Happy New Year 2012!

This is going to be a great year. . . now that our viewership is increasing we will pledge as Beerbells disciples to all be in far better shape at this time next year. . . I know that Lisa and Jon are both following. . . so let's put up our goals for 2012.  It can be an "ideal weight," number of pounds lost, mastering a particular movement or exercise, setting PRs at anything from runnng to lifting, to max reps of something.  Perhaps Jon it is just to "trust me" that I can make your life better if you do this.  It has made mine better.  The 35 year old version of me could kick the snot out of any other version of me. . . maybe the 34 year old would have a shot. 

Lisa, maybe the pledge is to get our family eating Paleo for 85% of our meals.  If that is too high maybe 75%. . . the kids and I are working towards it. 

As for my beer selection for New Year's Eve. . . I am heading to the store here in a minute.  I hope they are still open.  I am going to "surprise myself" with something I haven't had before.  That is the only requirement.  I think I might drink one of my wheat beers too.  I have to buy the cool whip to make Gwen's birthday cake. . . awesome start to a Paleo year to have Gwen's birthday on New Year's Day.  I am going to try and get creative with mine. . .some kind of Paleo cake.  Jonny, you will love it. . . meat cake. 

So anyway, Happy New Year, and here is the WOD:

"20-12"
20 Burpees
12 Inverted Burpees
20 Back Squats
12 Front Squats
20 Forward lunges
12 Reverse Lunges

Inverted Burpees: start lying on your back.  Bring your feet back over your head and then rock forward trying to move to standing in one motion.  Once standing you go into a handstand against the wall.  I once did 100 of these for time and sweat like a monkey for 23 minutes.  12 shouldn't be too bad and its a great handstand drill with some core work mixed in.  All the rest should be self -explanatory.  Obviously 32 squats you will need to be moderate with the weight.  I will probably go for 95# myself.  I hope to be able to go unbroken at that weight. 

New Year's Eve 2011

All in all I am happy to put 2011 in the books.  2012 is going to be a great year even if the Mayans are right and it only has 356 days before the end of the world. . . it is leap year. . . I can't wait to come up with a "Leap Day" WOD.  Killer.  Once every four years, blow it out, right?  Plenty of jumps and leaps I think.  DUs, box jumps, tuck jumps, burpee broad jumps. . . I can already envision it.  I haven't done burpee broad jumps in a while. . . time to fix that. 

Last night I had a Firestone Walker California Pale Ale.  I am a fan of their products.  I haven't had a bad one yet.  From the land of capybaras comes good beer.  I had a couple of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ales as well.  Don't worry none of them were from the six-pack I set aside for you. 

The WOD:

Every Minute on the Minute (EMOTM) 20 minutes
10 Kettlebell Swings

Do some skill work after (snatches, free standing handstands, DUs, pullups, etc.)  Try to think of a "goat" to slay in 2012. . . maybe several.  Once they are done maybe we can find a nice paleo goat recipe and "eat our goats."  Maybe goat milk. Maybe just do James' "Nanny goat" WOD. 

. . . this works out well on what otherwise would have been my rest day.  Concentrate on form with the hips popping like in the top of an air squat.  Shouldn't be terribly taxing.  I will do the New Year's WOD as well. . . I will likely get rest days starting on the 9th when Jonny arrives. . . I might WOD some while those guys are here, but we'll see.  I will just "push through" until then.  I will go 53# KB today. . . that actually will shred me. . . 200 swings w/53#. . . awesome!  I may have to have the 44# at the ready in case I slow down.  Wish me luck. . . swing old blue!  Or did you call it "big blue."  Funny either way.

December 30, 2011

"Diane"
21-15-9
Deadlift 225#
Handstand pushups

Obviously "scaling" is the word of the day.  This is one of the benchmark WODs of Crossfit.  Something to work towards, but I felt like "programming" this particular WOD for us.  I am going to go slow if I have to and try and do as many HSPU as possible before scaling to pikes.  DL will be fine for me.  You probably want to target somewhere in the 95# range I am guessing.  If you feel your form is good and you feel strong go for more.  Don't get hurt!

December 29, 2010

Run 1 mile
25 Pullups
50 Pushups
75 Situps
100 Air Squats
Run 1 mile

I am going to have to head to the park for this one.  I think it is longer than 400m around but I will do 4 laps anyway. 

December 28,2011

I brewed up the Munich Dark Dunkel that my father gave me for Christmas this afternoon.  I tried a new technique for wort chilling and it worked so well that I got it too cold.  It is a lager so I have it in the garage where the temp peaks at 58 in the daytime.  55-62 is the temperature range I am looking for.  I will check it first thing in the morning to make sure it is okay.  Tomorrow I am hoping to procure some Riesling grape juice. . . if not then perhaps some kind of red.  Perhaps a malbec.  Tonight once they are in bed I will drink the Ballast Point Calico Amber Gwen gave me for Christmas. 

Two WODs for me today so I earned my beer.

Tomorrow
10:2  Burpees: Front Squats
8:4  Burpees: Front Squats
6:6  Burpees: Front Squats
4:8  Burpees: Front Squats
2:10  Burpees: Front Squats

December 27, 2011

I am not sure if you already did this WOD. 
Establish 1 RM for deadlift.
Then. . .
3 Rounds for Time
30 Air Squats
20 CF Pushups
10 Pullups

This will be a good WOD to do in the park.  Hopefully it is nice in the morning. 

I bottled beer this afternoon.  It is beautiful here.  I cleaned bottles on the patio with my jet rinser hooked on the spigot on the side of the house.  I bottled outside too. . .then any spills are on the patio.  What a nice day.  I could get used to that.  Tomorrow I am going to try and brew the beer that my father sent me for Christmas.  It is a dark dunkel and has a lager yeast.  I have to figure out where the coolest place in this house is.  Probably the sound proof room.  I just had a "mini" sip of the "Deporter" and it was pretty nice.  I bottled a half bottle rather than try more.  After brewing tomorrow I am going to try and find the juice for wine on Wednesday.  I have decided to try and do something beer/wine/mead/cider related every day, just like Crossfit.  I have about 16 cases of empty beer bottles and 12 cases of empty wine bottles.  Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get them filled by June. 

I talked to your parents and your Mom mentioned coming out in August.  We'll see how things shake out with your siblings and anything we wanted to do with the girls.  I think that the month off of school is going to go quickly next summer.  At least we will have time next winter and the following April. 

That is a wrap. 

December 26, 2011

"Rolling Randy"
75 Hang Power Snatches
Every time you put the bar down do 3 forward rolls.

Post time to comments. 

And. . . since December 26 is "Boxing Day" why not do 26 Box Jumps for time too! 

Christmas seemed so long being on the West Coast.  We were up early and ate breakfast, did the gifts, received and made phone calls and I had plenty of time to put things together and clean up the mess.  Now they are watching Charlie Brown Christmas and The Grinch.  Well, the Grinch now.  It has been about as good a day as I could have hoped for without having you here with us.  Merry Christmas once more.  If you are able to access music of anything check out the "Christmas Wish" from the Muppets Christmas album.  It was my favorite for the year.

Merry Christmas

Skype me.  I am not sure where you will check first. . . email, here, Facebook.  I have photos up.  I have skype set up.  I am ready to make a Christmas connection.  I hope you enjoyed the WOD and were able to Celebrate Mass in Italian.  Father Nick is awesome.  I feel so good when I go to church there.  I think I am going to try and find a way to tell him how that church, and he, makes me feel. 

Merry Christmas!  I know you have your WOD to do, but then I know where you are at and should be on target with the blog.

Programming Change

This is going to be awesome!

"Twelve Days of Christmas"
Start with the first day of Christmas and work up to 12th day adding the appropriate exercise per round.  Make sense?  Round 1 is Air Squat.  Round 2 is 2 situps and 1 Air Squat.  Round 3 is 3 box jumps, 2 situps and 1 Air squat. 

So get a pen and paper. . . here is our version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas"

1-Air Squat
2-Situps
3-Box Jumps
4-CF Pushups
5- Second handstand
6-Kettlebell Swings
7-Double Unders
8-KB clean and press
9-Supermans
10-Pullups
11-Knees to Elbows
12-Turkish Get Ups

Merry Christmas!  I will think of you the whole time! 

December 23, 2011

Crazy day today.  Totally up and down.  Things were crazy and I was getting irritated.  I put the Muppet Christmas CD in the van and took great joy in the girls singing along.  Just when things were going great they turned my attempt at a nice "Christmas-y" night into misery.  We came home and I was going to try and regroup again and let them watch Peanuts Christmas and eat popcorn. . . then all hades broke loose.  After we went into crisis management mode and cleaned up the mess we turned our night productive.  I kept them working long enough that Ione passed out before I tucked her in.  Almost 10 by the time they were in bed.  I am tired, but feel strong if that makes sense.

Tomorrow:

21-15-9
Overhead lunges (each side--with either a plate or med ball overhead)
Pullups

This should be relatively quick.  I have my eye on a couple make up WODs I can do at the park.  We are probably going to make the Christmas ham and scalloped potatoes tomorrow (not very paleo with the potatoes, but its Christmas!).  Saturday (Christmas Eve) we will have church and if I am brave there is a showing of Puss 'n Boots on the base at 1 PM.  I am hoping folks are distracted by Christmas and its not a mad house. 

I am drinking a Snow Day from New Belgium tonight.  I was going to mix up a pomegranate juice and tequila drink, but I want to get a WOD in early tomorrow and went with the "fear factor."  It is funny how not drinking much causes a couple drinks to take a toll on me come morning time. 

On the 26th I am going to WOD at Total Crossfit at noon, so Christmas won't be a free for all.  I am very clever with how I trick myself. . . make a "date" and then know that I will want to be "strong."  I will go two tomorrow and two Saturday I think that way I can knock back a few after church. 

December 22, 2011

Today would have been Poppy's 87th birthday.  Winter solstice. 

Rest day for you I think.  You rested yesterday so today you do yesterday's WOD, no?  I doubled up again today so I am treating myself to a nice Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout.  I believe we had one of these at Toronado before you left.  Pretty decent, but I liked it better on tap.  I think I might like most beers better on tap.  More reason to get a kegerator because drinking in bars is expensive. 

I will probably pour a nice glass of my Pinot Noir soon.  I opened the last bottle to share with Noah when he was here.  I need to make more wine!  The girls did the Christmas house tonight and were a little bent out of shape. 

I had created my own "Dinner at Rubio's" coupon.  Gwen was put out and asked why I didn't buy a gift card.  I said "because you guys are with me!"  She said, "you could have said you were buying it to send to Grammie."  I told her if we lie about little things it gets easier and then we lie about big things.  How is that for an answer? 

Anyway, no work for you. . . sort of.  Make up WODs. 

I crushed myself twice today.  It feels so good. 

Wednesday December 21, 2011

Well, you asked for more beer posts. . . so I am currently drinking a Sierra Nevada 2011 Celebration Ale.  I can't recall if I stowed one in the "cellar" for you or not.  I guess I will have to buy more.  I am hoping they have it by the case at Costco.  Its pretty good.  A little to the hoppy side this year.  There is a nice malt flavor under the hops that I wish was more prominent. 

I recently drank a New Belgium "Snow Day."  It is the replacement for 2 Below I think as its in the mixed pack.  It is a hoppy dark wheat.  Pretty nice, but super light body feels kind of weird for a winter offering.  Definitely worth drinking though.  It must be a carb conscious beer. 

I have a Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin to try and some bomber bottles of various Stone and Ballast Point beers that I will probably save for MLK weekend to share.

Okay, so there is some beer for you.

Now for the WOD.  I am treating myself to beer today as I did two WODs.  I was thinking 3 but I was totally toasted and it was afternoon.  The EKG guy told me not to workout in the morning.  Maybe tomorrow I will get 3 in.  My minimum is 2 per day until I catch up on everything I Rx'd for you.  If I go to Total Crossfit and do the WOD's there that will slow me down unless I triple up.  We shall see.

I am thinking I will go buy some beer ingredients and get a batch going tomorrow though.  I am wishing I had made a holiday ale this year.  Such is life. 

The WOD for tomorrow:

Establish 1 Rep Max for Back Squat
then
10 minute AMRAP
10 Box Jumps
5 Handstand Pushps (Sub pike pushups)

Post load for BS and Rounds for AMRAP to comments.

Tuesday December 20, 2011

Start out with some shoulder mobilization. 

Shoulder Press
5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1

Remember midline stability and drive through the heels.  All the work is not in the shoulders even though the hips are stable.  Remember shoulder press, not push press.  You can fire it up with your core even without the dip.  Matt Brady knows!

Newly minted Crossfit Kids Instructor

I thought that completing the Cossfit Kids certification would be a good way to "diversify" or "set myself apart from other trainers."  I REALLY underestimated the impact of this course.  I feel that as a result of this seminar/course I am a far better TEACHER and COACH of Crossfit.  It's true.  I felt great today when I was doing my thruster instruction and Todd from HQ says to me "that was awesome."  Then when the group was going back to what they were doing he caught my eye again and mouthed, "that was awesome."  The other takeaway was the inspiration.  Seeing what these kids can do. . .

If all that wasn't enough I had an "aha moment" when it comes to helping people to experience gains in their Olympic Lifts.  The way that Jeff was talking about coaching teenagers totally translates to adults.  Heck, I am pumped to train myself this way.  I am pumped to train YOU this way. 

So for Monday

Run 3 miles for time

Work on Deadlift form.

Crossfit Kids Day 1

So today was day 1 of my Crossfit Kids seminar.  Remarkable is all I can say.  We did a couple of activities that were like working out.  We played Crossfit dodgeball. . . awesome.  We played Crossfit baseball as teams in an AMRAP format where each round was a run.  To get to first base was two forward rolls.  Second base was 10 "super slow squats" the idea being to check technique.  Third base was 10 tuck jumps and home was 10 Knees to Elbows and then the run back to the start.  I got three rounds plus the forward rolls in the 5-7 minutes or whatever it was.  There was some waiting in line for forward rolls and waiting for "cage space" for KTE, but overall my intensity was very good.

Ione just came down to me and said, "I will do some workouts if you give me an orange."  Tempting, Ione. 

At the end of the day of the seminar there was beer.  At my level 1 I was pleased to find some Boulevard.  I wasn't so lucky today.  The ice chest was chock-a-block full of Coors light, Bud light, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light Lime and Corona.  I muscled down a Bud Light to be social and chat with folks, but that was probably the hardest thing I did all day. . . including fast KTE

Don't Crossfitters know about good beer?  I am sure some do. . . I think it is a splurge worth making.  Just do some extra burpees.

Saturday and Sunday December 17 and 18

Crossfit Kids course weekend!

To celebrate that I think that its only appropriate to spend some warm-up and mobilization time hanging out in the squat position.  Ten minutes per day.  I will do it. . . If it is anything like Level 1 Certification the quads are thrashed at the end from so many squats, holds and techniques on various lifts. 

Saturday
20 Minute AMRAP
Run 400 m
10 pullup

Anticipating your treadmill dilemma or "treadmillemma" I would suggest maybe a 25 DU substitute. . . Are there any rowers?  I know you have elliptical.  I would try to do something you move fast.  If DUs get the heart rate flying then go with it.  Otherwise do something that gets the heartrate up. . . or do some monostructural work after on the stationary/treadmill/etc..

Sunday
Accumulate 1 minute of L-sits
Accumulate 1 minute of Handstands
Then in 2 minutes each with no more than 1 minute between exercise for transition complete max reps for:
Double Unders
Knees to Elbows
Tuck Jumps
ABMAT Situps

There will be 10 minutes of work going on here.  The design of the day is core strength/midline stability and quickness.  DUs and tuck jumps for quickness. . . everything else for the core.

I sure hope that NBC successfully got the Patriots vs. Broncos game moved to Sunday evening.  That game is must see TV and if its in the afternoon I am going to miss it. 

Thursday December 15

27-18-9

Push Press
Burpees
Floor Wipers (once to each side is a rep. . .kind of like a lap vs. a length. . . we want laps)

The burpees are sure to be the smoker on this one.  It will be awesome!

Wednesday December 14

Am I a day ahead of you?  I need to go back and read. 

3 Rounds for Time
7 pullups
14 CF pushups
21 Box Jumps

Time to comments.

No beer today.  It is all about the work.  Christmas shopping done.  WOD with Noah today.  Soccer party.  Compliments from ladies at the soccer party. 

You have great kids. 

Monday and Tuesday 12 and 13 December

Sunday turned out to be a "beer" day.  Noah brought over a growler of Karl Straus Two Tortugas Belgian Quad.  It was a pretty tasty beer.  High gavity however.  I drank an Arrogant Bastard so that I could ship off the empty bottle to adorn an office in Afghanistan.  It was hard work, but I did it anyway.

I have some Velvet Merlin from Firestone Walker.  Sierra Nevada 2011 Celebration Ale and Snow Day from New Belgium.  It appears that Snow Day has replaced 2 Below as the sampler pack has Snow Day in it now.  As I take detailed notes of each beer I will share them. 

Monday
"Annie"
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Situps

Tuesday
Overhead Squats
5-5-5-5-5

Time for "Annie" and loads for OHS to comments, please.

Saturday December 10

End of the line. . . time for me to send you a new list of WODs or make you get them here.  That would be mean, right?  So today:

20 Front Squats
20 SDHP
20 Deadlift
20 Thrusters

My goal for this workout is for you to maintain the same weight the whole way through but with great intensity.  This will make deadlift light, but it should be technically correct.  My guess is that SDHP will be the one you need the lowest weight on (it would be for me) with thrusters a close second.  If you can do 65 pounds here all the way through I would be thrilled.  If you have multiple bars and want to set one up with more weight for DL then please feel free.  Intensity is our goal. 

Thursday and Friday

Okay, I blew it last night.  So here is what was today and also the WOD for tomorrow.  Thursday should have been:

15-9-6
Pistol squats (per leg)
Knees to elbows
DB thrusters

I feel pretty good about the fact that I did the wallball/knees to elbows WOD today so I was "close" to this one. 

Friday

In 15 minutes complete 100 pushups and then run as far as possible.  Post distance to comments. 

I need to send you an email with another week of workouts.  Tomorrow.  Its late.

Wednesday December 7

Pearl Harbor Day

There has to be a WOD for that right? 

I will check tomorrow, but its late and I want to get this up now.

Max Load Deadlift
3-3-3-1-1

Post loads to comments.

Monday December 5

5 minute AMRAP
10 burpees
5 pullups

Scale as necessary.  Remember jumping pullups is a sub if you can find one of those mid-height bars or use a box/bench. 

Noah and I are going to WOD Tuesday and Thursday and James confirmed me for the "games" as a virtual competitor.  He said he likes the "national" feel to the competition.

I just need to workout care for Tessie. . . I am going to checky with moms and the youth and teen center in the AM.

No beer lately hence the lack of "beer posts."  I had some whiskey and cider today.  We will see how long I get away with feeding the girls Crossfit Kids style.  Ione wanted seconds at dinner tonight. . . nope.  We had our "20%" after church today. 

The park that I have been frequenting is called Lakeview Park and, surprise, it overlooks Scripps Lake.  Its off of Mira Lago which is right behind Scripps Cape Vista Point Avenue Street Lane Highway.

Sunday December 4

Its hard to believe that 21 years ago today was my Eagle Scout Board of Review.  How did I get that old?  Anyway the WOD for tomorrow you already did but I will post it anyway.  It is one you could always do again because its good for you.  Or perhaps there is another you could "make up." 

Noah is in the area and he and I are going to link up at some point so I may do some "IMCF games" WODS with him. 

Anyway, here is the workout for tomorrow (Sunday)

5 RFT

25 Back Extensions
25 Air Squats
Sprint 100 m (sub of 10 Double Unders)

I know you chose the DU sub.  Its funny what necessity can make you do isn't it?  I do a lot of DU's in place of runs on WODs here because of the kids.  I am going to start hanging out in that park a lot I think.  They can play while I run around and do dips, pullups and pushups.  It will be a sight to behold for these fine San Diego folks.  When I rode the bike there the other day and jumped up and did pullups and then moved down the path and started doing dips I couldn't help but look to see if the women there with their dogs were watching.  I didn't care.  Tessie thought it was cool.  The girls are excited about starting Crossfit Kids.  They didn't like it when I told them that meant I was taking away their breakfast staples and putting them on fruit and twigs. 

Saturday December 3, 2011

The girls and I had a nice time at Holiday nights this evening.  The nutrition wasn't the best, but I didn't eat much.  A hamburger and some fried green beans.  The fried part felt like I ate a Big Mac.  Anyway,
I am taking a rest day tomorrow as I have been on for 5 days with two days of double WODs in there.  I will probably catch you Sunday though.  Besides I have chemistry to finish tomorrow and Crossfit Kids reading to do.  So the workout for tomorrow (today where you are. . .Saturday):

50 Situps
10 Box jumps
40 Situps
20 Lunges
30 Situps
30 Box Jumps
20 Situps
40 Lunges
10 Situps
50 Box jumps

Looking at this one I might do it if its a nice day tomorrow.  I love working out on the patio when its sunny (I guess that is most of the time here).  All of these movements can be done back there.  You already did the next WOD I have on the list so I am going to keep posting them until you hit a rest day.  I am leaving the rest day up to you to take when you need at this point.  Unknown and unknowable. 

Thursday and Friday (December 1 and 2)

Thursday

3 Rounds for Time

Bike 1 mile
20 Dips
10 Deadlift

Friday

Snatch max load
7-7-7

I will reverse the order and do the snatches today.  The bike ride will have to be tomorrow as the girls are home from school already and there is no way to bike with the three of them.  Tessie and I will bike to the park where I found some "non-Iron Gym" pullup bars.  I will add probably 20 pullups to each round.  The bike distance will be about 1.5 as that is the park.  I will do the dips, DL and pullups either at the park or at home using the bike between them.  I will have 4 bike sessions because I have to get home.  I will stop time after Round 3. 

The hills should make the bike awesome.  Oh, and having 40 pounds of child on board.  Functional fitness is awesome.  The time only matters to me.