Do work

1) snatch 5x3 @125 rest :45
2a) behind the neck snatch grip push press 4x3@175 rest :60
2b) snatch pull 4x2@190 rest :60

Strength 20rep back squat at 200lbs

WOD
30 burpee over the box jumps 24"
30 T2B
30 push press @ 135
1K row
15:58

Start of Regionals weekend

BB Gymnastics

1) 5XME UB Hang Power Cleans @ 185# – rest 60 sec.
2a) 5X1 Press Cluster (PP, PJ, Split Jerk) – 135#, rest 60 sec.
2b) 5X1 Non-Heaving Snatch Balance –115#, rest 60 sec.

Conditioning

4 rounds for total working time of:

Row 500m
12 Pistols (alternating)
24 Pullups

Rest 1:1

Snatch PR

 So I haven't been posting all my WODs. Casually I would say that this is just because I suck at life. But self-abusive humor aside, I hardly have the time and that's only going to get worse.

 So I'm still following the Outlaw Way, and I'm still making gains. This week I de-loaded a bit, taking a break form finishing all the work posted so that I can rest. I did set a snatch PR of 170. I pulled 175 high enough thrice, locked it out and got underneath it once, but failed to stand it up.

 170 is bodyweight +1. Not shabby, but it won't be a long lived PR either, it is going down next time I feel froggy (or next time its programmed to PR). All shit talking aside, that was hard.

 This week I hit a few other good days of work, but I hardly remember them because I failed to post immediately after. We also started another 45 Paleo challenge at CrossFit Monterey. I'm fuck-tarded because with a baby on the way in June I just signed up not to drink on Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day.

 Tarded. Seriously.

 Some progress towards the thesis was also made, I'm in possession of a thesis proposal, it just hasn't been put from my head into the written page yet. That will happen alongside the 175 lb snatch. It is coming, that much is certain.

 Yesterday was epicly fun.

 BB Gymnastica:
5 sets of 1 snatch and 20 double unders at 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85% made them all, double unders suck after a heavy snatch.
5 rounds of 200m row 185 lb hang power clean. This was scaled from 225 cause who the f*&$ am I kidding?

 Conditioning:
3 rounds for time of,
15 kipping HSPUs
10 80 DB snatches, alternating arms
5 muscle ups
12:41.
 HSPUs felt a breeze, slight scale, used abmat when it was supposed to be all off the ground, but helped my confidence and proved to me that should strength is coming along, DB snatch was scaled from 100 lbs, cause again wtfaik? muscle ups were done unbroken on 1&@, in three I did 4/1, not sure why I got off rings, except my skin was closed to popping open--but that usually doesn't stop me, so is that good or bad?

Not getting to be a better blogger

Snatch 3x1@132
Clean&jerk 3x1@170
Snatch pull 3x2@170

Conditioning:
250m row
10 95lb thrusters
15 burpees
3 minrest per round
All eearing 20lb vest.
My time splits are in the picture.
Total work 16:58 when you take out the 12 min of rest.

Thrusters were brutal.

Quick Note

"Life is hard. It's harder if you're stupid."
-Sgt Striker (John Wayne),
The Sands of Iwo Jima

BB Gymnastics

1) Snatch From Blocks (just below knee): 2 X 75%, 2 X 80%, 3X1 @ 85% – rest 75 sec. DEMO VIDEO
2) Clean From Blocks (just below knee): 2 X 75%, 2 X 80%, 3X1 @ 85% – rest 75 sec. DEMO VIDEO
3) 4X1 Heaving Snatch Balance – heavier than last week, rest 75 sec. DEMO VIDEO

Strength

1X20 Back Squat

Notes: This should be a maximal UNBROKEN set. If you completed all 20 reps last week, add approximately 5% this week. If you were close to completing all 20 reps (15-19), use the same weight. If you weren’t close (10-14), take off 5%.

Conditioning

For time:

50′ Prowler Push (high handles) 165/125#
15 OHS 135/95#
15 HSPU
50′ Prowler Push (low handle) 165/125#
12 OHS 135/95#
12 HSPU
50′ Prowler Push (high handles) 165/125#
9 OHS 135/95#
9 HSPU
50′ Prowler Push (low handle) 165/125#

My work:
1) Snatch from blocks (just above knee): 120, 132, 140
2) Clean from block (just above knee): 168, 177, 180
3) 4X1 Heaving Snatch Balance –135, 137, 140, 142
Strength

Back Squat 1X20 @195
Conditioning scaled OHS to 115, HSPU to 1 45 and Prowler to ~35 ft.
12:42

BB Gymnastics

1) Snatch: 60%x3, 70%x2, 75%x2, 80%x2, 85%x1. 90%x1 – rest 60-90 sec.
2) Clean & Jerk: 60%x3, 70%x2, 75%x2, 80%x2, 85%x1, 90%x1– rest 60-90 sec.

Notes: Neither lift needs to be touch and go, resetting after the rep is not just ok, but is suggested. When there is only 1 number following the listed percentage, then it notes reps.

Conditioning

For time:

10 Muscle-Ups
10 Squat Snatches 95/65#
8 Muscle-Ups
8 Squat Snatches 105/70#
6 Muscle-Ups
6 Squat Snatches 125/80#
4 Muscle-Ups
4 Squat Snatches 145/95#
2 Muscle-Ups
2 Squat Snatches 165/105#

Snatch 95,115,125,130,135,150
C&J 135,150,160,170,175,190
Conditioning around 10 min, clock was mistakenly stopped by another trainer before I finished the last two rounds.
No extra, cause my scrub ass didn’t qualify this year.
Oh, and I only used 1 bar for conditioning, and only added 10lbs per round, so did 95,105,115,125,135.

A week off

We traveled back to Philly, where the only WOD we did was 12.5. I improved by 3 thrusters from last year for 95.
I finished the Open at 236 in NorCal and 3814 in the world.  An improvement of 105 places in region and 139 in the world with approximately double the competition.  I'm not happy but I'll take it. The improvement despite the steeper competition makes me want to take this further.

Eight years until Masters...

Thursday:
Squat clean 3x3 warm ups & 3x3@50%

For time:

5 Rope Climbs 15′
15 Ring Dips
30 KB Snatch 24/16kg (15/15r)
3 Rope Climbs 15′
15 Ring Dips
20 KB Snatch 24/16kg
1 Rope Climb
15 Ring Dips
10 KB Snatch 24/16kg

9:50

Friday:
BB Gymnastics
1) Snatch From Blocks (just below knee): 3X2 @ 75%, 2X2 @ 80% – rest 75 sec-115, 125
2) Clean From Blocks (just below knee): 3X2 @ 75%, 2X2 @ 80% – rest 75 sec-155, 175
3) 4X2 Heaving Snatch Balance – heavier than last week, rest 75 sec-95, 105, 115, 125

Strength
1X20 Back Squat @175

Then...
Part A:

3 rounds for working time of:

10 Push Press 135/95#
15 HR Pushups
20 Pullups

*Rest 2 minutes after each round.

-Rest 10 minutes between parts.

Part B:

6 minute AMRAP of:

7 Hang Power Cleans @ 185/120#
11 Ring Dips
14 T2B
Part A:
4:22 working time (push pressed 105)
Part B:
2 rounds plus pwr clns (cleaned 135)

BB Gymnastics

20 minutes to establish a 1RM Power Clean. 

Took a warm up, started the clock at 115, hit 135, 155, 185, jumped to 205, failed, dropped to 190, then 195, then with 0:01 left I stood up 200. It was like a muscle clean, I think I would have PRed over my squat clean if I hadn't jumped and had warmed up better. Feeling stronger than I have in a while.

Conditioning

8 minute AMRAP of:

10 DB Thrusters 30/20#
10 GHD Situps
10 Inverted Burpees

I did 3 rounds plus the thrusters.  12.4 has just come out and the first athelete in our gym was going through, so I got distracted.

I skipped out of AMRAP 5 strict TGU's cause I am tired. 

Old dogs need more rest.

Rick Ross on a rope chain

1a) 7X2 Hang Snatch High-Pulls + 1 Hang Snatch (full squat) – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.
1b) 7X3 Snatch Grip Behind the Neck Push Press – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.

Then 5 rounds for total time of:
Row 250m
25 Perfectly Vertical KBS 70lbs

*Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

Lastly, pull sled 200mx4, 1:1 rest/work ration.

1a/1b- 85/95, 105/115, 115/135, 125/165, 135/185, 145/185, 150/185
WOD 14:33 total work time
10:00 later, tied a rope to a vest to a prowler with a total weight of 175 and walked.
The first in 200m in 4:03, 2nd in 3:20, 3rd-3:03, 4th-3:10

Outlaw WODs continue

For a few weeks now I've followed outlawcoach.wordpress.com and it has been incredible.

Today's work:
Strength

1) Back Squats: 1X5 @ 60%, 1X5 @ 70%, 2X5 @ 75% – rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
2a) 3X8 Supinated Bent Over Rows – heavy, rest 60 sec.
2b) 3X8 Weighted GH Raise – heavy, rest 60 sec.

Conditioning

5 rounds for time of:

6 Muscle Ups
9 Front Squats @ 185/120#

Results:

1a 168, 196, 210, 210
2a 155, 185, 200
2b 1 body weight only, +10lbs for 2&3

WOD: did HSPU w/reg standard to let a huge hole in my right palm heal up, 155 FS from the floor.
14:18

It hurt

But despite the hurt I pulled myself under the bar 60 times for 12.2 today.

Hell of a lot of fun to do it too.

Si tu amet esse mutum te melius lenta.

12.1 is done and I finished with 119 burpees, puttting me in the top 10% of NorCal and the top 18% worldwide. This gap will widen, certianly, but I'll enjoy these minor things while they last.

More importantly I finished a first full week on the outlaw way and started week two without a hitch.

T.o.W. 3 and Games OWD 1 released

WOD 120222:
BB Gymnastics
20 minutes Snatch technique work.

Notes: Focus on bar path and footwork. Bar should be as close to the body as possible throughout the entire lift, and if you move your feet MAKE SURE you are not jumping forward.

Conditioning
3 rounds for time of:
Run 400m
Row 400m
20 KBS 24/16kg

Notes: Perform all work at around a 90% effort. Concentrate on controlling breathing and staying “comfortable” during the entire piece. There is no need for a perfect KB standard.

Midline
1a) 3×3(each arm) TGU – medium/heavy, rest 60 sec.
1b) 3×10 Fast UB T2B – rest 60 sec.

Looking forward to 7 minutes of burpees.

Worked for 20 on snatch technique, from empty bar to 125, no big jumps, worked high hang, above knee, jumped back a little with light weights, tried to get over that habit. Had some good and some ugly.

13:59 on conditioning

tgu-3×3 @25lb, followed by quickest 10 UB t2b I could muster after each

ToW day 2

WOD 120221:

BB Gymnastics

1a) 5×1 1 Power Clean + 1 Hang Squat Clean – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.
1b) 5×1 1 Push Jerk + 1 Split Jerk – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.
2a) 3×5 Flat Footed Clean Hi-Pulls – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.

Notes: Pull should end at least at nipple height and with elbows as high and wide as possible. Keep the full foot in contact with the for the entire movement.

2b) 3×5 Dip Squat @ 120% of heaviest 1b rep, rest 60 sec.

Notes: The Dip Squat is simply the dip portion of a jerk. DO NOT allow the torso to pitch forward or the heals to leave the ground. These should be very heavy.

Conditioning (pain threshold training)

4 rounds for total working time of:

15 UB Push Press 115/75#
50 Double-Unders
15 UB OHS 115/75#

*Rest 2 minutes between each round.

Notes: Sets of PP and OHS should be performed unbroken, but if you cannot, every time the BB touches the floor there is a 20 Burpee penalty to be performed exactly 2 minutes after completion of the last round.

*After completing the above piece rest 5 minutes, then:

5 minute AMRAP of:

STRICT HSPU


BB G 1a/b 145/145 165/185, 190F/200F 190/200
2a/b 135/240, 155/240, 155/240
Did WOD as RX but did 3 rds, kinda , total time was 15:09, so 11:09 of work
Also failed to do my 40 burpees, so I suck, but oh wait, I also only managed 1 strict HSPU, two more attempts yielded 0 on both, so spent last two minutes practicing with bands to get good form.
All in all second day on the Outlaw Way felt great.

The Outlaw Way

Strength

1) Back Squat: 1X5 @ 60%, 1X3 @ 70%, 1X2 @ 80%, 1X2 @ 90%, 1X1 95% – rest 2-3 min. between each set.
Did these as singles, not sure if that's right.
170, 195, 225, 250, 265

2a) 4X10 UB Weighted C2B Pullups – heaviest possible (vests may be used), rest 60 sec.
2b) Front Squats: 1X5 @ 65%, 1X4 @ 70%, 1X4 @ 80%, 1X4 @ 85% – rest 60 sec.
10@18, 155, 10@21, 170, 10@24, 170, 10@30, 190, 10@36, 205

Conditioning

20 minutes to get as far as possible:

30’ Sled Pull 180/135#
20 Row for Calories
10 OH Walking Lunges 135/95#
then…
60’ Sled Pull 180/135#
40 Row for Calories
20 OH Walking Lunges 135/95#
etc…

Notes: The sled pulls should be performed with a 15’ rope attached to the sled. Pulling is hand over hand (think final event at the 2011 games. Distance should be acquired by setting up 2 cones 30’ apart. After pulling the total length of rope, back pedal and repeat.

Scaled OHWL to 95. I did two rounds and got up to 35 of 49 oH walking lines in third. Pull about 30' before each rd 2&3 before realizing I must OH WL first-idiot.

Gonna be dumb you better get tough .

Back on the scene...

Today's work:
Mobility work on the hips, jumped a bunch of boxes in a row a few times as play. Ring pushups.
Dynamic effort: 10x1 back squats @60% of 1RM (160)
WOD:
50 box jumps
25 parallette push ups
40 bj
20 ppu
30 bj
15 ppu
20 bj
10 ppu
12:50
Wore 36lb vest, jumped up stepped down in box jumps.
Post WOD 1- 400m farmers carry w/vest on and 70 lbs or KBs.
Post WoD 2- 5 burpees on minute for 10 minutes. Hard fast full extension of everything style burpees.

Get it together

Not sure if I ever will, but I will not stop trying. Ever.

Good mornings 3,3,3,3,3 worked to 170

Five rounds, for time:
15 rope pull ups
10 ring dips
10 good mornings @95
10 sit ups
12:30

Two weeks

The Games Open WOD 12.1 drops the 22nd.

Respect. Walk.

Still subbing upper body exercises due to the no pushing no pulling, but those dark days are half way over.

Last night, with the 4pm class:
30 walking barbell lunges at half body weight.
9 pistol-rolling-to-candlestick per leg
20 walking lunges
6 prtc per leg
10 walking lunges
7:24
The 5 sets of 3 Bulgarian split squats wearing two 20lb vests

Run, shoot and scoot

Yesterday,
800m run
Three rounds
25 20lb wall ball shots 18in above reach
25 GHD sit ups
800m run
13:21

Careful or your ass may explode.

So after one week of training nothing but trunk and legs I tried to back squat for a new 1RM on Saturday. Probably not the best idea I've ever had in my life. I warmed up and mobilized hip flexors and hamstrings. I hit a few sets on the empty bar and started to climb I weight.

Back squat: 95x5, 135x3, 185x2, 225, 250, 275 (5lb off 1rm and feeling easy), 285, FAIL. Huge fail, like bowel shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse fail.

The heavy barbell got in my head again. Loaded up 250 to get some confidence back, FAIL AGAIN. Like dropped down on my knees kinda fail. Took a moment, tried to clear my head and went back to the barbell.

235 check, 245, check, 255, check, 265, check, 275 Fail again, but tired now, I know I've taken a pinch of the hair of the dog who bit me, and I'm fine.

Mobility and out.

Two days full

I should not have been working out today, but I did.

Yesterday:
Good mornings 3reps of : 95, 135, 170x3
Then AMRAP 20 of 7 big box jumps, 12 left handed Russian KB swings 16kg and 200m run. Did 12&reps of Ed 13. Fun except for the massive pain and scarring. Fer reel.

Today did 5 rnds moderate weight lunges down and back on the course. Did 45, 65, 95, 115, & 145.
The WOD was three rds for time of medium box jumps, v ups and 300m run. Did it wearing 20lb vest in 9:34. Then did 150 air squats for time in 3:34.
Hips are tired after four days on, ooops.

Front Squats and sprints

Day two of the return to arms, and here I am blogging again. HFS.

Warmed up playing around with agility ladder and forward rolls, not much to that but it is fun.

Mobilized the hips, probably need to mobilize the shoulder a wee bit more next time I front squat, especially since I worked on a new position yesterday, pinching my scapulae and getting the arm back into a position tight in the shoulder socket by getting a wider hand position on the barbell.

Front Squats: 3,3,3,3,3 worked from 135 up to 190, 205, 215, 220, 225 for 3, which beat my last 3rm of 210. Was told it looked light, but I am at times reluctant to go too aggressive so I took my 15lb PR and moved on.

WOD was 15 FS@135, run to olympia (800m), 10 FS run to Elder (400m) and 5 FS run to CA (~200m) in 7:12

Some paleo chair, some roller work on the hip flexor and glutes and out.  Again, with FS I need to remember to do some shoulder work.

Did I mention we are expecting? Puts it all in perspective.
Note the virtual in utero high five. Clutch,

Gonna WOD all day, Gonna WOD all night...

Yesterday, the return to arms 2012 began. At least, I started working out on my latest programming, which ironically involves no use of the arms (or very, very little).

Interested parties may seek the program here. Uninterested parties may go and flog themselves.

First day of first week lacking any fists of fury:
Back Squats 3,3,3,3,3 @ 235. Felt heavy, legs weak. Looking down again, need to get head and chest to stay up without craning neck.

WOD:
4 rounds, for time of 12 sandbag waling lunges and 21 deck squats in 8:09

because she can, that's why...

No time for post WOD mobility as I had two classes to teach and be jealous of as they did "Death by Pull Ups".

On misfits & resolutions

So here's to another year of health and happiness!

I was wondering if I should come up with a list of resolution.  But I've kind of given up on resolutions because sometimes my goals just don't fit in with reality.  Not that I'm unrealistic or insane. I think resolutions are all well and good, but the ideas I come up with of what I should do become misfits among my actions-what I can or will do--because they just don't fit in.  I often aim too damn high or way off the mark.

In my pursuit of wellness and health I still believe there isn't much to it than to do it.  You must only resolve to be resolute. "There is no try, just do." So instead of making resolutions to change, I've going to be resolute and continue to do what I do best: put in work.

30 days are programmed out with no upper body activity (or very little), due to a bout of medial epicondilytis (golfer's elbow) that has been giving me pain for a few months.

I will be breaking my back (hopefully not literally) trying to get really strong legs for the next few months. Lots of squat variations, high-bar, low-bar, sandbags, front squats and maybe zerchers along with lunges, good mornings and tons of work for the abs and low back.  Running, sprinting, jumping will abound.  Not sure if 30 days will be enough but what I do know it that I have to change my routine or I will be toast by the CF Games Open.  And since I eat Paleo, well, you know that toast is bad.

Catching up

Isn't that exactly what we all want to do?

This week I've taken some time off for catching up and recovery. Started off ok with a 4:18 Grace, a PR by 1:04. Two days later hit dynamic squats, two on the minute for 10 rds, working from 95 to 205. That same day did Diane with lighter weight and a deficit. That did it. Every bit of recovery I made from the cold that started two weeks ago disappeared. Maybe I've been hitting it too hard, or at least too hard for being sick. All signs point to overtraining: slight cold, body aches, fatigued and listless.

The OC Throwdown online qualifiers were during this same time period, which could have been better. I admittedly went after them as hard as I could, barring repeating them, but didn't do anywhere near as well as I would have liked. Time, as they say, takes its toll. Maybe my run for the Games isn't quite happening this year... Or maybe ever.

One qualifier WOD left to do, and I feel like refried monkey ass. Not much I can do but take a few days off and reattack on Saturday.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, ‘press on’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge

So I guess I have to stop sucking at this, huh?

WEEKS HAVE GONE BY AND STILL I FAIL TO BLOG.

Sorry kids, school is demanding...

Apparently its harder than I thought....

So by now I realize I may have, well, skipped about two weeks, maybe three weeks of posting to this blog.

Not that it's a good thing. But I realize I've made that mistake again, it's getting to be a bad habit.

Time to get back on the wagon.

The past three days consisted of the below WODs.

Tues:
"Nasty Girls"

3 rds for time
50 squats
7 muscle ups
10 hang power cleans"

in 9:48--PR

Weds:

"Bradley"
10 rounds
100m run
10 pull ups
100m run
10 burpees
30 sec rest
26:34 (long runs the first 13 rounds, whoops)


Thurs:

9, 6, 3 rep rounds, for time of:
Deadlifts (M=225)
Squat Clean & Jerk
(M=135)
Thrusters (M=115)
Overhead Squats (M=95)
1 minute rest
*load a 45# bar in the following order 25#, then 2 10# plates, then 45#, in the rest, put it back on, yay
14:38, painful

Round two of 8

How hard could this be?

That actually was a fair estimate, so far.  Three on/one off allows for a great amount of recovery balanced with a fair opportunity to create some intensity.  I need both.

30 days of 3 on 1 off

How hard could this be?  Wow--I just said that.  I've heard so many people say something similar about so many white board work outs. It is usually the one that looks so easy that turns out to be so damn hard.

That said, I've committed to a 30 day challenge of three WODs followed by one rest day.  I may/may not choose to do a second endurance or strength WOD once or twice during each cycle but the point will be to maximize intensity in the three day period and forcing myself to rest more often than I have been in my last two programs.

This may have the additional benefit of making time in my uber-busy military student athlete calendar to write more blog posts.  Lord knows I should keep better track of what is working and what is not working via this blog.

Our first three day cycle looked like this:

Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes 5k

Today Tiffany and I ran a 5k for the Travis Manion Foundation.  Good causes are always in need, we were glad to do our part.

It's hard to beleive it is 9/11/2011, marking a full 10 years since the attacks on America.  So many lives have been touched.  Its hard to believe, and its sometimes hard to bear.  Too many deployments, too many missed moments, too many lives lost, too much sorrow to count.

Weeks go by...

...and still I cannot figure out how to stay on top of this training log.

http://youtu.be/hFcluhP6nOI

Catching up again

So yesterday finally was my L1 test. Done and done. I think I did well except for a few outlier questions that gave me HARD time, but I just don't spend too much time thinking about the myriad ways one can express power output and functional recruitment of musculature from core to extremities. We'll see how that goes, and I cannot wait to see how the L2 testing eventually turns out. Having passed it once, I am ready to be tested again and hope I do as well the 2nd time.

Last week's training:
-Monday and Wednesday's lifts I varied slightly. Instead of working to heavy single I limited it to 7 attempts total and for the dynamic sets instead of working up to a set across I did a few warm-ups and then started low, increasing weight with each reps.

Mon: C&J worked up to 190 in 6 singles, repeated 190 due to a slow press out at the top of the jerk. Snatch started at 105, did 15 singles, worked up to 150FLx3, did 145FLx1, made it for 3 then did 150

Tues: PM BS 250 3x5 then 1k row 3:47.9

Weds: AM- 5 triples working to a heavy 3 rep snatch for the day, worked up to 130 for 3 then did C&J on the 2:00x10 worked up to 200 on 9th, made it. 205 on the tenth didn't fare as well. Got under it and bailed. PM-Nate RX 12 rds 2 m/u and 1 HSPU attempt... 4 rd & 2 rep PR

Thurs: FS 3 sets of 5 at 215. No Conditioning.

Tiffany and I discussed doing a month of the mainpage to challenge ourselves. I wonder if that's even possible anymore. More to follow on that.

FGB 6 time.

Marble

by Scott Zagarino

Marble starts out as a chunk of stone rooted in the ground that resists removal from its station mightily. It takes brute force to uproot it from its place. Then as an ugly, stubborn chunk it has to be moved by heavy equipment to a place to be cut, shaped and polished until what was once an ugly piece of the earth becomes a beautiful, hard surface brought into service as a floor or a kitchen counter.

There is one more purpose it serves that rises far above the mundane household uses. What was once of the earth becomes of the spirit when it marks a life no longer lived. Most times it marks the cradle to grave passing of a person of the everyday accomplishment of a father, son, brother, sister or friend.

But occasionally there is a rock dug from the earth meant to mark an extraordinary and heroic life. Not long ago I stood before just that special piece of marble on a small piece of ground off the beaten path at the Special Operations Warrior memorial wall in Florida. As I walked from the parking lot and caught my first glance of the yards of cool black marble inscribed to honor and memorialize men and women who had given the most precious thing given to all of us, their lives, I began to feel. It was a feeling of appreciation that any words I write here could not begin to describe.

The black, veined rock had come to a confluence of rest with the souls of people who walk among us but not with us. There was one name I searched for because I knew at least a part of the story that caused the marble slab to bear his name. After walking around the memorial feeling more and more a mixture of sadness, appreciation and a kind of awe took over that I may have felt sometime before, but couldn't remember when.

Then as if I had always been meant to stand in that place, I found myself standing in front of a small, square piece of black marble with the carefully carved inscription, "Lt Michael P Murphy." I disappeared into a sobbing, shattered shadow of the person I had been when I'd woken in my hotel that morning. What was left of Lt Murphy was not a piece of rock, it was a reminder of the heights each of us are capable of rising to from one singular motivation. A motivation I, and most of us, rarely recognize, acknowledge or ever have the chance to act on. A motivation that is the very quality we each squander daily as we race through our lives of never enough. A motivation that makes everything else in the world pale and disappear into the background. The motivation wrought by our total and complete love for our brothers and sisters.

For Michael Murphy, that meant making the choice to stand up, as bullets flew through and by him, pick up a satellite phone and make a phone call that I am sure he knew would be the last act of this life. That phone call was a plea for anyone on the other end to please come to the rescue of his brothers who were being torn apart by enemy fire that there was no escape from. And then Lt Michael Murphy was gone.

But I met Michael Murphy. I met him on a wall sitting in a patch of grass in a small field in Florida. I met him, because that piece of marble that had been so stubborn and rugged would forever stand in that place to remind me, and anyone who stands before it, we all have a chance to rise. We all have a chance to give and serve something precious to us to someone and something bigger than ourselves.

Before I left that place, I rubbed my hand across that cold, dark slab and made a vow to Lt Murphy. Writing this now it may sound insignificant given what he'd given me, but I promised him that as long as there was a Fight Gone Bad I would do everything I could to make sure he was not forgotten, and that as many people as I could reach would not forget him either. At least for seventeen minutes once a year.

On September 17th, every one of us has a chance to rise above ourselves, throw some money in the hat for the people we can help, and say thank you to Lt. Michael Murphy for reminding us who we can be. He gave us the chance to be heroic in our own way.

Let us not, in the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "....be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Lt. Murphy will never stand or lie in that place.

I hope you'll join us this year on September 17th.

www.fgb6.org

Same day, different week.

Saturday returns and I'm still lifting, still WODing and still behind on everything I do. Oh and yesterday I turned 36. We celebrated with a nice dinner out and followed it up by attending a 3 hour Olympic Weightlifting seminar with Ben Claridad at CrossFit Monterey.

This week saw another PR and some random METCONs at pretty heavy weight.

Mon: Worked up to a 150 snatch and hit 180 C&J every 2:00 for 8 min.
Tues: AM--3x5 Back Squat @ 240 and Tabata KB swing w/53lb (9) Followed immediately by 2:00 D/U (53) PM--max weighted M/U 55Lb vest, 3x5 Press @105
Weds: Offcycle WOD, 3RM OHS PR @185, and PR 1 RM OHS @ 200, then 5 rds of 5 DL @275, 5 deadhang P/U and 5 burpee box jumps in 6:00
Thurs: FS 3 sets of 5 at 205 then 5 rds of shasta run, 15 box jumps (24) and 15 95lb thrusters
23:55

And today, working for about 3 hours on points of performance on the Snatch, Clean and Jerk I worked up to a PR 205Lbs Clean and Jerk. Ben and his crew put on a great clinic, I was very happy to learn what they offer.

L1 test, what?!

Sitting here in San Jose, reading (well... blogging but I should be reading) the revised CrossFit Level 1 handbook, I'm forced to realize how many different irons I have in the fire. So much to fill a plate, when does it end.

PRs this past 10 days:
Fran
Deadlift
Elizabeth
Max muscle ups in 10 minutes
Consequetive bar muscle ups
and most importantly...

...drumroll....

...the snatch.

We went to the CF Games, my nephew came to visit for a week. I got my first perfect score on an Algebra quiz since... well, probably the first one ever.

Oh, and I spoke with Greg Amundson of CF Santa Cruz OG/CF Amundson fame about this little CF Jarhead project of mine. It might not be such a dead letter office deal after all, or who knows, maybe CF NPS was a better idea after all.

Now I sit here all not studying to take my L1 exam, so I can get all bona-fide and such. Between this beautiful lady who enthralls me, the CrossFit stuff, writing a few papers and taking some quizzes, it is what I call my life. Simple and unelegant but utterly mine and I wouldn't trade it for a thing.

Haven't been on the ball

But I have been in the gym. I've also been hosting my nephew I am and giving him an intro to CrossFit and life in graduate school. I don't think he's impressed that algebra never goes away, and surprisingly he likes 7am gym time.

Everything is better with BACON

... incredibly, even bacon.

Vosges Applewood Smoked Salt & Bacon 82% Cacao chocolate bars are not only bacony goodness, they are also the fuel that I speculate has made me hit two PRs in the past 48 hours.

-Over a minute off my Fran time, 4:48
-10 Lb deadlift PR, 365lbs.

I blame the bacon I snaked on over a few nights this week. Or maybe it's the Games high from last weekend, I don't care. Pass the bacony goodness.

Catching up

Yesterday, returned to the barbell for the snatch and the clean and jerk.

Heavy Snatch: warmed up pretty fast, and it took 3 attempts to pull 145 but it was solid in the end.

Clean and Jerk Volume: warmed up pretty high, didn't have any missed lifts for 10 reps of 175lbs every 2 minutes. Jerks didn't feel very fast or very strong this week.

On a gear note I bought some strength wraps at the Games in the vendor village. They felt much better than a few layers of cloth tape. I feel like they're going to more than earn back what I paid for them. Now I need a good 4 inch belt.

Another beginning

Lots of things learned over the 2011 Games Weekend. I have had a lot of time to reconsider why I train and think about how I train. Consistency has been my greatest flaw, so its got to be my focus this year as the 2012 Open approaches.

Will I make the Games? I have no idea, but I will try to make Regionals, wither individually or as a team. Whether realistic of not, that's my goal.

Yesterday 7AM:
5RM Back Squat, warmed up with 95, 135, 185 and hit 225 for 4 then 2. Definite strength gains shown, but not as much as I'd like.
This was followed by 3 rounds for time of 12 70lb swings, 12 24 inch box jumps and 500m hill runs. 8 min thrity-something, I didn't quite hear my time.

Yesterday at around Noon:
Very breif warm-Up and Stretch, followed by 3 rounds of 5 repsof:
175lb Pendlay Row
35lb weighted Pull Ups

I've decided to add pulling and pushing weighted Strength components to my two conditioning days during the week. I like the idea of increased volume, and I need the increased exposure to more exercises. While I'm no genius at programing I think that if I only do the Snatch & C&J than I'll only get stronger there. If I increase the number of exercises slightly, with some variety, it will provide the breadth and depth of strength I am looking for in an increased general physical preparation.

For pulling days I've picked Pendlay Rows, Sumo Deadlift High Pulls and Weigted pull ups. I'll cycle through these three exercises doing two each week, added weight each time, and alternating between 5x3 and 3x5.

For pushing days I thought that weighted push ups, presses and (shudder) bench press should do the trick. Again alternating between 3x5 and 5x3 and rotating exercises each 'pushing' day.

Along with that I finally went with a protein & recovery drink plan... PROGENEX got me. Since getting into Olympic Lifting I've leaned out, probably due to volume, to a bodyweight hovering right between 165-168. I'd like to add 15-20 lbs of muscle between now and New Years. I'll try to keep a record of any perceived effects to my general health or well-being. Since I've walked around at 180 before, I know I can do it. But that was years ago and I completely stopped running in that time. This time I want it to be good, lean muscle that won't go away as soon as I run a bit or stop supplementing.

2012 Reebok|CrossFit Games training season begins now.

What are you doing to get ready?

Games Games Games Games

Guess where I'm going?

Wednesday AM:
Heavy Snatch: 155 with aplomb.
Dynamic C&J: 170 10x1 on 2 min

Leaving tonight for the 2011 Reebok|CrossFit Games at the HDC in LA and I probably will not post or WOD until I get back, but we'll see.

Get into the week. Love it.

The 2011 CrossFit Games are coming. I'm excited, very excited.

Monday, heard back that this little blog does not an affiliate make. CF HQ let me know that without a presence on base, what I do doesn't quite hit the mark of military affiliate. More on that later, other things are more important right now. But I was perhaps a bit presumptuous and high-concept. When I train clients on base and we are on base, that's a military affiliate, that makes sense. In hindsight, it may have been ambitious to say the least.

Monday:
Warm Ups, included 135 back Squats & deadlifts as well as a 500m row with the standard mobility and practice lifts
Heavy Clean and Jerk, W/Us and worked to 175lbs
Snatches, 15x1 on a 1:30 clock all at 115lbs

Tuesday:
7am class. Uh, yes... SEVEN. A. M.
3x5 Back Squats at 205, along with 5x ring strength sequence
WOD, glorious WOD....
AMRAP in 10 minutes 5 deadlifts @275, 10 walking lunges, 15 push ups
8 rounds flat, good fun.

Still rocking the MCMAP sessions Friday AMs, going to have to work some fun into their warm ups eventually.

Post-week observations

A very happy 30th Birthday to Tiffany today. She's still with me, although most of our friends have no idea why. She is my reason to be, and she is magnificent.

This week went out with a muffled bang, as we went to San Fran for carousing and birthday delights. But Weds, Thurs and Sat I oantained the new schedule, except that Saturday I did wimp out on post olympic lifts work (squats and presses). I will give this program its due until it is done. Monday will see presses revisited as penance of sorts.

Next weekend: the 2011 Reebok|CrossFit Games. I am ready.

Truckin', I got my chips cashed in...

I just keep truckin' on. Yesterday I began a new weightlifting schedule.

It follows:
Mon/Weds/Sat Oly lifts.
Tues/Thurs Squats & WOD.

The Mon/Weds Oly lifts are volume lifts at a percentage of 1RM max following a heavy single of the other lift. I did this yesterday, working up to a 145 SN (Heavy, but not a mx for the day by any means) then did 165lbs C&J (BW) 10x1.

My last program last 6 weeks, didn't include much in the way of WODs and I was not doing MCMAP. I have added a fair amount of cycling )to and from campus 2x a day) and 4 hours of throwing, grappling and hitting bags on Fridays weekly.

On another note, Tiffany got weightlifting shoes, but they are slightly too small. We'll see how that goes, she may return them, we shall see.

Grinding on.

Saturday, tried to max snatch and clean and jerk, followed by Front Squats.

Snatches, worked up to 155, missed 160x2, moved on.

Clean and Jerk, worked up to 185, failed 192.5x2 and moved on.

Front Squats: I took some key advice from Tiffany, (yes, she's coaching me and I'm listening :-)) so I pushed my knees out and forced a change in my squat. The change worked, no more pain after the squats. I know I'm missing heavy cleans from not squating heavy weight.

From 95 worked up in doubles and triples to 205 for 1. Knees out all the way down and all the way up. This led to a curious amount of soreness. Soreness, not pain.

Monday I took about 45 minutes to play.
-Ring push ups
-Ring rows
-Snatch Pulls
-1 Hang Clean followed by 1 front squat
-presses
-ab mat sit ups

Still biking to from campus, leads to a lot of extra hunger. Eating as clean and as much as I can.

Throwdown at Monterey

Last night my wife and I took part in a throw down of sorts with CrossFit Salinas Valley hosted by CrossFit Monterey. Three WODs followed by a good time with BBQ and adult beverages.

WOD one was a 3RM back squat. I laid up a light 235. THat was pretty cheesy of me, I know. My back squats need to get more attention and more weight.

WOD two was a two man effort of sand bag hill sprints and 5 185 lb cleans, my partner wasn't able to RX it, so we went at 165. Cleans were the chink in his armor, and he only finished the first round of three at 160, the others were 145 and 135. He showed a lot of heart throwing himself under a very heavy weight and we had a good time.

WOD three was a four man fire team event. 100 reps of four out of five elements of Fight Gone Bad, for time. One person exercises at a time. WE rocketed through it a a team. I tried to finish up as many reps of as many things as I could, as usual wallball was my archnemesis.

Tomorrow I'll be calling Casey R. from CF Fort Meade for Another Crossfitter's POV, part II. Check it out.

Path to Black belt

Today I started on the final steps towards my black belt as a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor. Marines at NPS plan classes around each quarter. It gives you the opportunity to go through from grey belt to black belt if you pursue the next belt each quarter the entire time you are here.

Although I'm not sure I feel good about this type of pursuit of belts, I do know I am happy to get back to training again. We'll meet once a week for a four hour session of sustainment teaching and integration of techniques.

It has been since spring of 2009 since I taught a MCMAP class, but it was like getting back on a bike.

This quarter I will be worried more about reviewing my brown belt and lower techniques. Next quarter I will commit to learning and graduating as a black belt MCMAP Instructor.

I do know it's about damn time.

Another week into the fire...

So you want to get a funded education? Better be ready for lots of classroom hours, studying... and boredom.

Yeah, boredom. It happens. The 'routine is the enemy', that was one of the lines that caught my eye so long ago when I first read "World Class Fitness in 100 Words" by Greg Glassman. I've done a linear strength progression for about 6 weeks, and unsurprisingly I am not as enthusiastic about it now as when I started.

So I start finding ways around the program.

Man, I'm tired today, shouldn't do the presses at the end....
Front squats, damn--I gotta take a dump...
Back squats? are you shitting me?

There's been no end to it, after week four (or maybe it was mid week four) I wasn't that enamored with getting under the barbell. The routine became the enemy instead of becoming my friend as I'd hoped it would.

So, another review is in order, and some variety.

Today I did a 7am WOD:
15 minute AMRAP
10 KTEs
10 Presses 115 (dropped to 95 after rd 1)
10 Air Squats

I managed 5 rds, plus 10 plus 6.
It felt very good to be off the routine.

Oly Lifting program re-eval

Tday, between Info Science for DoD and Algebra/Trig review:

W/U:500m row, pass throughs, wide grip deadhang pull ups, ring dips, box step up/squat combo
Snatch: 95,105,115,125,135,140,145,150,155,160FLx2
C&J:135x2,165,175,185 then had to jet due to aforementioned algebra.

Time just isn't there to work up to a max snatch and a max c&j between classes.
Got to re-evaluate and get back into a routine.

On another note, applied to formally become a military affiliate of CF Inc.

How great I am.

Just a quick Happy Birthday to my Dad, Rich Hoffner. Retired Cheltenham P.D. Detective, former Coast Guard Petty Officer and all around great American. Through his hard work and character he taught me many lessons, even when I didn't want to hear them, even when he didn't know he was teaching them.

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you.

A week in review

Week six of the Olympic Weightlifting days.

Started off with the first days of lifting in our new garage gym, pictures to follow. Jacob, Mariah and Nathan from CF Monterey joined Tiffany and me for a few hours of lifting followed by a simple BBQ.  Tiffany made some amazing guacamole and bbq sauce from scratch, check that and her other creations out at www.thecavegirldish.com.

July 4th: Snatch max was 160 (new personal best), worked up to 190 on C&J.  It was one of those days where that just felt really heavy, maybe from all the misses on the snatch (hit all of my last 4 lifts on third attempts.)

July 6th: AM Snatch volume, warmed up and worked up to 10 singles at 130. This was a first, as I haven't PRed my snatch in awhile and it felt really good.  Landing tight, pulling just enough, I may not be extending fully though.
PM WOD: 3 rds of 2 dumbell split cleans (alt legs), 4 db push press, 8 db push jerks, 16 double unders RXed in 8:10 with 55lb dumbells.

July 7th: Clean and Jerk volume, warmed up, worked up and did 10 singles at 165.  This was a bit over what I should be hitting on a volume day.  Haven't PRed in a while on C&J so I upped it to BW, only 5lbs but I thought it may help.  Had a few reps Tiff said weren't fully extending, power cleaning more or less.  Need focus and practice as well as fast hips getting under the bar.

July 8th: Maxed both SN and CJ.  Snatch, worked up to 145 successfully, failed 155 repeatedly.  C&J, worked up to 195 successfully, failed 205 four times.
Wish I had some video of that to anayze, I'll think of that next time.

Overall the weightlifting is fun enough

Many things happening in many days

Been about two weeks since my last post.  So much time, so few pounds added to my snatch.  Actually, I've added another 5 lbs to my snatch, current PR is 160, up 20 lbs since getting here which isn't too shabby.

So as to my many posts, there haven't really been many. 

We moved into a new house and I created a kick-ass garage gym.  Two care garage with about 9 foot ceilings, enough for snatches and presses for anyone my height easily.  Cement floor (so far) to support dropping of weight.

Right now it's as set up as I planned for this point, but there will be more progress later.  A little bit of flooring or a lifting platform would help, and place to hang rings and maybe a rope are in order.  Time will tell.

Checked in today.

Why does it all fall to $h#t?!?!

One would imagine that the intent and focus I described in my last post would indicate how nothing would stand between me and my goals.  Nothing except I conspiracy of time and all elements of life.  Today is the last day of the most extended period of leave of my entire 17 year Marine Corps career.  This long period of 'inactivity' has provided me some of the most dedicated training time I've ever known as a CrossFitter, which is ironic considering I've hardly done any CrossFit in this time.  All the weightlifting has been a great experience though, don't get me wrong.


Now, will I be able to push the gains I've got going in this regard?
Will I make my aforementioned goals in ~10 days time?

Rather than lose ground or plateau due to the return to a regular work schedule it is time to reign in my other pursuits, and use the time more wisely. The next few days will determine the next two years in many ways and I will not allow myself to lose sight of any of the goals I've set. 

Patience and white noise

There's a very clear reason people follow linear progressions for strength training--they work.

For several weeks I've followed an Olympic Weightlifting progression with very good results in both the snatch and clean & jerk numbers. After just this three weeks I am experiencing firsthand the 'drive' that is essential to create powerful weightlifters. Overall I do know that I want the health and fitness benefits conveyed from the time spend jumping and landing with the barbell. And I see that linear progression training for strength and power may not actually be such a bad idea... in moderation. There also seems to be more benefit to progressive, unrelenting pursuit of known and knowable goals than I previously believed.

Coming into this I was hopeful yet skeptical.  Nevertheless I set some very high goals (BW snatch and 225 C&J) for myself to attain by 4th of July weekend. The first three weeks have shown a gain of 15lbs in the snatch and 10lbs in the clean and jerk.  Will I make the goals? I'll do the work, we'll see about the weight. But there's more to weightlifting than just the weight.

30 days and 30 nights

Yesterday I spoke to my wife about this little web presence. Rather, my total lack of commitment to this web presence. There's a definite pattern. Man blogs, man slacks off on blogging, man returns to blog to blog about slacking on blogging.

We've moved again, this time to a very anti-climatic Central California Coast. Summer here is like, well, it's like fall anywhere else we've been, and winter in some parts of the south. Add to that a month long stay in a hotel before our house is ready and so far it hasn't made for the best change of climate from sunny SoCal.

At least the traffic is... well, there isn't any. At least there's that.

There it goes again.

Just when I thought I'd get back on the blog train to happyville.... BOOM. Another period devoid of writing anything. What's a Crossfitting, paleo eating, happily married Marine Officer to do? I guess my expectations are unrealistic. This little thing of mine is supposed to be a labor saving labor of love. A workout logbook to prevent me from keeping a workout logbook. But whenever I reassert my intent to resume writing I once again backslide into silence.

Lots of walking.
The dogs have appreciated it and I've made the time now that I'm at home with all the post deployed leave. After reading De Vany's new book I took to the idea of tking ramblin walks. Since the pooches need the exercise and i enjoy the contemplative time we take half hour walks and I'm tryig to condition them to even longer walks.

Reading.
I cracked the books and finished The Paleolithic Solution by Robb Wolf and The New Evolution Diet by Art De Vany. Now I'm reading Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival by T.S. Wiley. Reading may not be a WOD but it's been refreshing the roots of the tree if you'll allow me the romantic allusion. I'd be better off getting my head caged right than getting into my squat cage.

Love and Marriage.
I heard a trite but true turn of a phrase: happy wife, happy life. This isn't about me and my tranquility though. My life has been incredible blessed by a wonderful woman. So whatever we can do together, we do. This simple life hack has created more peace of mind, has assisted my transition back to 'real life' and led to more incredible memories for both of us.

Next?
We move, live, work, run, lift, love and eat. More barbells, fear, joy and bacon. Who knows if I can actually get through a linear back squat program or ever press 200 lbs.

But I will keep doing work.

Need to dial it in.

How much does a program matter?

I'd like to go back to throwing down at anything without ryhme or reason. To my dismay I've had more than a little trouble getting my head in he game without a plan. It's been a month since I left Afghanistan and CF LNK. Without the very static routine over there I have not been able to fix my sights on a program. Cut loose and goin off CFOC 'programming' I do not feel like I'm getting my best work done.

This will have to change.

Today I rearranged the garage gym. Didn't really work out but I did set up a sound system.

Immediate Goal: Do squats tomorrow morning.

Midterm Goal: Write a 30 day program.

100 OHS for time

95lbs OHS, 100 reps with ten burpees every time you came out of the OHS.
I did 25, 10, 15, 20, 15, & 15. So I added 50 burpees.
10:16 rx'd

Oly Fridays and two a days

I started a CF LNK Team training blog. It may wind up just being my blog, but who knows.

http://cflnktrainsforthegames.blogspot.com

Kind of simple really.

Yesterday we went to the gym twice.
WOD#1.
5 rounds, for time
15 med ball cleans
15 wall balls, 10 ft target
20#ball
9:06

In the evening we went and did an Oly Lifting day, working on the hang clean for heavy singles, then the full squat clean.
I missed a new 5# PR, and ended up only finishing 5# shy of my previous PR at 185. I lot of work on getting fast in the middle. I need to follow up and stay active in pursueing my Oly Lift goals. Yesterday was my first serious attempt at Oly Lifting since December.

No more excuse making. Every day. Pursue excellence.

Home.

It's very good to be here.

"DT"
DNF in round four with 2 push jerks to go.
Rx'ed.

Shoulder tweaked on rep 4. Put the bar down, stripped the weight and walked away.

This can be very challenging to do. But sometimes you have to be able to walk away from the bar.

Do work & have fun

Watching UFC 128 in Manas, Kyrgyzstan.

Last night/this AM I did hit rhe gym. Something about watching all these servicemembers who DIDN'T serve a year in Afghanistan be allowed two beers a night while we aren't makes me want to go throw heavy shit around. Nothing quite like treating returning veterans like toddlers based on the actions of one.

At least the fights are on here.

Last night:
Warm ups: L pull ups, dB cleans, toes to bar, turkish get ups, double unders.
WOD:
hang power cleans 3,3,3,3,3 115 to 185
Good mornings & knees to elbows: 3 sets of 10 135-155
Behind the neck push jerk: 3,3,3,3,3 135-175
Cooldown:
6 laps of the gym farmers walk w/2x 24kg KB
5 rds: 20 double unders, 10 back ext, 10 ghd sit ups
Worked with a small med ball, push press/throw & catch as high as I could for awhile on each hand
Worked some box jumps and single leg box jumps
Finisher:
6,5,4,3,2,1 rep rds of ring dips, L pull ups & 32kg Kb swings

"A Message to Garcia"

I've quoted this for years...

A MESSAGE TO GARCIA
written by Elbert Hubbard
February 22, 1899


In all this Cuban business there is one man stands out on the horizon of my memory like Mars at perihelion. When war broke out between Spain and the United States, it was very necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the Insurgents. Garcia was somewhere in the mountain fastnesses of Cuba – no one knew where. No mail or telegraph could reach him. The President must secure his co-operation, and quickly.


What to do!


Someone said to the President, “There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan will find Garcia for you, if anybody can.”


Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia. How “the fellow by name of Rowan” took the letter, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle, and in three weeks came out on the other side of the island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and having delivered his letter to Garcia, are things I have no special desire now to tell in detail.


The point I wish to make is this: McKinley gave Rowan a letter to be delivered to Garcia; Rowan took the letter and did not ask, “Where is he at?” By the Eternal! There is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college in the land. It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this or that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies; do the thing – “carry a message to Garcia!”


General Garcia is dead now, but there are other Garcias.


No man, who has endeavored to carry out an enterprise where many hands were needed, but has been well-nigh appalled at times by the imbecility of the average man – the inability or unwillingness to concentrate on a thing and do it. Slipshod assistance, foolish inattention, dowdy indifferece, and half-hearted work seem to be the rule; and no man succeeds, unless by hook or crook, or threat, he forces or bribes other men to assist him; or mayhap, God in His goodness performs a miracle, and sends him an Angel of Light for an assistant. You, reader, put this matter to a test: You are sitting now in your office -six clerks are within your call. Summon any one and make this request: “Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Corregio.”


Will the clerk quietly say, “Yes, sir,” and go do the task?

On your life, he will not. He will look at you out of a fishy eye, and ask one or more of the following questions:

Who was he?

Which encyclopedia?

Where is the encyclopedia?

Was I hired for that?

Don’t you mean Bismarck?

What’s the matter with Charlie doing it?

Is he dead?

Is there any hurry?

Shan’t I bring you the book and let you look it up yourself?

What do you want to know for?


And I will lay you ten to one that after you have answered the questions, and explained how to find the information, and why you want it, the clerk will go off and get one of the other clerks to help him find Garcia – and then come back and tell you there is no such man. Of course I may lose my bet, but according to the Law of Average, I will not.


Now if you are wise you will not bother to explain to your “assistant” that Corregio is indexed under the C’s, not in the K’s, but you will smile sweetly and say, “Never mind,” and go look it up yourself.


And this incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift, are the things that put pure socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for themselves, what will they do when the benefit of their effort is for all? A first mate with knotted club seems necessary; and the dread of getting “the bounce” Saturday night holds many a worker in his place.


Advertise for a stenographer, and nine times out of ten who apply can neither spell nor punctuate – and do not think it necessary to.

Can such a one write a letter to Garcia?

“You see that bookkeeper,” said the foreman to me in a large factory.

“Yes, what about him?”

“Well, he’s a fine accountant, but if I’d send him to town on an errand, he might accomplish the errand all right, and, on the other hand, might stop at four saloons on the way, and when he got to Main Street, would forget what he had been sent for.”


Can such a man be entrusted to carry a message to Garcia?


We have recently been hearing much maudlin sympathy expressed for the “down-trodden denizen of the sweat shop” and the “homeless wanderer searching for honest employment,” and with it all often go many hard words for the men in power.


Nothing is said about the employer who grows old before his time in a vain attempt to get frowsy ne’er-do-wells to do intelligent work; and his long patient striving with “help” that does nothing but loaf when his back is turned. In every store and factory there is a constant weeding-out process going on. The employer is constantly sending away “help” that have shown their incapacity to further the interests of the business, and others are being taken on. No matter how good times are, this sorting continues, only if times are hard and work is scarce, this sorting is done finer – but out and forever out, the incompetent and unworthy go. It is the survival of the fittest. self-interest prompts every employer to keep the best-those who can carry a message to Garcia.


I know one man of really brilliant parts who has not the ability to manage a business of his own, and yet who is absolutely worthless to anyone else, because he carries with him constantly the insane suspicion that his employer is oppressing, or intending to oppress, him. He can not give orders, and he will not receive them. Should a message be given him to take to Garcia, his answer would probably be, “Take it yourself.


Tonight this man walks the streets looking for work, the wind whistling through his threadbare coat. No one who knows him dare employ him, for he is a regular firebrand of discontent. He is impervious to reason, and the only thing that can impress him is the toe of a thick-soled No. 9 boot.


Of course I know that one so morally deformed is no less to be pitied than a physical cripple; but in your pitying, let us drop a tear, too, for the men who are striving to carry on a great enterprise, whose working hours are not limited by the whistle, and whose hair is fast turning white through the struggle to hold the line in dowdy indifference, slipshod imbecility, and the heartless ingratitude which, but for their enterprise, would be both hungry and homeless.


Have I put the matter too strongly? Possibly I have; but when all the world has gone a-slumming I wish to speak a word of sympathy for the man who succeeds – the man who, against great odds, has directed the efforts of others, and, having succeeded, finds there’s nothing in it: nothing but bare board and clothes.


I have carried a dinner-pail and worked for a day’s wages, and I have also been an employer of labor, and I know there is something to be said on both sides. There is no excellence, per se, in poverty; rags are no recommendation; and all employers are not rapacious and high-handed, any more than all poor men are virtuous.


My heart goes out to the man who does his work when the “boss” is away, as well as when he is home. And the man who, when given a letter for Garcia, quietly takes the missive, without asking any idiotic questions, and with no lurking intention of chucking it into the nearest sewer, or of doing aught else but deliver it, never gets “laid off,” nor has to go on strike for higher wages. Civilization is one long anxious search for just such individuals. Anything such a man asks will be granted; his kind is so rare that no employer can afford to let him go. He is wanted every city, town, and village – in every office, shop, store and factory. The world cries out for such; he is needed, and needed badly – the man who can carry a message to Garcia.
_____

Clowns to left, jokers to the right...

Here I am. Stuck in the middle of Kabul again...

I've got to get control of things again, but where do you begin? My days have been as busy as a crack smoking hamster for eleven months now. One would think that I could keep track of as little a thing as my daily WOD. But without going to far down the path toward self pity, I've had other shit on my mind.

So, what now Johnboy?

Now I get ahold of things, I start blogging my WODs, my goals, my failures all for the world to see. Stuck in Kabul waiting for another middle if the night flight seems like just as good anplace to start as anywhere.

Sunday warmly first day up here. We'd spent the night before and half the day winding our way from Leatherneck to Kandahar. Aftermall the sleeping on floors, dragging my pack from here to there and sitting in jump seats I just needed to stretch myself out.
WOD: random shizzz
500m row, then six rounds of six exercises, ended with another 500m rowmto cooldown
Exercises: pull ups, dips, good mornings, hip extensions, gHD sit ups, hang power clean & push press.

Monday was the first and only full day of the conference. The sky got gray and bleak. Aftermanother sedentary day I found my way to the gym again.
1000m row followed by 2 rounds if the CF warm up.
Strength/power: 5x5 burpee/squat clean/thrusters with a pair of 35lb dumbells.
WOD: 12-6-3 rep rounds, for time, 115lb OHS & KTEs. Done in 3:15
Feeling a bit froggy I did 5x5 L-pull ups, ten sets if two HSPU and then 3x3 weighted dips, maxed and pR'ed at 100lbs x3.

Tuesday the conference ended early in the day. Despite a light rain and a desire to sleep I pulled it together for a frankly session.
Warmed up w/2x CF warm up
For the WOD I took a page from Westside barbell and did a dynamic effort day on deadlifts. Form was sumo stance and grip was narrow and alternating, for just a touch of variety I used 25lb steel plates to make the pull from the floor that much longer.
The goal was max speed on each lift, hitting 2 on the minute for 12 rounds.
I finished, and again in the manner if Westside, did 100x85lb good mornings so as to try out the assistance work theory they use to such success.

Now I wait to get out of dodge, and hope that the snow fallingoutside does not brew up into a storm that keeps us here. I've got days to go and work left to do. Another night here won't do me any good.

As to the blog,'let's hope I can keep posting without excuse. I've got some more goals to hit, excuses won't get them done.

Paleo Deployment Menu

Up and moving in the cold dark morning, mumbling and grumbling to the shower trailer—eeeiiiich no hot water again—I shave my mug, put on the uniform, grab my weapon and head to work. Sometimes I get to use Skype to talk to the loving cave girl back home, sometimes not. So begins another day of the 375 all told that I’ll spend on the main forward operating base of the First Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in Afghanistan.

Ever since Ogg first whacked Nogg on the back of a head with a rock, or sharpened a stick and poked him in the guts man has had to go forth and do battle with his fellow man—or provide a peacekeeping force to keep Nogg from killing some cave kids. Either way it was much different back then. Our caveman ancestors wouldn’t have waged war like this. I don’t think any of our ancestors would have recognized what they call the “food” which gets me through my day either. Each day I struggle to be a Paleo eater and get through another day. There’s little choice. It’s a combat zone. So what do I do? That’s what this little blurb is about.

{insert read more tab}

I’m at work for about an hour before I go hit breakfast, which is my most Paleo meal of the day. The big FOB I am on has a short order line for omlettes and eggs to order. It’s a blessing I didn’t have in my first few deployments. Although you’ve got to get your yolks cooked through you should just be thankful for the fresh eggs, unless you’re really militant about getting eggs over easy. Even thought I have no way of knowing if they’re organic or Omega-3 enriched these eggs don’t resemble US store bought eggs; the yolks are bright orange and the look incredibly rich. “Four eggs over”, I say it so much that my ‘Egg Guy’ sees me coming and doesn’t even wait for me to ask, he just pours out four and I move on to the fast lane to get a plate and meats. I go for the pork and beef sausage when they have it or turkey bacon if they don’t. Sue me, but I get those with a few pieces of pork bacon on the side. Fill the plate with cucumbers and carrots liberally drizzled with olive oil and black coffee and that’s the first meal of the day.

Having mentioned I’m an over privileged FOB dweller I won’t bore you with the many chores and tasks making up the daily grind. Just suffice to say I’m in and out of meetings, huddles, board, working groups and staff actions all day. Don’t ask me the difference between any of those by the way—I don’t know. But I know that right before my 1200 daily staff meeting it is snack time. Snack time means a convenient meal replacement bar of some kind, also a kindness from home and the loving cave girl I’m missing so much. Power Crunch, Detour bars, Paleo Krunch bars, these have all had their place in snack time, but snack time is a must. Paleo?—probably not, but I’ll take the gluten hit and sugar bombs as a cost of doing business.

Directly after the meeting I sprint like kids leaving schools for the summertime break directly out to the CrossFit Leatherneck affiliate area to do a mid-day WOD. Snack time puts enough gas in the tank to get me through it. Right after the WOD I’m back at my desk nom-noming my way through a Primal Pac or a Paleo Kit, loving the grass fed deliciousness and usually adding a banana or some other fresher fruit which I’ve brought back to work after breakfast.

Good eating can rely heavily on being a creature of habit, and luckily we’ve got the same dinner menu, week in-week out:

• Sunday—steaks being barbequed all afternoon for dinner making a meat-cloud that you could follow from anywhere on base to the chow hall. Add cabbage, spinach or lettuce some shredded peppers and drizzle with olive oil to please the palate.

• Monday, not a good night—pasta bar. I stick to the peripheries, maybe grab two burger patties or lunchmeat and make my salad and move on.

• Tuesday is Oriental bar, though why they try to feed us rugs I have no idea. Same thing there, avoid the rice and heavy sauces I go to the short order and get a meat source sans cheese and make my salad once again.

• Wednesday is seafood night, so if I see food, I eat it, in this case there’s usually seafood neuberg loaded with shrimp crab and indistinguishable fishiness. It has a cream based sauce and I'm sure it's loaded with gluten but it’s delish so I get a good deal of it. I also make concessions for the ‘bang-bang’ shrimp or “BANG!BANG!” as we yell when asking for it is fired shrimp covered in spicy sauce. I don’t want to know what’s in it and I know I’ll crave it from a long time once I’m gone.

• Thursday is a slice of heaven we know as ‘fake mongolian’. Once upon a time they allowed us to do real Mongolian BBQ but the lines would go out the door as each person got to pile up cabbage, rice, beef, and chicken and then spice/sauce it themselves. It was deployed Paleo food from the gods. But the lines were too much for the masses and the complaints poured in—despite its being worth the wait. Now we get premade meat and veggies available in beef, chicken, seafood and pork. I usually get all four selections without rice, which always amazes our Nepali chow hall crew. Eat big to lift big is what I tell them, but I don’t think they get me. Namaste, my chow hall friends, and check out 70sbig.com!

• Friday, of all things to rub in that we are not in the US of A, is wing night. There we go again with a burger or turkey salad bar delight and if I’m feeling froggy it’s meat for dessert with a bowl full of spicy wings to make my night—even without the beer I’d like to go with them.

• Our week ends or repeats itself (depending on who you ask) with Saturday and Indian Bar, aka Curry night. I find it insulting that we call it Indian Bar since our chow hall workers are mainly from Nepal, but they make the most wonderful curry so I really couldn’t care what they call it. Admittedly they also make lacha parotha, a fried doughy flat bread to soak up the curry goodness. I look forward to the curry all week here.

It’s all I can do to eat enough meat and vegetables, nuts seeds and fruit to keep all the bad stuff away. The military industrial machine brings us sodas and juices, cookies, cakes, pies and ice cream most days and nights of the week. Many of us fall prey to the bright and shiny sugar filled happiness offered by these plated parasites all too often. Even though I do my best to eat as close to the Paleo guidelines as possible there are just so many the concessions made due to food quality available and so many pitfalls pushed into my face day in day out of the deployment that it’s hard to even stay on the 80/20 path these days.

Since I’m not stuck in a combat outpost eating tray rations and MREs I really don’t have a thing to complain about, but I digress. With 59 days to go all I’ve got to do is focus. And in the words of Jules from the end of the movie Pulp Fiction, “I’m trying, Ringo, I’m trying real hard…”

hello world

Traveling through Afghanistan.

Not for time.

www.crossfitleatherneck.com

It's where I've been spending my workout time lately.

Today I was in Kabul International Airport.

Ran the base for a warm-up (~2 miles) practising my p.o.s.e running.

Today, for time:
10,8,6,4,2 rep rounds of ~25lb sandbag cleans, dips, pull ups.
Watch got switched off while working... poop.
Then, 5 rounds of 100m run with a sandbag, 1 minute rest in between.

Try?--there is no try.

At least that is what I used to think. Then I trid working out regularly in Afghanland. This am was the first wod I hit in a week.
Very disappointed in myself, but what's a jarhead to do?
At 0515; 21,15,9 rep rounds-for time:
24kg KB swings
20 lb medball cleans
dips
7:14

Afghsnistan-imated

First WOD, 14 March:
AMRAP in 10 minutes--5 L pull ups, 10 1 handed KB swings, 15 box jumps; 7 rds+ 5/10
Second WOD, 16 March:
5 rds, for time--100m run, 10 push ups, 10 squats, all carrying 15 lb sandbag; 3:48
Third WOD, 17 March:
Deadlift--3,3,3,3,3; 245,275,295,305,310FL

Some progress in CF Leatherneck. Three officers who took it over are still here. Another officer here with me found a good gym, hidden away. Going to start running classes, asking for a Op Pheonix drop and getting a box built. I hope to follow through with a CF L1 while I am out here. We'll just have to see.
Life here isn't as bad as one would think. The mind can get the body used to about anything--just about. 51 weeks to go, so who knows.

Manas

CrossFit warmup x2
21,15,9 rep rounds, for time of:
135lb front squat
pull ups
7:49
cooldown: 10xKB snatch per arm w/38lb, the 10x w/54lb,2x10 kb swing w/70lb.

Performance so/so, three days in a plane seat, lack of hydration and poor meals.
It will be awhile before a routine is established, have to stay focused. Felt very good to get off my ass and do something other than haul around baggage in the rain and snow.

Not enough time in the day (and other likely stories)

SO I set two PRs this week.

Helen in 8:08 and Jackie in 7:21
Also did a half Murph in 14:21 and other nonsense...

That's about it. Two weeks left more or less til I deploy.

Its been way too long, yet again

Many things keep me away from blogging. Trips, gym closure, injury, laziness.
Going to OC CrossFit now.
Last night
50 Double Unders
50 pull ups
50 Double Unders
50 push ups
50 Double Unders
50 sit ups
50 Double Unders
50 squats
in 16:20
Been a good time so far.

Happy New Years!

Fight Gone Bad to end 2009!
327 Rxed

Two days on, now for an off

Monday we did one of the 2009 Affiliate Cup WODs.
Team of five,
30 wall balls 10" target, conga line
then FGB style;
30 kb swings 24kg
30 cal on rower
30 24in box jumps
30 40lb push press
30 deadlifts 225lb
finished in just over 21min

Tuesday we did a hero WOD.
'Michael'
three rounds for time of;
800m run
50 GHD sit ups
50 back extensions
30:31

Eva

So as I already know I keep the worst logbook in history. It has been sporadic at best this month, but then my workouts have been sporadic too.

Last weekend went to CrossFit 101 at CF NLP in Lake Forest. Coach was very helpful and recieved my idea about a L1 in Afghanistan pretty well. As long as I can lay the groundwork I think I can get it accomplished.

A few WODs crushed me, hit it Mon-Tues, Thurs-Fri.

THURSDAY: AMRAP 400m run 15 L P/U 15 back extensions 5RDS

FRIDAY: FILTHY FIFTY ~26:30

Then I took off until Wednesday and did 'EVA'. I had tried this one in Marc of 2008 in Iraq. That attempt humbled me and I tapped out after three rounds. Yesteday, as RXed:
Eva,five rounds for time of:
800m run
30 kettlebell swings 32kg
30 pull ups
46:31(pr)

Lots to talk about

But so little to do.

Saturday helped run a two hour running workshop. After which did a WOD from he'll:
3-6-9 rep rounds
295lb deadlift
pull ups
in between exercises 1-2-3 band resisted runs across the gym
6:44

Yesterday:
1000m row
then three rounds of:
15 hang power snatches
20 walking lunges w/2 44lb KBs
25 wallballs 10ft/20lbs
19:02

today:
Hit an 08 CF Games WOD today:
five rounds for time
5x 275lb DL
10 burpees
7:46
que horrible

Another bit of slacking, then work.

Range all week. But...
Monday:
AMRAP in 20 min:
15 ghd sit ups
15 back extensions
15 pull-ups
15 ring push ups
7 rounds + 15 ghd
Friday:
'Nasty Girls' in 9:10
Saturday:
3-6-9 rep rounds of 295lb DL & pull-ups
between rounds did 1-2-3 band resistance runs.
6:44

Memorial workouts

Friday: Lumberjack 20
20 dl at 275
400m run
20 ohs at 115
400m run
20 c2b pullups
400m run
20 burpees
400m run
20 kb swings at 53 lbs
400m run
20 box jumps at 24in
400m run

30:52 as RXed

Saturday: 'McFlurry'
400m run
21 cleans @155
21 pull ups
400m run
15 db thrusters @40
15 pull ups
400m run
9 cleans @155
9 pull ups
400m run

16:20, not RXed

Important, YES.

I've slacked in both working out regularly and in posting.

My level two CrossFit cert, and USMC training, has caused a lot of travel. My die and my training keep taking the hits. I should know better than this. Today I am watching Food Inc and I am REVOLTED.

This is important.

America needs to change. But I need to start with me. Back the the basics. Reversing my own irresponsibility first, in doing so I will try to make a personal dent in a bad industry.

We all need to make personal choices.
-to improve...
-to excel...
-to live.

November thus far, the week in review

After 2&1/2 weeks of CFSB, I wind down.
Took off a few extra days.

Tuesday: Three rounds for time of: Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups in 29:59

Thursday: MRAP in 20 minutes 10 thrusters@65lb 10 pull ups: 12 rounds +3 thrusters

Saturday the 31st

Halloween team WOD:
3 people, three stations, as many reps as possible in 13 minutes:
255lb deadlift
20lb wallball 12 ft target
400m run
we managed to place 2nd, as Rxed, I only hit 53 reps.

Deadlift #3

Week three, day two. Back at CF 949.
Ran about 1k for warm up with some dynamic stretching before/after.
Deadlift 3x5, 240,275,310
I loaded up strategically and hit 310, which unbeknownst to me was NOT a PR. Turns out I looked back to far and thought I was trying to top 305 so I shot too low (315 is my PR.) It did feel easy, too easy.

Angie,
100 pull ups, push ups, sit ups and squats in 22:24 (I think) This felt like death after the deadlifting.

Came home and fed the pups. Who then passed the F*&K out and proceeded to fart loudly in their sleep. WOot, or pooooht rather...