I have nothing.
I can land on a topic.
There is nothing coming out of me on any of them. I don't want to cheat anyone out of a workout however.
Just remember to always do your best. Leave nothing on the field. No regrets.
Clean
3-3-3-3-3
then
3 Rounds for Time
5 Handstand Pushups
10 Pullups
15 GHD Situps (2:1 for regular situp sub, so 30)
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Trestles
This was the name of the beer I tried tonight. An average to slightly above average IPA from Left Coast Brewing in San Clemente. The idea behind their name is that it is an "escape" beer. Get away to the "special" place.
I thought of how I used to ride the train back and forth between Erie, Pennsylvania and Pittsfield, Massachusetts during short breaks from college. Typically that meant November and March. I was able to watch the countryside roll past as the last of the leaves were falling and then again as the snow was melting and buds were starting to form on those same trees. I used to look forward to those train rides. I met a lot of interesting characters over 4 years. Train buffs or elderly that never bought into air travel, they all had a story to tell. There were others, but they tended to be more mainstream and could have been any one of us.
In the years since then most of my train rides (except for one through Amish Country in PA and one through the Manassas area of VA) have been on public transportation. Atlanta, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, San Diego, Chicago and Boston. They are all interesting places and those I rode the most have left images of the passing neighborhoods burned into my memory. Especially the train in Minneapolis. Countless trips and romanticized images of neighborhoods that many simply call "home."
So that is my takeaway. My life has taken me from one place to another. The train takes us from one place to another. It takes us from start to finish. All of the stops and images along the way are the things that make it special. The people we meet add the flavor. For some people the places we pass are the start or the end. They are someone's "escape." When it is our own story, those places are simply part of the journey.
The WOD:
Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1
then
10 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)
20 Lunges
10 Pushups
20 Situps
I know I typically don't give workouts for the weekend, but I didn't prescribe anything for a few days this week. Take your medicine!
I thought of how I used to ride the train back and forth between Erie, Pennsylvania and Pittsfield, Massachusetts during short breaks from college. Typically that meant November and March. I was able to watch the countryside roll past as the last of the leaves were falling and then again as the snow was melting and buds were starting to form on those same trees. I used to look forward to those train rides. I met a lot of interesting characters over 4 years. Train buffs or elderly that never bought into air travel, they all had a story to tell. There were others, but they tended to be more mainstream and could have been any one of us.
In the years since then most of my train rides (except for one through Amish Country in PA and one through the Manassas area of VA) have been on public transportation. Atlanta, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, San Diego, Chicago and Boston. They are all interesting places and those I rode the most have left images of the passing neighborhoods burned into my memory. Especially the train in Minneapolis. Countless trips and romanticized images of neighborhoods that many simply call "home."
So that is my takeaway. My life has taken me from one place to another. The train takes us from one place to another. It takes us from start to finish. All of the stops and images along the way are the things that make it special. The people we meet add the flavor. For some people the places we pass are the start or the end. They are someone's "escape." When it is our own story, those places are simply part of the journey.
The WOD:
Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1
then
10 Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible)
20 Lunges
10 Pushups
20 Situps
I know I typically don't give workouts for the weekend, but I didn't prescribe anything for a few days this week. Take your medicine!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Nelson Hops
So if Lisa ever had any doubts that she is constantly on my mind, today is a day that could be used as a symbol of how omi-present she is in my thoughts.
The girls and I were at the store to pick up some more bland foods to feed the ailing dog. As I am nursing Sierra, hopefully, back to some form of health I have one goal and that is to keep her healthy enough to see Lisa again (yeah, I know Sierra is blind. . . I will turn the light on for her). That is "exhibit a."
Exhibit "B" would be that while we were in the store today I noticed Sam Adams Noble Pils and Lattitude 48 IPA, neither of which I had seen in a while. I thought of Lisa, as those are both beers she enjoys. The real clincher however was when I saw the limited release beer from Widmer Brothers in Portland. Nelson Imperial IPA. When we first arrived in Southern California we went to a few brewpubs and breweries. There was one particular hop variety that Lisa really didn't like. Since we know a little bit about beer, we had isolated it and suspected it was nelson. My best comparison is cat urine. I shared this comparison with my father when he and I were pub crawling. He hadn't picked it up initially, but once I said it he admitted to not being able to shake it. Hey, Dad, you are welcome for me ruining an entire swath of beers for you. Anyway, today in the store I noticed this Nelson Imperial IPA. At first I just kept walking as you would imagine I would. BUT, I couldn't help myself. It was an opportunity to confirm my suspicions. It was an opportunity to give it another shot. It was an opportunity to "have a beer with Lisa." So I have opened the 22 ounce bottle. I jotted down my tasting notes and now sit with about 18 ounces remaining in my glass. The beer is really well done. The malt is sweet and tasty. That hops! So "cat urine-y." Delicious. So, Lisa, it is confirmed. I will think of you as I finish my beer. It isn't bad really. Just makes me shake my head with each sip as to why this is desirable in a beer. Must be for people who smoke. Their palates are wrecked anyway. This is strong enough to register.
The WOD:
TABATA
Double Unders
Pushups
Squats
Situps
2 minutes for each exercise in the format of 20 seconds max reps and 10 seconds rest. Total of 4 rounds per movement. The score is your LOWEST number of reps in a round for each of the 4 movements. I learned the hard way on TABATA long ago. I busted through 20 or 21 reps on pushups. Held it for round 2. 17 for round 3 and then 12 for round 4. It would obviously be better scoring wise to hold 15s. Okay, that is all I have. Sorry for my brief absence. I have been a little distracted. None of you would have liked what I had to say the last few days anyway.
The girls and I were at the store to pick up some more bland foods to feed the ailing dog. As I am nursing Sierra, hopefully, back to some form of health I have one goal and that is to keep her healthy enough to see Lisa again (yeah, I know Sierra is blind. . . I will turn the light on for her). That is "exhibit a."
Exhibit "B" would be that while we were in the store today I noticed Sam Adams Noble Pils and Lattitude 48 IPA, neither of which I had seen in a while. I thought of Lisa, as those are both beers she enjoys. The real clincher however was when I saw the limited release beer from Widmer Brothers in Portland. Nelson Imperial IPA. When we first arrived in Southern California we went to a few brewpubs and breweries. There was one particular hop variety that Lisa really didn't like. Since we know a little bit about beer, we had isolated it and suspected it was nelson. My best comparison is cat urine. I shared this comparison with my father when he and I were pub crawling. He hadn't picked it up initially, but once I said it he admitted to not being able to shake it. Hey, Dad, you are welcome for me ruining an entire swath of beers for you. Anyway, today in the store I noticed this Nelson Imperial IPA. At first I just kept walking as you would imagine I would. BUT, I couldn't help myself. It was an opportunity to confirm my suspicions. It was an opportunity to give it another shot. It was an opportunity to "have a beer with Lisa." So I have opened the 22 ounce bottle. I jotted down my tasting notes and now sit with about 18 ounces remaining in my glass. The beer is really well done. The malt is sweet and tasty. That hops! So "cat urine-y." Delicious. So, Lisa, it is confirmed. I will think of you as I finish my beer. It isn't bad really. Just makes me shake my head with each sip as to why this is desirable in a beer. Must be for people who smoke. Their palates are wrecked anyway. This is strong enough to register.
The WOD:
TABATA
Double Unders
Pushups
Squats
Situps
2 minutes for each exercise in the format of 20 seconds max reps and 10 seconds rest. Total of 4 rounds per movement. The score is your LOWEST number of reps in a round for each of the 4 movements. I learned the hard way on TABATA long ago. I busted through 20 or 21 reps on pushups. Held it for round 2. 17 for round 3 and then 12 for round 4. It would obviously be better scoring wise to hold 15s. Okay, that is all I have. Sorry for my brief absence. I have been a little distracted. None of you would have liked what I had to say the last few days anyway.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Tea Cups
Maybe one of you will be able to tell me what story this is. The priest at church today was the old "pastured pastor." He is entertaining and always surprises in that he isn't "old school."
The homily today he talked about a children's story with a talking tea cup. The tea cup told its story to grandparents shopping for a gift. The grandparents had commented on its beauty. The tea cup replied, "I wasn't always beautiful." The tea cup told a story of being wet, ugly and formless clay. It told of being plopped on a wheel and being spun around until it was disoriented and wanting to be ill. It pleaded for the potter to stop. Not yet. The tea cup told of being punched and poked and formed and how that hurt. The tea cup begged for the pain to stop. Not yet. The tea cup told of being put into the furnace and encountering heat so intense that it didn't think it could survive. Stop! Not yet. Then the tea cup told of being painted by a woman and encountering noxious paint fumes and being overwhelmed. The tea cup begged for it to stop. Not yet. The tea cup then told of being placed back into the furnace, but the heat was even hotter and more intense than before. Please stop.
The tea cup was not always beautiful. The tea cup suffered through a great deal of pain. Once the pain passed, the beauty remained.
So it is with life. So it can be with Crossfit. We will suffer through some pain. We will feel as if we cannot endure anymore. If we don't quit, if we allow ourselves to go through the pain, that pain will pass. When that pain passes, the beauty will remain.
21-15-9
Knees to Elbows
Thrusters (95/65)
The homily today he talked about a children's story with a talking tea cup. The tea cup told its story to grandparents shopping for a gift. The grandparents had commented on its beauty. The tea cup replied, "I wasn't always beautiful." The tea cup told a story of being wet, ugly and formless clay. It told of being plopped on a wheel and being spun around until it was disoriented and wanting to be ill. It pleaded for the potter to stop. Not yet. The tea cup told of being punched and poked and formed and how that hurt. The tea cup begged for the pain to stop. Not yet. The tea cup told of being put into the furnace and encountering heat so intense that it didn't think it could survive. Stop! Not yet. Then the tea cup told of being painted by a woman and encountering noxious paint fumes and being overwhelmed. The tea cup begged for it to stop. Not yet. The tea cup then told of being placed back into the furnace, but the heat was even hotter and more intense than before. Please stop.
The tea cup was not always beautiful. The tea cup suffered through a great deal of pain. Once the pain passed, the beauty remained.
So it is with life. So it can be with Crossfit. We will suffer through some pain. We will feel as if we cannot endure anymore. If we don't quit, if we allow ourselves to go through the pain, that pain will pass. When that pain passes, the beauty will remain.
21-15-9
Knees to Elbows
Thrusters (95/65)
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Beer
I made you smile, didn't I?
Who doesn't love beer? I REALLY love beer. I am sure that statement would make some people roll their eyes. Let me explain.
It is not just drinking beer that gets me excited. I love to make it. I love to shop for it. I love to shop for the ingredients to make it. I love the colors, the smells, the flavors and the process. I love a neat row of freshly capped bottles. I am learning to love being able to pull the tap handle and fill whatever size glass I dare. Not just beer. I love wine. I love mixing beer with mead, wine with mead. I am not crazy about mead though. It is the process of making braggot or pyment that excites me. I have made hard cider and that was awesome too. I love that my daughter, Gwen, enjoys helping me. The other two get excited, but don't help as much. I think they are learning to love the process, the colors and the neat rows. Today I was racking my malbec for its final phase before going into bottles. While doing that I started preparations for bottling the raspberry/blackberry fruit ale that I made. I just think a keg of fruit beer would overwhelm me, so bottles it was. When I stacked the cases of bottles near the back door so that they could be scrubbed and sanitized the girls all asked "are you bottling beer?" My affirmative reply elicited a "yeah (yay)!" from the assembled crowd.
So on we went. Filtering the fruit the yeast feasted on and the dead yeast was of above average difficulty for beer. Gwen was undaunted. She assisted me the entire way. She was rinsing buckets and hoses. She loves to use the "jet washer" for rinsing the sterilized bottles. She is my "cap placer," and "bottle arranger." We bottled it up and she loves to write the three letter codes on the caps that tell us what nectar is inside. Today was "FAT" for "fruit ale tart." She thought that was funny.
Anyhow, in the process there are always little bits of sludge in the bottom of the buckets. I filtered out the wine sludge and let it settle. We had a few ounces of the beer in the bottom of the bottling bucket. I let Gwen try it. She said the wine was "like the wine at church." Interesting comparison. I will rattle on about that another day. Let me say this: if the wine in church tastes like that I need to start taking the wine at communion. The beer was cool. It tasted nice even with no carbonation. She marvelled at all the seeds in the bucket and that it was "all that was left" of all the raspberries and blackberries." The yeast did its job. We had discussions about force carbonation versus bottle conditioning. While I am sure we have discussed this before, my ability to show her both in action HAS to be a better way to drive it home. By the time we were done she was excited about "what are we going to make next?" We ordered the peaches and apricots to make a fruit ale with those. I ordered the ingredients to make a lager before it gets too warm for lager fermentaton now that I have lagering capability. I ordered juice to make a Spanish Tempranillo and the honey and pinot noir juice to make a pyment just because I was so happy. I feel it necessary to explain that the joy of shopping for ingredients is diminished with three kids in tow. Online brings joy, but not quite as much. You can't smell and touch.
This day. I coached Ione's soccer team in the morning. Gwen worked with me on beer and wine for the bulk of the day. I read from from the trilogy we are plowing through tonight. This day. Gwen said to me while we were outside on the patio, "Daddy, is this kind of like how you and Grampie made maple syrup together when you were a kid?"
I love beer.
Who doesn't love beer? I REALLY love beer. I am sure that statement would make some people roll their eyes. Let me explain.
It is not just drinking beer that gets me excited. I love to make it. I love to shop for it. I love to shop for the ingredients to make it. I love the colors, the smells, the flavors and the process. I love a neat row of freshly capped bottles. I am learning to love being able to pull the tap handle and fill whatever size glass I dare. Not just beer. I love wine. I love mixing beer with mead, wine with mead. I am not crazy about mead though. It is the process of making braggot or pyment that excites me. I have made hard cider and that was awesome too. I love that my daughter, Gwen, enjoys helping me. The other two get excited, but don't help as much. I think they are learning to love the process, the colors and the neat rows. Today I was racking my malbec for its final phase before going into bottles. While doing that I started preparations for bottling the raspberry/blackberry fruit ale that I made. I just think a keg of fruit beer would overwhelm me, so bottles it was. When I stacked the cases of bottles near the back door so that they could be scrubbed and sanitized the girls all asked "are you bottling beer?" My affirmative reply elicited a "yeah (yay)!" from the assembled crowd.
So on we went. Filtering the fruit the yeast feasted on and the dead yeast was of above average difficulty for beer. Gwen was undaunted. She assisted me the entire way. She was rinsing buckets and hoses. She loves to use the "jet washer" for rinsing the sterilized bottles. She is my "cap placer," and "bottle arranger." We bottled it up and she loves to write the three letter codes on the caps that tell us what nectar is inside. Today was "FAT" for "fruit ale tart." She thought that was funny.
Anyhow, in the process there are always little bits of sludge in the bottom of the buckets. I filtered out the wine sludge and let it settle. We had a few ounces of the beer in the bottom of the bottling bucket. I let Gwen try it. She said the wine was "like the wine at church." Interesting comparison. I will rattle on about that another day. Let me say this: if the wine in church tastes like that I need to start taking the wine at communion. The beer was cool. It tasted nice even with no carbonation. She marvelled at all the seeds in the bucket and that it was "all that was left" of all the raspberries and blackberries." The yeast did its job. We had discussions about force carbonation versus bottle conditioning. While I am sure we have discussed this before, my ability to show her both in action HAS to be a better way to drive it home. By the time we were done she was excited about "what are we going to make next?" We ordered the peaches and apricots to make a fruit ale with those. I ordered the ingredients to make a lager before it gets too warm for lager fermentaton now that I have lagering capability. I ordered juice to make a Spanish Tempranillo and the honey and pinot noir juice to make a pyment just because I was so happy. I feel it necessary to explain that the joy of shopping for ingredients is diminished with three kids in tow. Online brings joy, but not quite as much. You can't smell and touch.
This day. I coached Ione's soccer team in the morning. Gwen worked with me on beer and wine for the bulk of the day. I read from from the trilogy we are plowing through tonight. This day. Gwen said to me while we were outside on the patio, "Daddy, is this kind of like how you and Grampie made maple syrup together when you were a kid?"
I love beer.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Blogs
It wasn't all that long ago that I thought blogs were useless and stupid. My opinion was that it was just an outlet for the extremely narcissistic or those with delusions that someone was going to spot their blog and pay them boatloads of money to write a column for (insert publication here).
My view has changed. I have numerous friends who write blogs. I write a blog. I have always been a "letter writer" but that was because I believed in leaving "footprints" and allowing people to digest what I had to say on their own time and terms. Phone calls are so forced. "Here is what I have to say whether you like it or not." That isn't always the case as somtimes conversations ramble. Typically one person or the other sets the agenda for a conversation whether face to face or via telephone. It is just how it must be. When the magical conversations happen is when both people are at the same place and interested in the same topic. I love it when this happens. I am not a fan of being probed or explored, but through a good conversation I will open up to people and tell them things about myself that are normally reserved for those closest to me. Letters, however, allow you to pour your soul out for the recipient to absorb. They can read it once or mutliple times. They can share it with others and discuss. They can respond thoughtfully when they have time to do so. This is how it is with blogs.
Recently I learned that Jenn's back must be better because she pushed her car. I also learned that a guy I grew up with did the same things I did, but with a whole different circle of people. I have learned that potty humor never gets old. I have learned that some people take a long hiatus from their blogs. Mostly I learned that I have even more friends that write blogs. One of those friends had written about her beekeeping and was the "advisor" for my little bee removal project. Blogs are like letters to everyone.
I am still a little too private to reveal my entire soul as I do in letters to family and friends. . . but I am getting there. Little by little. I have learned to appreciate them. It is like going to someone's Facebook wall to see what is up with them, but you get a lot more insight and a lot fewer Farmville requests.
So what is the point of all of this? Getting to know people. It is a truly wonderful thing. I have had the fortune to know all of my grandparents pretty well. I lost them at 21, 29, and 36 respectively with my grandmother still living. She and I write LOTS of letters. My two grandfathers served in World War II. The stories from one were plentiful and the other not as much. I have been reading lately about the battles that I have the personal narratives for. It is so fascinating to get to know the man this way. There are things I read that connect dots. It is an amazing experience. I am lucky to have it, but only have it because I took time to get to know him over the years. I am inspired to investigate more about the other grandfather. I am sure I can. I am finding a tremendous amount of joy and inspiration in reading the contextual stories to the personal narratives that I have recorded to memory.
So in reading the blog of someone, is it possible to discern what it is exactly they are going through? Perhaps. Maybe I reveal more than I realize. I know that some of my friends tell amazing stories that allow me to understand where they are at. It is impossible for me to know if I am giving the same gift of myself. I try.
The WOD:
1-1-1-1-1
Push Press
post loads to comments
then
For time:
20 Pullups
40 Burpees
60 Pushups
80 Squats
100 Situps
post time to comments
My view has changed. I have numerous friends who write blogs. I write a blog. I have always been a "letter writer" but that was because I believed in leaving "footprints" and allowing people to digest what I had to say on their own time and terms. Phone calls are so forced. "Here is what I have to say whether you like it or not." That isn't always the case as somtimes conversations ramble. Typically one person or the other sets the agenda for a conversation whether face to face or via telephone. It is just how it must be. When the magical conversations happen is when both people are at the same place and interested in the same topic. I love it when this happens. I am not a fan of being probed or explored, but through a good conversation I will open up to people and tell them things about myself that are normally reserved for those closest to me. Letters, however, allow you to pour your soul out for the recipient to absorb. They can read it once or mutliple times. They can share it with others and discuss. They can respond thoughtfully when they have time to do so. This is how it is with blogs.
Recently I learned that Jenn's back must be better because she pushed her car. I also learned that a guy I grew up with did the same things I did, but with a whole different circle of people. I have learned that potty humor never gets old. I have learned that some people take a long hiatus from their blogs. Mostly I learned that I have even more friends that write blogs. One of those friends had written about her beekeeping and was the "advisor" for my little bee removal project. Blogs are like letters to everyone.
I am still a little too private to reveal my entire soul as I do in letters to family and friends. . . but I am getting there. Little by little. I have learned to appreciate them. It is like going to someone's Facebook wall to see what is up with them, but you get a lot more insight and a lot fewer Farmville requests.
So what is the point of all of this? Getting to know people. It is a truly wonderful thing. I have had the fortune to know all of my grandparents pretty well. I lost them at 21, 29, and 36 respectively with my grandmother still living. She and I write LOTS of letters. My two grandfathers served in World War II. The stories from one were plentiful and the other not as much. I have been reading lately about the battles that I have the personal narratives for. It is so fascinating to get to know the man this way. There are things I read that connect dots. It is an amazing experience. I am lucky to have it, but only have it because I took time to get to know him over the years. I am inspired to investigate more about the other grandfather. I am sure I can. I am finding a tremendous amount of joy and inspiration in reading the contextual stories to the personal narratives that I have recorded to memory.
So in reading the blog of someone, is it possible to discern what it is exactly they are going through? Perhaps. Maybe I reveal more than I realize. I know that some of my friends tell amazing stories that allow me to understand where they are at. It is impossible for me to know if I am giving the same gift of myself. I try.
The WOD:
1-1-1-1-1
Push Press
post loads to comments
then
For time:
20 Pullups
40 Burpees
60 Pushups
80 Squats
100 Situps
post time to comments
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Nature
So yesterday I chased off a couple swarms of honeybees. They had started a hive in an upside-down flower pot. There was a second swarm floating around by the trees. I sprayed the swarm with water and they mustered on a tree branch to protect the queen. I then flipped over all the flower pots that I was afraid were about to become my very own honey farm. I flipped the one with the bees very carefully. They swarmed on the outside and I sprayed water to chase them away. The stubborn few that remained got hit with the poison. That broke my heart because they were so docile. I just couldn't leave them where the kids play and I am sure the next people to live here might be turned off by hives of bees. Anyway, the swarms were gone this morning and oddly enough I saw "The Bee Guy" drive by in his truck emblazoned with name. I am guessing one of the neighbors needed the swarms removed. Not everyone is willing to tangle with bees like I am. It kind of made me wish I knew how to "keep" them as I would have. I am sure that someday when I want some bees I won't be able to attract them. I will get wasps. Karma.
I also noticed that we have all sorts of birds, lizards and rabbits. We had a snake out front and many spiders and other bugs. I had to remove mice myself. I guess that if nothing else, we have found a way to live with nature here in San Diego. Just a little bit.
For tomorrow's WOD:
Accumulate 2 minutes of L-sits
3-3-3-1-1
Front Squat
Then do as many cleans as possible in 4 minutes at a weight about 75% of your max.
I sit here now wishing I had already bought some squat racks. I have some, but they aren't easy to use. Crumbs.
I also noticed that we have all sorts of birds, lizards and rabbits. We had a snake out front and many spiders and other bugs. I had to remove mice myself. I guess that if nothing else, we have found a way to live with nature here in San Diego. Just a little bit.
For tomorrow's WOD:
Accumulate 2 minutes of L-sits
3-3-3-1-1
Front Squat
Then do as many cleans as possible in 4 minutes at a weight about 75% of your max.
I sit here now wishing I had already bought some squat racks. I have some, but they aren't easy to use. Crumbs.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Yuck
Time to get back on track. I gained ten pounds this past week plus since Easter. No joke. I don't know how or why. I did almost no WODs. We were on the go all the time and I would eat a nice paleo breakfast, but then eat a non-paleo dinner and feast on crap. I am sure I overate much of the time. There was a lot of beer. I wouldn't be all that bummed about it if I wasn't trying to maintain that weight for this summer. I am hopeful that it comes off close to as quickly as it went on. I doubt it.
Anyway, I got a good "jolt" as I was called upon to teach the Crossfit Kids class solo today. Nobody had a key to the door, so I did the first half of the class in the parking lot. I had those kids running, squatting, jumping, doing pushups and burpees. By the time the gym opened up they were relieved to go inside and do "other" movements.
So we are going to get back to work. I will chart the progress back to my "post-paleo" weight. Start date for the new challenge is April 17, 2012. 3, 2, 1. . . Go!
The WOD:
5 Rounds for Time
10 Back Extensions (today is the "extension" day the IRS gave everyone until this year)
15 Pushups
20 Situps
25 Squats
Afterward: Do 10 Burpees with "max" jumping height at the top.
Anyway, I got a good "jolt" as I was called upon to teach the Crossfit Kids class solo today. Nobody had a key to the door, so I did the first half of the class in the parking lot. I had those kids running, squatting, jumping, doing pushups and burpees. By the time the gym opened up they were relieved to go inside and do "other" movements.
So we are going to get back to work. I will chart the progress back to my "post-paleo" weight. Start date for the new challenge is April 17, 2012. 3, 2, 1. . . Go!
The WOD:
5 Rounds for Time
10 Back Extensions (today is the "extension" day the IRS gave everyone until this year)
15 Pushups
20 Situps
25 Squats
Afterward: Do 10 Burpees with "max" jumping height at the top.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Friday the 13th
I am not a fan of Friday the 13th. I am not sure how many there have been in my lifetime, but I could count. What I do know is that I can think of about a half dozen that I would like to erase. I have learned to not fear the date, but it doesn't mean that I have to come right out and like it.
The WOD:
4 Rounds for Time
13 Burpees
13 Toes to Bar
13 Situps
13 Pullups
The WOD:
4 Rounds for Time
13 Burpees
13 Toes to Bar
13 Situps
13 Pullups
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Money
Today Ione had a soccer game in which I was coaching. Afterwards we came home and my mother put the kids to bed and my father and I went out for beers. We had beer at Green Flash Brewing and then went to Brewski for more beer and a bite to eat.
While we were drinking beer and having conversation we touched upon the subject of money. We had been talking about "being rich" and what exactly that meant. My father said that he felt my grandmother was one of the richest people he knew despite the fact she didn't have a lot of money because she wants for nothing and always has family around her. We carried that conversation forward. We talked about what we might do differently with more money. In the case of my father this is a silly conversation as he knows what he is doing. My part is what might be relevant to all of you Crossfitters. If I had more money I would do EXACTLY NOTHING differently. Yup. I want to own a brewpub and a gym. I am a certified Crossfit trainer and I am in school to be a brewer. If I had a lot of money I might open my own brewpub or Crossfit Gym. The Crossfit Gym I could do because I have the training. The brewpub I would still go to school to learn how to do it properly first. This was a huge realization for me. I would not do anything differently than I am doing right now if I had unlimited cash. I might worry less, but I would do nothing differently. I wouldn't open a pub or gym without the proper training to make sure I could do it successfully. This made me realize something. I have all that I need. Sure, I could ask for more. The fact is that I am doing now exactly what I would be doing with a couple million dollars. Amazing. This made me feel very rich. So there is my tale for the day.
The WOD:
5 RFT
15 Box Jumps
50 Walking Lunges (or 25 per side)
5 Pullups
25 Situps
10 Deadlifts
20 Pushups
Fun!
While we were drinking beer and having conversation we touched upon the subject of money. We had been talking about "being rich" and what exactly that meant. My father said that he felt my grandmother was one of the richest people he knew despite the fact she didn't have a lot of money because she wants for nothing and always has family around her. We carried that conversation forward. We talked about what we might do differently with more money. In the case of my father this is a silly conversation as he knows what he is doing. My part is what might be relevant to all of you Crossfitters. If I had more money I would do EXACTLY NOTHING differently. Yup. I want to own a brewpub and a gym. I am a certified Crossfit trainer and I am in school to be a brewer. If I had a lot of money I might open my own brewpub or Crossfit Gym. The Crossfit Gym I could do because I have the training. The brewpub I would still go to school to learn how to do it properly first. This was a huge realization for me. I would not do anything differently than I am doing right now if I had unlimited cash. I might worry less, but I would do nothing differently. I wouldn't open a pub or gym without the proper training to make sure I could do it successfully. This made me realize something. I have all that I need. Sure, I could ask for more. The fact is that I am doing now exactly what I would be doing with a couple million dollars. Amazing. This made me feel very rich. So there is my tale for the day.
The WOD:
5 RFT
15 Box Jumps
50 Walking Lunges (or 25 per side)
5 Pullups
25 Situps
10 Deadlifts
20 Pushups
Fun!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Notebook
I lost my WOD list. That means I need to make a new one anyway. The fact you need more helps that. I will do it tomorrow (today). The girls are having friends over so I will have a chance. Today we did storytime, La Jolla and Karl Strauss Brewery and Gardens. Nice place, but pales compared to what Stone built.
The carbonation of the hefeweizen is taking a while. It is due to the style. Some beers take less time than others. As with everything else, I have discovered a learning curve. I will figure it out, but force carbonating isn't as simple as some would have you believe. I could cask condition them and still serve them in the kegerator. I might. I am not sure yet. The downside is the yeast in the keg and potential clogs in the tubing.
So, with no list to work from I am going to make something up on the fly. I will work this in during playdates.
Spend 10 minutes on mobility.
Then:
10 Pullups
20 GHD situps (30 regular situps sub)
30 Kettlebell swings
40 Overhead Squats (I will go 65 or 75)
50 Deadlifts (I will go 185)
60 Floor wipers
75 Pushups
The carbonation of the hefeweizen is taking a while. It is due to the style. Some beers take less time than others. As with everything else, I have discovered a learning curve. I will figure it out, but force carbonating isn't as simple as some would have you believe. I could cask condition them and still serve them in the kegerator. I might. I am not sure yet. The downside is the yeast in the keg and potential clogs in the tubing.
So, with no list to work from I am going to make something up on the fly. I will work this in during playdates.
Spend 10 minutes on mobility.
Then:
10 Pullups
20 GHD situps (30 regular situps sub)
30 Kettlebell swings
40 Overhead Squats (I will go 65 or 75)
50 Deadlifts (I will go 185)
60 Floor wipers
75 Pushups
Sunday, April 8, 2012
500 Club
Lisa and Candis, congratulations on your lifting!
Now that our Paleo challenge is over we have to do "Fran" again. My total score for the 62 days was 359 which was one point shy of averaging 40 points a week, but we also shorted the last week by a day. Not quite 6 points per day on average. There were a number of zeroes in there. In the end I shed 15.5 pounds of something.
"Fran"
21-15-9
Thrusters (95/65)
Pullups
Now that our Paleo challenge is over we have to do "Fran" again. My total score for the 62 days was 359 which was one point shy of averaging 40 points a week, but we also shorted the last week by a day. Not quite 6 points per day on average. There were a number of zeroes in there. In the end I shed 15.5 pounds of something.
"Fran"
21-15-9
Thrusters (95/65)
Pullups
Thursday, April 5, 2012
It is just temporary.
As I sit here, right this very moment, my house is in a state that I wish it would always be in. There are a few dirty dishes in the sink and the vacuum is plugged in and ready to suck the carpet in the morning. Other than that I am done. I realized however that as the girls changed for bed that the clothes they had been wearing are now dirty. This made me realize something else. I am not sure it was anything new, but perhaps a reminder. Cleanliness is only temporary when it comes to your living space. While I like it clean, the fact that the house is never this clean is a sign of productive play. Productive play by the children and productive play by me. I prefer to play games with the kids, do Crossfit WODs and make beer and wine. Cleaning is just something I have to do. I always make sure to do the "germ stuff." I don't want illness. Clutter on the other hand? Most times I could care less. Lisa, I think that I could stand up to your toughest inspection right now. Everything is dusted. Baskets and inboxes are cleaned out and organized. Bills are paid, in the mailbox and statements filed. I reorganized the baker's rack and the wine fridge. I recycled the 15 phone books that we had because who the hell uses a phone book anymore? It is far faster to search on the internet and get the number and often times a rating on the company. So the phone books are all gone. That made a lot of room. I must admit that Michael used the phone books as a booster seat for Tessie in December when he watched the girls while I was at Crossfit Kids. That is the ONLY time the phone books were used.
The kegerator is here. It is in the garage and not assembled. The delivery guy wouldn't bring it any farther and told me I was lucky he put it in the garage and not on the curb. Really? What the hell happened to customer service? I will tell you. . . . lawyers happened. Nobody wants to break stuff or get hurt on someone's property. Companies don't want to pay claims for workers working in uncontrolled environments. Pfffft. I think from now on when I see delivery trucks with something big I will stop and ask "hey, do you need help getting that in your house." We are so disconnected from one another. Anyway, I will assemble it and get it operating in the next few days. My parents arrive tomorrow. Ione has soccer. We will have lots of fun I am sure.
"Prior to the internet, the last technology that had any real effect on the way people sat down and talked together was the table." --Clay Shirky, Writer
The WOD:
For time:
70 Burpees
60 Situps
50 Kettlebell swings
40 Pullups
30 Squats
20 Box Jumps
10 Handstand Pushups
Sub as necessary.
The kegerator is here. It is in the garage and not assembled. The delivery guy wouldn't bring it any farther and told me I was lucky he put it in the garage and not on the curb. Really? What the hell happened to customer service? I will tell you. . . . lawyers happened. Nobody wants to break stuff or get hurt on someone's property. Companies don't want to pay claims for workers working in uncontrolled environments. Pfffft. I think from now on when I see delivery trucks with something big I will stop and ask "hey, do you need help getting that in your house." We are so disconnected from one another. Anyway, I will assemble it and get it operating in the next few days. My parents arrive tomorrow. Ione has soccer. We will have lots of fun I am sure.
"Prior to the internet, the last technology that had any real effect on the way people sat down and talked together was the table." --Clay Shirky, Writer
The WOD:
For time:
70 Burpees
60 Situps
50 Kettlebell swings
40 Pullups
30 Squats
20 Box Jumps
10 Handstand Pushups
Sub as necessary.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Just when you think you are getting ahead. . .
So a funny thing happened this evening.
First let me tell you a little about myself. Lisa knows this about me, but others may not.
Normally when I clean I "tidy up." When I REALLY clean I go above and beyond the level that anyone I have ever met would go. I am talking wiping out the individual slots in the air vents, pulling the weeds in the yard, dusting the cobwebs off the gutters type of cleaning. If it was on the property it got attention.
Rosebushes were pruned, windows were washed, grass was mowed and weeded, basketball hoops assembled, training wheels onto bikes and "tune-ups" done to bikes. Trash cans cleaned, cat box emptied and scrubbed, laundry all done, towel rack on Lisa's side of bathroom repaired. None of that sounds like a normal cleaning adventure does it? This is how I clean. When I clean the house could be shown for sale afterward. So now my workout space in the garage seems huge. The kids toyboxes are free of little scraps of paper, dust and random crap that I had no idea what it was. The furniture was moved so I could scrub the floor beneath it. I painted the bench that Lisa and Gwen had started in October. It looks like the American flag sans stars. Gwen wanted to do the stars with a cardboard stencil she made, but I said "nah, let's go find some star stickers and paint them white." I gave Gwen the pruners and put her to work as I did other things, but found myself finishing up. After the training wheels I turned my attention to the basketball hoops. I had let them sit in a pile and be an eyesore for long enough. All of my excuses weren't cutting it in my mind anymore and it was time to go to work. The little kids hoop went mostly well. We set it up on the patio out back. This led to inflating the mini-basketballs.
Back to the big hoop. We got it together after several adventures. One of the wheels rolled all the way down the hill. Gwen and I were searching the driveway for it. We were coming up empty. I was getting irritated. Gwen says "Daddy, there is something black in the road down there. Maybe that is it." My initial reaction was "no way in hell." I didn't say that though. I let her go for an adventure. Wouldn't you know it! The wheel rolled out of our driveway and about 150 yards down the hill. If it had gone any further it would have rounded a corner and been out of sight. But we press on. I am cursing the movers for taking it apart so thoroughly. I am cursing myself for not selling it. It is finally assembled and the base needs to be filled with water. I stand it up and have the children stand on the base. I run the hose around to fill it. I feel a bite on my back and had just been crawling in spiders. I pull up my shirt to have the girls check my back. They step OFF the base of the hoop. The hoop tips. I try to stop hoop from crashing down on Lisa's car. My forearm sustains the blow of the basketball hoop. My forearm really hurts and is quite swollen hours later. I only slow its fall. It crashes THROUGH the rear window of Lisa's car. Yup. Your bumper sticker is going to be gone. I am happy that I prevented any structural damage to the metal. I am not happy about the knot on my arm. I have forgotten about the bite on my back. I am proud of myself for not blowing up. I told the kids it was my fault. I set them up to fail. They tried to own it, which made me proud. Gwen and Ione said "Daddy, you didn't do anything." But I knew better. Tessie just thought it was fun to poke the pieces of the shatterproof glass into the back of Lisa's car. Gwen pointed out that "Daddy, at least you cleaned the garage and you can put Mommy's car in the garage until you get it fixed."
Did I mention that I pruned the bamboo today too?
The WOD:
4 Rounds for Time
20 Medicine Ball Cleans
50 Lunges (25 per side)
20 Kettlebell Snatch (10 per side)
Estes Express called today and they are delivering the kegerator between 10-2 tomorrow. This was going to be a wonderful celebration, but now I need to figure out how much the window will cost. Does USAA cover the glass all around? I am going to call them first in the morning.
At least my parents will be here to help with shuttling cars around. I have the kitchen, dining room, living room 1 and 4 bathrooms left to go before I hit my mark. This is my "test run" for how I am going to clean when Lisa is en route to the states. I think I need to add an extra day or two to the plan. And not break anything.
First let me tell you a little about myself. Lisa knows this about me, but others may not.
Normally when I clean I "tidy up." When I REALLY clean I go above and beyond the level that anyone I have ever met would go. I am talking wiping out the individual slots in the air vents, pulling the weeds in the yard, dusting the cobwebs off the gutters type of cleaning. If it was on the property it got attention.
Rosebushes were pruned, windows were washed, grass was mowed and weeded, basketball hoops assembled, training wheels onto bikes and "tune-ups" done to bikes. Trash cans cleaned, cat box emptied and scrubbed, laundry all done, towel rack on Lisa's side of bathroom repaired. None of that sounds like a normal cleaning adventure does it? This is how I clean. When I clean the house could be shown for sale afterward. So now my workout space in the garage seems huge. The kids toyboxes are free of little scraps of paper, dust and random crap that I had no idea what it was. The furniture was moved so I could scrub the floor beneath it. I painted the bench that Lisa and Gwen had started in October. It looks like the American flag sans stars. Gwen wanted to do the stars with a cardboard stencil she made, but I said "nah, let's go find some star stickers and paint them white." I gave Gwen the pruners and put her to work as I did other things, but found myself finishing up. After the training wheels I turned my attention to the basketball hoops. I had let them sit in a pile and be an eyesore for long enough. All of my excuses weren't cutting it in my mind anymore and it was time to go to work. The little kids hoop went mostly well. We set it up on the patio out back. This led to inflating the mini-basketballs.
Back to the big hoop. We got it together after several adventures. One of the wheels rolled all the way down the hill. Gwen and I were searching the driveway for it. We were coming up empty. I was getting irritated. Gwen says "Daddy, there is something black in the road down there. Maybe that is it." My initial reaction was "no way in hell." I didn't say that though. I let her go for an adventure. Wouldn't you know it! The wheel rolled out of our driveway and about 150 yards down the hill. If it had gone any further it would have rounded a corner and been out of sight. But we press on. I am cursing the movers for taking it apart so thoroughly. I am cursing myself for not selling it. It is finally assembled and the base needs to be filled with water. I stand it up and have the children stand on the base. I run the hose around to fill it. I feel a bite on my back and had just been crawling in spiders. I pull up my shirt to have the girls check my back. They step OFF the base of the hoop. The hoop tips. I try to stop hoop from crashing down on Lisa's car. My forearm sustains the blow of the basketball hoop. My forearm really hurts and is quite swollen hours later. I only slow its fall. It crashes THROUGH the rear window of Lisa's car. Yup. Your bumper sticker is going to be gone. I am happy that I prevented any structural damage to the metal. I am not happy about the knot on my arm. I have forgotten about the bite on my back. I am proud of myself for not blowing up. I told the kids it was my fault. I set them up to fail. They tried to own it, which made me proud. Gwen and Ione said "Daddy, you didn't do anything." But I knew better. Tessie just thought it was fun to poke the pieces of the shatterproof glass into the back of Lisa's car. Gwen pointed out that "Daddy, at least you cleaned the garage and you can put Mommy's car in the garage until you get it fixed."
Did I mention that I pruned the bamboo today too?
The WOD:
4 Rounds for Time
20 Medicine Ball Cleans
50 Lunges (25 per side)
20 Kettlebell Snatch (10 per side)
Estes Express called today and they are delivering the kegerator between 10-2 tomorrow. This was going to be a wonderful celebration, but now I need to figure out how much the window will cost. Does USAA cover the glass all around? I am going to call them first in the morning.
At least my parents will be here to help with shuttling cars around. I have the kitchen, dining room, living room 1 and 4 bathrooms left to go before I hit my mark. This is my "test run" for how I am going to clean when Lisa is en route to the states. I think I need to add an extra day or two to the plan. And not break anything.
Monday, April 2, 2012
April 3, 2012
This is the day the kegerator is supposed to be "here." I don't know if that means at our house or at the warehouse in Chula Vista. Either way. . . if they show up here I will gladly set it up. . . I will even take the time to go buy a keg if I don't have to time to get mine into a keg!
"Angie"
100 Pullups
100 Pushups
100 Situps
100 Squats
This is one of my all-time favorite Crossfit WODs. I just love it. It is hard. You are supposed to complete all of one movement before moving on to the next. The first time I ever did it I remember wanting to do "Rounds of 10" but I didn't. It took me a while to push through the pullups, but I did it and was so pleased. If I am not mistaken I have done this in 28 and 22 minutes in past attempts. I am thinking somewhere in that range again. I have work to do around the house, but might shake out to the park for a bit. The girls would like that.
Lisa and Candis, you guys guys KILLED this one. I am thrilled with your times. That is awesome!
Jenn, I hope that you are on the mend. Jonny, I could go on about Yoda for a long time.
"Angie"
100 Pullups
100 Pushups
100 Situps
100 Squats
This is one of my all-time favorite Crossfit WODs. I just love it. It is hard. You are supposed to complete all of one movement before moving on to the next. The first time I ever did it I remember wanting to do "Rounds of 10" but I didn't. It took me a while to push through the pullups, but I did it and was so pleased. If I am not mistaken I have done this in 28 and 22 minutes in past attempts. I am thinking somewhere in that range again. I have work to do around the house, but might shake out to the park for a bit. The girls would like that.
Lisa and Candis, you guys guys KILLED this one. I am thrilled with your times. That is awesome!
Jenn, I hope that you are on the mend. Jonny, I could go on about Yoda for a long time.
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