Sunday, October 4, 2009

Un-natural athlete

Haven't posted in a while, I am sure most people have stopped checking my post for updates but whatever I'm writing anyway. Something occoured, and disturbed me a few days ago... I am not a natural born athlete.

The concept of a natural born athlete is not foreign to me, my best friend John is a natural athlete. He has always been that guy who was super fit, could run the furthest, swim the fastest, surf the best, etc. He never seemed to train outside of the sports we enjoyed together. He wasn't in the gym five days a week, or at all for that matter, and he didn't have the home gym that he religiously used everyday, he wasn't the workout fanatic he appeared to be with his shirt off.I, however, was the guy trying to keep up. The strong guy with a little belly, I could lift really heavy thing once, maybe twice. I couldn't surf as long or run as far, besides I hate running. I got to thinking why this was. Did he have a faster metabolism than I did, did he have better genetics or what, what was it about John that I didn't have?

Then, like an epiphany, it occurred to me, John has the natural ability to push himself harder than he thinks he can go. John could work out on the beach alone and push himself to the point of puking. When he surfed he would paddle harder, and surf longer not because he was that much stronger but when it started to hurt, when it started to burn, he liked it, he used it to his advantage. Pushing his body to the limits and getting the results I saw whenever we surfed, swam, hiked, or whatever together. John had the knowledge. The knowledge that every time he pushed himself to the limit, every time he worked until it hurt, he could get in the water next week and be that much better. Time and time agin John would improve himself.

I on the other hand worked a little different. Whenever I felt that same pain, that same burn, I had the habit of stopping and resting. It makes sense though right? If it hurts, stop. So when I got back into the water to surf with John the next week he would be a little better and I wouldn't. I was the same as last week, or in some instances worse. I would get frustrated, why is John always getting better and I can't seem to keep up?

Then I discovered crossfit. I discovered Huff and Colin and a place where everyone pushed themselves to the absolute limits. A place where I could LEARN, that's right, learn to push my self harder and further everyday. I discovered that this is a learned skill, one that not everyone wants to learn, but a learned skill non the less. At Crossfit Ventura I found an incredible group of motivating people that seem hell bent on making me a better athlete, pushing me further than I think I can and watching me come out on the other side stronger, faster and better. Why I wondered, the answer is simple, they are going through the same thing, and when it is their turn to do the WOD everyone else is there pushing them harder and further every time.

My first Fran WOD was some specticle. It was sloppy and slow. Coming in at about 16:40ish it was a sad sight to behold, but there was Colin, pushing me and cheering me on like my own personal cheer section. Telling me I can go faster and harder, telling me I am doing great and to keep it up. Just when I was sure I had died of a heart attack and was spending eternity in hell doing Fran it was over, I hurt allover and my legs went numb, a few moments later the numbness went away and the pain ensued. Holy crap the pain. (little did I know that the pain i was feeling now would pale in comparison to the next morning) 16:40ish Colin told me, then he slapped me five and said great job Dave, "you didn't give up" and I though, yeah your right I didn't, wow I finished.

From then on I was hooked. I came to CFV as often as my coaches would let me and I started to get better. I lost weight, I lifted heavier, I ran faster and felt better. A few months later it was time to do Fran again. I was actually excited, I was about to see exactly how much better I have gotten over the last two months. 3-2-1 GO!! 11 min and some odd seconds later I was done.... over a 5 minute personal record. I was astonished, this is what I had been missing. This little gym with no sign out front and no advertising what was the thing I needed to make me better, to help me achieve the goal of being an un-natural athlete.

Now almost a year later I have gotten my Fran time down to 5:48, over 10 min faster that my first time. I feel better I look better and I am part of group of friends that cannot be found anywhere else. Every time we come to the gym we come to push ourselves and each other. We lean on each other when we don't do as good as we wanted and we celebrate together when we get PR's. It's almost as if Crosssfit has brought that athletic purpose back into my life. I am a better fireman, a better person, and hopefully a better husband. (Ask Jeannine hopefully she will agree)

So the question, why do I Crossfit? I Crossfit so I don't suck at life. And I pose the question, why do you Crossfit? Or why don't you....

3-2-1 GO!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Crossfit games 2010??

Here we are the week after the 2009 crossfit games and i am still amped up. For those of us that were fortunate enough to attend it was one of those experience that we will never forget. Most of us...maybe all of us, this was our first exposure to the giant that is the crossfit games. For 3 days we camped together and spectating the best athletes in the world. we cheered together, not only for our favorite competitor but also for our teammates. And we partied together.....ohhh cronk bat.....


Joining crossfit Ventura helped to change my opinion on fitness, nutrition and what, exactly, a healthy life style is. Attending the crossfit games, however, has opened my eyes to the possibility of what can be. Could i really be one of those fire breathing monsters that dead lifted 505 lbs AND ran a 7k in less than 30 min.....could I??? Could YOU??? We can, and we should.

CFV....wow what a month we are getting ready to have. CFV is taking off!! we are moving, crossfit kids is on the horizon and we are getting more and more great people in every month, awesome. Great job Bill and Colin you guys are the best..

Alright kids so long for now..

Friday, June 5, 2009

6-4-09 WOD

"Two Minute Defense"

5 Rounds for time:

1 power clean

3 hanging squat cleans

2 jerks

200 ft sprint

Rest exactly 2 min. then REPEAT!

13:31 with 135#

Did better than i thought i would on the cleans and jerks but blew out early on the running as usual... still working on that running thing!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

WOD

5-5-5 Deadlift

175-185-195

then 15-12-9

40# dumbell thrusters and burpees for time....

7:29 wow this was a burner!!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Meth in a can....

Ok so i recently had an experience at work where my captain asked me how long i have been drinking Monster energy drinks. He had noticed a difference in my personality and was concerned i was in taking too much caffeine. When i added up my intake of caffeine i was stunned! I was drinking 1 or 2 Monsters per day plus 2 to 5 cups of coffee. I was taking in over 1000% of my daily value of caffeine! I had no idea what i was doing to my self or the changes i had shown in my personality until i was confronted with it. So what did i do? I dropped it nearly cold turkey.....oh crap that hurts. Headaches, groggy, irritable, it sucks. However, i feel mentally a lot clearer and better. So, if you are consuming even one of these energy drinks a day take a read at the link below and tell me what you think.

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Graves_MethInACan.pdf

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sticking Points

Mental.......

Physical.......

Technical......

This can be applied to any situation, work, relationships and of course crossfit. Click on the http:// below. Its a great article.

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitJournal_TateStickingPointsPre.wmv

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Fitness in 100 words from crossfit.com

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar.

Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch.

Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics:pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstands, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds.

Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.

Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow.

ROUTINE IS THE ENEMY.

Keep workouts short and intense.

Regularly learn and play new sports!

Todays meals

6 am 1 apple and a handfull of pistachios

8 am 4oz of tri-tip, more pistacios

12 noon 6" spicy italian subway with double meat and ham on honey oat

6 pm 6oz tri-tip, 1 avocado, creamed corn. (this was a fire station meal so i had little to choose from...had to bring my own avocado)

I am still working on the Zone trying to perfect it. Any tweaks I need in my daily meals?? Leave me a comment to help me out:)

Football gone bad

Three 1 minute rounds of:

Thrusters (m:95 lbs, w:65 lbs)
Box Jumps (20")
Double Unders
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Rest 1 minute between rounds

Mine was 223 total but i will catch Luke and Brandon eventually.

Zone Meal


Here is one of my favorite meals. I got about 6oz of tri-tip here (not nearly as good as mitches but im trying), a half of an avocado and about a cup and a half of broccoli. Post any other recipies you guys have here and i will make a list of the best!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Accountability...crossfit style

I have noticed that at CFV we are all held accountable for our performance. That is one of the amazing things about crossfit, no matter what your power output; whether it be time, reps or weight, is always there for all to see. Colin and Huff get an idea of where we are in our essentials class then they give us the resources to improve. However, they also know if we are not doing what we need to do outside of the gym and when they notice that our PRs are not getting better they help us fix it by holding us accountable for what we do in the gym and out. It is a tough subject for me because as much as i want to improve in the gym i also want ice cream and cookies!! mmm delish...right? Now i know what your saying, everything in moderation... well i didn't even learn the word moderation until i was 25!!!! Well thanks to all at out CFV community i think i am finally figuring it out. It is not easy right now but i hope to be competitive in next years games. Lofty goals but what else should a goal be?

Rest Day

No WOD today.

Check out the paleo link. What a great idea!!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Fire station WOD / Zone

Stole todays WOD from luke....www.lukescrossfit.blogspot.com

5x5 bench press

185-195-205-210-215 (PR)

100 single unders

ZONE

5:30 am -- starbucks.....

8:30 am -- 4 whole eggs with cheese and cooked with a leedle bit o butter :)

12:00 noon -- KFC grilled chicken breasts, 2 small coleslaws.

6:30 pm -- 2 hamburger pattys, baked beans, 1 small roll.

9:00 pm -- i will probably whip together a protein shake.

Looking back i think i am lacking in carbs but i think its ok for a work day.... leave a comment and let me know.

5/13/09 CFV WOD

3-3-3 backsquats
225-225-245 (PR)

then

4 rounds for time
10 SDHP
20 push-ups
30 20" BOX JUMPS

11:19

I was wasted at the end of this WOD but still a little disapointed with my time... Faster next time.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Todays Zone

A work day at the fire station


5am
1 cup milk, 1 cup strawberries, 3 Tbs peanutbutter (shake)

8am
@6oz hamburger patty, 2 eggs, 1 slice of cheese

12noon
3 breasts chicken, 2 cups cabbage, 1 cookie (oops)

6pm
4 chicken tacos, 1 oatmeal cokie (oops again)

Im not sure on the block count....sorry. Not a bad day though. I will probably have a protein shake around 8:30 so....

Today was a main site WOD

1-1-1-1-1-1-1
power cleans

135-155-185-195-205(f)-205(f)...then we got a call but i was going to go down to 200...