guess what, another one today.
Now, Mondays are difficult for me because I usually get no more than 3 to four hours sleep on Sunday night. I get to thinking about all the minutia of the upcoming week: jobs to complete, jobs to start, invoicing, bill payments, supplies required, blah,blah, so I lay awake for a long time.
It makes Monday WODs a little more challenging because I feel a little slow.
Today we did "Annie R U OK?" which is a wonderful little monster of 30's. This means that for each exercise, you do thirty reps at the prescribed weight before moving to the next.
Annie R U OK
Row (calories)
DB Thrusters (40lbs)
Box jumps (24 ")
Sumo Deadlift High Pull (65lbs)
Medicine Ball cleans (20lbs)
Burpees
Wall ball (20lbs)
A good one for sure.
Overall, I expected to be sub 15 minutes when I first looked at it and during the workout it felt pretty good but I needed to rest more then usual. Also, during the thrusters, I felt as though I wasn't solid coming out from the squat and that my mid line stabilization was weak. It showed in that I wasn't able to push press the weight as much as stand and press. Fatiguing and inefficient. However, I still finished in under 15 minutes but I think I can do sub 14 without too much problem.
One thing is that I have been taking my runners off for most of the WODS because I like to feel solid. This does not help for box jumps. Slows me down as I don't bounce off the top of the box but have to step down to preserve my feet. Really helps for power movements though.
All to say, today was good, tomorrow will be better.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Rest day. Grocery shopping. Zone diet.
Good day,
Rest day for me. Sunday's my wife works so I am in charge of the house work and the kids and... I get to go grocery shopping.
I love grocery shopping for a number of reasons but the biggest one is the profound awareness that what you put in is what you get out. I like going to Costco because the prices are good and the portions are large. When you are following the Zone diet (Crossfit journal 15 and 21), and consuming 5 x 4 block meals a day, you eat a lot of food. So to be able to purchase in bulk is a great way to economize.
I won't comment too long on the zone diet as there are a thousand great websites devoted to it. Suffice it to say that since starting the diet, I have never felt more attuned to the effects of food on my system. The chemicals and enzymes that make up your food are for all intents and purposes, drugs that affect your system. So if you eat a lot of sugar, additives, colorants, trans fats and the like, you will suffer for it. You will fill your cells with garbage and you will not be able to live a healthy and fun filled life. You'll be struggling to get up off the couch fatty.
In contrast, a well balanced diet that allows for the proper proportions of nutrient rich food will fill your body with vitality and energy that will radiate out in the form of health, mobility, strength, great stress response and...a great sex life. Seriously.
So once I changed my focus from seeing food as a delight to seeing food as fuel (as a fine young athelete at my local affiliate said one day before beating me at the "Buttercup" WOD), the perpective created a deep and satisfying power over my appetite and eating habits. This is very important, following a zone diet can simplify your life and it is empowering. So now when I get to go grocery shopping, I already know that I have to focus my diet on good lean protein, lots of fresh green vegetables, some fruit, grains and nuts, little starch, and no sugar (again, visit the crossfit.com and look at the nutrition section). So, today my youngest and I went to Costco and I bought some fish, some chicken, eggs, big bags of lettuce, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, lemons (for my water as it has an alkilizing effect on the body as does green vegetables) and a variety of berries for after workout carb binges. In fact, I bought too much as my fridge is now a trap if an unsuspecting person were to open the door. Not great for the fridge but by Wednesday, it will look much less full.
I used to eat whenever I could get a break in my workday, which was infrequently and sometimes not at all. One day I will post a vid or some pics of what it is I do every day and you'll see why. And what I ate was certainly not what was good for me. A Wendy's chicken burger combo is not ideal nutrition.
Now, I carry a cooler with me that has tupperware labeled with the number of blocks of either carbs or protein in each tupperware along with a lot of fresh water and my fat blocks. All this is prepared the night before and I spend between ten and fifteen minutes doing this each night. Now, I have what I need after my six o'clock workout, and for the three other meals I eat before supper which I have at home with my family.
SO grocery shopping is where it all starts.
Rest day for me. Sunday's my wife works so I am in charge of the house work and the kids and... I get to go grocery shopping.
I love grocery shopping for a number of reasons but the biggest one is the profound awareness that what you put in is what you get out. I like going to Costco because the prices are good and the portions are large. When you are following the Zone diet (Crossfit journal 15 and 21), and consuming 5 x 4 block meals a day, you eat a lot of food. So to be able to purchase in bulk is a great way to economize.
I won't comment too long on the zone diet as there are a thousand great websites devoted to it. Suffice it to say that since starting the diet, I have never felt more attuned to the effects of food on my system. The chemicals and enzymes that make up your food are for all intents and purposes, drugs that affect your system. So if you eat a lot of sugar, additives, colorants, trans fats and the like, you will suffer for it. You will fill your cells with garbage and you will not be able to live a healthy and fun filled life. You'll be struggling to get up off the couch fatty.
In contrast, a well balanced diet that allows for the proper proportions of nutrient rich food will fill your body with vitality and energy that will radiate out in the form of health, mobility, strength, great stress response and...a great sex life. Seriously.
So once I changed my focus from seeing food as a delight to seeing food as fuel (as a fine young athelete at my local affiliate said one day before beating me at the "Buttercup" WOD), the perpective created a deep and satisfying power over my appetite and eating habits. This is very important, following a zone diet can simplify your life and it is empowering. So now when I get to go grocery shopping, I already know that I have to focus my diet on good lean protein, lots of fresh green vegetables, some fruit, grains and nuts, little starch, and no sugar (again, visit the crossfit.com and look at the nutrition section). So, today my youngest and I went to Costco and I bought some fish, some chicken, eggs, big bags of lettuce, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, lemons (for my water as it has an alkilizing effect on the body as does green vegetables) and a variety of berries for after workout carb binges. In fact, I bought too much as my fridge is now a trap if an unsuspecting person were to open the door. Not great for the fridge but by Wednesday, it will look much less full.
I used to eat whenever I could get a break in my workday, which was infrequently and sometimes not at all. One day I will post a vid or some pics of what it is I do every day and you'll see why. And what I ate was certainly not what was good for me. A Wendy's chicken burger combo is not ideal nutrition.
Now, I carry a cooler with me that has tupperware labeled with the number of blocks of either carbs or protein in each tupperware along with a lot of fresh water and my fat blocks. All this is prepared the night before and I spend between ten and fifteen minutes doing this each night. Now, I have what I need after my six o'clock workout, and for the three other meals I eat before supper which I have at home with my family.
SO grocery shopping is where it all starts.
Friday, May 22, 2009
GO DAVE GO CROSSFIT
What's this about?
Courage, Commitment, Strength, Discipline.
What do you think about a regular hardworking guy giving his all to get faster and stronger.
A guy who works his butt off during the day, but still makes time to train hard and eat smart.
A guy who is a great dad and a loving husband, a successful business owner, competing against those who have more time to train, and more time to recover.
If you don't know what Crossfit is, check this out http://www.crossfit.com/.
It is a mode of training that encompasses your entire body in cardio, strength and power movements. It is the most demanding type of training in that it challenges you physically and mentally. It humbles you every time by offering an unlimited opportunity to push yourself beyond what you thought yourself capable. It is GPP or general physical preparedness that can help you deal with real world situations. And it is a hell of a lot of fun.
When you get addicted to the sport, you soon become interested in comparing your progress against others. The crossfit.com site is a fabulous resource for information on how you stack up against others of similar height, weight, age, etc. Even better is going to your local affiliate and working out with a group of like minded people. It does not matter if they are better or worse then you at the particular workout, it is the camaraderie that is shared, the energy built by the group as they push themselves to finish the workout.
When it is all said and done, and you call out your times or what you have been able to accomplish on that day, it is with a sense of accomplishment that you can compare your effort against others at your affiliate who you've been chasing.
Which leads me to my posting this blog as a preamble to seeking some local support as I ramp up my training with the goal to be within the top 10 in the Western Canadian tryouts for the crossfit games, 2010.
Courage, Commitment, Strength, Discipline.
What do you think about a regular hardworking guy giving his all to get faster and stronger.
A guy who works his butt off during the day, but still makes time to train hard and eat smart.
A guy who is a great dad and a loving husband, a successful business owner, competing against those who have more time to train, and more time to recover.
If you don't know what Crossfit is, check this out http://www.crossfit.com/.
It is a mode of training that encompasses your entire body in cardio, strength and power movements. It is the most demanding type of training in that it challenges you physically and mentally. It humbles you every time by offering an unlimited opportunity to push yourself beyond what you thought yourself capable. It is GPP or general physical preparedness that can help you deal with real world situations. And it is a hell of a lot of fun.
When you get addicted to the sport, you soon become interested in comparing your progress against others. The crossfit.com site is a fabulous resource for information on how you stack up against others of similar height, weight, age, etc. Even better is going to your local affiliate and working out with a group of like minded people. It does not matter if they are better or worse then you at the particular workout, it is the camaraderie that is shared, the energy built by the group as they push themselves to finish the workout.
When it is all said and done, and you call out your times or what you have been able to accomplish on that day, it is with a sense of accomplishment that you can compare your effort against others at your affiliate who you've been chasing.
Which leads me to my posting this blog as a preamble to seeking some local support as I ramp up my training with the goal to be within the top 10 in the Western Canadian tryouts for the crossfit games, 2010.
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