Aug 30th - a week of rest is coming up

so .....did my morning routine.....legs was fried so I didn't get that many reps.....
rested 
up at 7 ....
off to the hospital...
liver biopsy (hospital shanking is what it is ) (and my 15th or 16th)
rest 2 hrs on right side
rest 4 hrs in bed


then they gave me food at 3:30......
ham and cheese...and cucumber and coffee.
the nurse looked a little worried that I didn't want any bread....but she gave me the cold cuts...and the coffee
and then she said...'I didn't bring any juice....because you probably don't drink that either'  she got it ...
I said 'no, too much sugar' 


anyway .....got to go home...
now I need to rest for a week....nothing that causes tension in the trunk .....oh ok....so really rest then. 


can't really breathe deep of laugh but I do both anyway.


good news of the day was 
blood pressure(120/70)  and resting pulse(50) was great - yay crossfit !




peace. love. crossfit.

August 29th - 1 RP max DL......

it has been a very long time since I did 1 rep max DL...
lots have happened since...


I have done one lift on 115kg real ugly but I got it.


today I went in on 110kg
3 fails
100 kg 
3 fails
98 kg
3 fails
95 kg 
3 fails
peeled off to 90 kg
got it.
92 kg 
got it
93 kg 
got it 
95 kg
3 fails 


So my new DL max is 93 kg
I felt real shitty about that.
hamstring issues or not I got real irritated.
but that max is going up in a little while - just proves that you shouldn't stop lifting heavy ever.......

Tomorrow I do my little morning session after that it is rest for a week.
I have a little procedure and the doctors don't want me to lift anything heavy for a week....
I am trying to find anything positive in that and the only things I can think of are:
hamstring heal!
mobility work focus.
splits 
.......


wish me well tomorrow. send me a good vibe. I appreciate it. thank you :-)


peace. love. crossfit.

August 27th - DL and Burpees and then a tattoo

I woke up at 5:30am this morning - no alarm- did my morning workout and back to bed....
dedication or insanity - I don't know and I don't care...I like it and my body wakes itself up so it's all how it's supposed to be.


Mellow Saturday....youngest son got a haircut....play with dog...eat....


9 hrs after my morning wod....afternoon wod


I have been looking forward to this wod all week....for real.
I love deadlifts....they tore my left hamstring during the OPEN.....so it's been a while....and after I jacked my shins this summer...I had to wrap them real good before the wod...they are still healing.


warmup dl
10 x 45lbs/20kg dl
5 x 90lbs/40kg dl
5 x 110lbs/50kg dl


Deadlifts and Burpees
5 Deadlifts 135lbs/61kg (going light to accomodate my hamstring that is still a little pissed at me)
10 Burpees
5 rounds


5:35 - my goal was to do it for form and unbroken. it was unbroken and form can be better but not too crappy.

post wod -pre clean up :-)

yes 5 rounds

some of us need reminders :-)

off to the tattoo fair - hah!

My favorite wod of the week!!!!!
still need to remember to press my knees out but, and hamstring is a little sore...makes me compensate a little with other muscles and form gets trickier to hold.


gave myself a treat after the wod 
T2B practice
3 x 3 toes to bar....I want like 20 strung together...oh well not today
I got 3's.








peace. love. crossfit.

August 26th - TGIF......100 thrusters

.....Thank goodness it's Friday...
I have tomorrow off...from work ...awesome....looking forward to tomorrows wod...:-)


Sunday rest day but work day....


today it was 100 thrusters @ 45 lbs(20kg)
I tried to do it for form... thrusters and squats are mechanically real difficult for me - it is quite frustrating.....I get off balance very easily- tip forward...but I am working on them...7:35...


to me the 100 workouts are always a mental game to begin with ....once I get going I am fine but before I start I think about that three digit number a lot....




going to the Stockholm Ink Bash this weekend - I want more art on me :-)


It's a pretty good time to do something new tomorrow after the wod.....unless I have to do some crazy stuff on Monday :-)


peace. love. crossfit.

August 25th - Payday if you are on staff in Sweden!!!!

I run my own business....so I get paid when my clients pay me.......


Running day today! Not payday....


5K as fast as I can.
I have my route......


been a hectic week -prepping two shoots- having surgery on Tuesday- showing my apartment 3 days this week - dog-walker sick...well let's just say it's a bit hectic.


so with frustration and adrenaline running fairly high I took off.....


thought I tied both shoes with a double knot - I didn't 
-left one came undone at 1km.....
tied my shoe 
up to the bridge ....
sucky hill- across the bridge
-it's sort of a tiny uphill sucks the life out of your legs.....
but on the bridge it is beautiful ......
other side of the bridge 2km.....
gravel up hill through a wooded patch - 
I run fast there cause it is a little scary.....
down hill gravel- gotta watch your step...don't want to twist an ankle....
along the quay......until it turns right 
along the quay......and then there is a fu*?ing party tent in my path-
on the outside the water.... on the inside a bush
skip over the bush pass the serving people then 2 dudes decide they are going to stand in my way......
one of them realize that I am not going to fuck up my pace and steps aside the other does not - 
I check his shoulder pretty hard as I pass ......(drunk idiot)
I did not turn around ....make the left up the stairs....across the other bridge...
this bridge sucks so bad after the stairs.......
along the water on the other side .....
up the hill (here is where I want to shoot myself), 400 meters left and 400 m never felt so damn long .....


29:12 PB!!!
(that's with one shoe tie-ing, one party tent in my way and a drunk idiot that got checked.) 
oh yeah, and running for form also helps..chest up but do not lean back, slight torque, pick up your knees a little higher and pull heels a little higher towards your ass...and do it all a little faster...relax your shoulders let arms work but not tense.....applied knowledge is better than just knowledge..yes yes I know.....you told me so.


Still frustrated as all hell but in a great mood.




Peace. Love. CrossFit.

Aug 23rd...row 1 min rest 1 min new target distance

yesterday I touched on the CrossFit Community......
We are definitely different!!!!
at the moment I train at the globo gym...I video my sessions and post for my coach....completely normal.


today I finished my wod  
- hit my target meters and did not have to do penalty burpees....
I screamed with joy and relief - no burpees and I managed to pull high even when I was dead tired....and a new goal achieved......


.....I have never seen anyone walk out of spinning, body pump, piloxing, or other kind of 'class' screaming and high-five-ing or cheering each other on for that matter........but hey, what do I know.....maybe they do that at other gyms ;-)




today's WOD was
1 min row 1 min rest 
10 rounds


hit 2800 meters or do burpees  until 2800
( so if you get 2790 you do 10 burpees at the end)...


I got 2851 meters !!!! No f*#+ing burpees for me!!!!! YAY!


last week is beat by almost 100 meters.

this is how happy I was I did not have to do penalty burpees :-)


peace. love. crossfit.

22nd August......HSPU.....

I have been doing CrossFit in some form for almost 2 years now....it has been a slow process for me - I have been injured and injured again....I focus and I try again....I am learning to be patient, something that I have to re-learn every day, like the HSPUs today. 

---

At the moment I am training by myself with my coach long distance.  He programs and I send videos and notes of the workouts and then I get feedback.  Today was a feedback session.  HSPU's were not up to par at all and needed to be addressed. 

I am learning everything from scratch....at least that is what is feels like......right now.
Today it was HSPU.


10-8-6-4
Started with 
3 abmats (1 abmats and 2 red dots)
got all reps - not unbroken but got all.


2 abmats (1 abmat and one red dot)
got all reps


1 abmat - nothing.......!!!
about 10 tries.....
then another 5.....


floor -  did one negative but did not get up.


I texted my coach and asked how to proceed.
max out on 2 pillows.
got 2 then 3 then 3 


got back on 1 abmat 
tried another 5 times.....
started on my head and got 1 !!!!!
did that 2 more times
so a total of 3 on 1 abmat....PB.

I am amazed at the wonderful people that CrossFit has brought me in contact with....through my old box, the Certs, competitions, visiting other boxes, The Games, coaches.  I have newer been invited to visit someones house that I met in  spinning class....what is that with our Community???

This summer I was adopted by my Coach's whole box, CrossFit Harlem, instant friends that hang out and have fun together.  Is it because we go thru hell together ? Does that create some special bond?  

Spinning is hell....I don't bond with my biker next to me....odd?

Are CrossFitters just more open minded - we tried a lot of things - we were wild enough to try CrossFit once and crazy enough to stay with it?? I don't know - but I am sticking with it.

Peace. Love. CrossFit.

20th August 1000m row - 100 HSPU - 1000m row

I could feel my left hamstring a little from yesterdays run!
todays adventure was 
1000 m row(4:10)
100 HSPU
broken like this
10 with 2 abmats
90 with 1 abmat 2 red pillows...
I could do them in 5's at first then 3,s and 4's ....capping each 5 count, so 3+2 and so on....


1000 m row (4:14)


TOT WOD 43:14.......
so HSPU took about 35 minutes......yikes.
traps are a little tense


gotta have a hard head sometimes......


tomorrow is a rest day....next week new adventures and I have been invited to guest blog for CrossFit Elevate -fun.






peace. love. crossfit.

Aug 19th - 5 K run

yep run this time....
no walking


I have a route with 3 long inclines and 2 sets of stairs......


5K - 31:17
6:15/km....
Nike Plus told me it was my best 5K - I want to believe her! 
At least on this side of 30 :-)


I held 6min/km until 3 km...then I got tired.....so 18 mins I managed well....then I had to hold on and focus for 2.....




When I did it in June it took me 37 mins on a flat track....so I got better :-)


Peace. Love. CrossFit.

August 18th ----Rest day

Acupuncture.......
walk with my dog
work 
some mobility
I feel my hamstrings from the rowing intervals...yay hamstings!
man I am really hungry today.......
work some more....
wonder if I should run with or without my bodyguard tomorrow....she slows me down a little:-) tomorrow is a 5K.......

Peace. Love CrossFit.

17th August - 1min row 1 min rest 10 rounds

today was a challenge ....

-1 min row 

-1 min rest 

10 rounds 

target distance 2700....

any distance below that would mean burpees until you get to 2700.....

I was thinking that I might have to so 200 burpees.....

but I hit 

2764meters 

no burpees....

workout went well on an other wise pretty crappy day...been a while since I had one of those so it sucked.

better luck tomorrow.

peace. love. crossfit.

August 16th - 250 row 25 thursters ....4 rounds

another mental wod for me 
rowing is fine 
thursters are my least favorite lift.....together with front squats.....


250 m row
25 thrusters @55lbs/25kg


4 rounds




21:14


nearly puked
row 1-3 1 min
row 4 1:10
broke all thrusters 5x5 but the were dreadful towards the end.




I cried from exhaustion on my way home


but I got it done.




Peace. Love. CrossFit.

Aug15th -Day 90 100 Front Squats 100 Back Squats 100 OHS

Day 90 .......


This work out was the end of Phase #1 
and a mental monster.......


I took time but I did the WOD for form...
100 Front Squats
100 Back Squats
100 OHS 


all done with 45lbs bar/20kg bar.


It took me 40:05 to finish 
OHS alone took 20 mins....they were the pain of this one


FS and BS I did in 10x10 
OHS - my thumb was hurting and I did the first 50 in 5's
then I did them in 10's......
I tried to drop and work my way up on each rep.....


Mentally a very though wod - I tried to keep each set as clean as possible but I can tell on the video that I lost a few reps here and there.........
After the wod the tears were there...not because of pain .....just extremely tired.


Onward and upward.


Peace. Love. CrossFit

Aug 15th - day 1-90 of Coach Syncere of CrossFit Harlem and Afro Brutality

Day #1 May 19th 2011

Weight 82,2 kg

Arms  35 cm r 35 l

Waist 86 cm

Thighs 64 l 62 r

Calves 36 r 36 l 

PB's first 90 days

-DU's 25 

-strung together box jumps 10 I think ....

-one hand handstand left and right

-lost 20,7 lbs (9,4kg) 

Day #90 15th August 2011.

Weight 72,8 kg

Arms l 32cm r 32cm

Waist 76 cm

Hips 99cm

Thighs l 62cm r 61 cm

Calves l 34cm l 34 cm

Well. 

Reflections on the first 90 days......Phase #1

Food log - it felt awkward in the beginning, like someone was going through my dirty laundry....I have definitely had issues with food-gone up and down in weight and used food as comfort or punishment....I did Paleo but I would cheat with my drug of choice BREAD....but now I like the journal - keeps me from cheating,  I write down everything, not the exact weights of the food but pretty detailed.  A couple of weeks ago I had a Diet DrPepper of all things.....like a treat one night.....I kicked my Diet Coke addiction before Christmas so it's not like I drink soda anymore....but..

'REALLY !!!?????' was the response to that.

'Ok' that was not on the approved list - I got that!

The thing is if I want to have a cheat day I can - I just have to write down what I eat, and then it becomes less appealing to cheat....to me.  I don't want to get another 'REALLY' with 15 exclamation signs and question marks. 

Training

I have learned to exit the comfort zone little by little.

I have learned new skills- see the PB's above.

I am more tolerant of long WODs than I originally thought.

I have a lot to learn! A LOT!

I have to find my hamstrings - and when I do I will kick even more ass :-) figuratively and literally!!!.

When Coach found out that my Back Squat is the same as my Bench Press the second  'REALLY!!!????' came.  

So we are working on that.

When I split my chins open to the bone on a concrete flower box -

we stopped doing box jumps for that day.  He was pretty upset that I would not be able to do the work.  So was I. Words of wisdom - don't ever fall asleep on a push off doing box jumps. 

My goal a couple of years back, actually when I turned 38 was to be as fit as I ever been at 40, mentally and physically.  I am.  And I intend to keep moving the boundaries further and further.

THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME

*Find a coach you work well with - (Remember that it isn't a democracy while training so if you are having debates/negotiations every time then that person is maybe not the one for you.  Or maybe you are not ready to have a Coach.)

*Listen well to instructions.

*Think less and do more while training.

*Focus on the movements - again don't fall asleep in the middle of a box jump - that is called 'poor mechanics' it hurts like hell, and you miss out on training.

*Do the work prescribed to the best of your ability.

*Celebrate PB's

Oh, and Phase #2 starts tomorrow day 91-180.

Eat clean. Think dirty. Train hard. (That is my fucking 'Carpe diem') 

Peace. Love. CrossFit.

August 13th - Gymnastics with Coach Paoli

Early on a Saturday morning I trecked to CrossFit Uppsala.


Carl Paoli has a Freestyle Gymnastics Seminar.


I get to Uppsala late so I run from the station to the box.  Awesome box  - CrossFit Uppsala rocks.!!!!!


Coach Paoli takes us though the 


Hand Stands and one hand stands and then .....


HSPU progression 

Aim

Load

Kip with spotters

Voila' Kipping HSPU

The Pistols......
my god I have to get my back side to work!!!!!!!Got some good pointers but man it is time to move a mountain.


the MU  - bar and rings
rings were not possible today -my thumb injury did not like the load between the thumb and index finger........go figure


the pullups  and the CTB


I am raw as hell from this day but I had so much fun - and I learned soooooo much.
My neurological and my muscle systems are completely exhausted.






Peace. Love. CrossFit 

Carl Paoli and a tired student

12th August - 3 x 100

Today I got my WOD via SMS

all is said was:

100 push ups 

100 air squats

100 burpees

bloody hell sadist m-f!

was my thought while I smiled......CrossFit is definitely bringing out the twisted parts of people.

push-ups were so so....I broke the first 60 in 10's and it worked....then I broke the sets in 10 but had to rest at 7 or 8 for a little 

air squats are a lot better and faster

did them in 10's

burpees -I just finished them....I think I broke them in 10's but I can't even remember....

It took about 23 mins.....

Tomorrow I am going to CrossFit Uppsala - Gymnastics Freestyle seminar with Coach Paoli

Whooo hoooo! Going to be fun!

Have you looked at the moon tonight!!!!!!!

Peace. Love. CrossFit.

August 11 - 3 mile run after a 17 hr work day = PB !!!

finishing work today

A rest day
1 hr sleep
A 16 hr work/shoot day in pouring rain
a good night's sleep
Another 17 hr work/shoot day....


I was not really feeling the 3 mile run but I took my 'grace-day' yesterday so the get-out-of-jail-free-card was used up.


I took off around 22:40 with my dog and personal body guard Ronja .


Ronja wanted to take a slower pace but we pushed on......


I have a route that has 3 hills and 2 stairs.....
3 miles 31:26 that is with Ronja stopping once to do her thing........


I did a PB on the mile - at least on this side of 30.....
I am proud that I did it - real proud.....

Peace. Love. CrossFit.

August 8th ......

I was dreading todays workout and longing for it at the same time


5 x 20 back squat at 95lbs/43kg....
rest between sets apx 2 minutes.....no re-rack during set.


trying to find my hamstrings and glutes, trying to find the best stance




I think I found them although I did some good morning get ups......I did sit down on all of them 
and on the last set at rep 15 or 16 the trears.......but I finished.
It is not pain it is just tears from exthaustion.


Felt good when I was done.


Stood on my hands for a couple of minutes nothing major.......


home! eat!


peace. love. crossfit.

August 7th .....I slept 12 hrs last night.......

Jetlag.....and a massive amount of thoughts have made sleeping tricky the last couple of days.
Well I woke up today at 1PM - I slept 12 hrs so I guess I needed it.


It is tropical rain showers outside.....Lifting heavy inside it is . 
I am going to learn how to engage my hamstrings and glutes when I squat.....yes I know most people do that...I think do too just not as much as I should.




I wanted to go 'heavy for reps'.
Well heavy for me is as I noticed yesterday over 40kg....
so I did 


25 x 40kg/88lbs back squat
5 x 50/110lbs kg  back squat
5 x 50 kg 
5 x 50 kg
5 x 50 kg
5  x 50 kg
I wanted to do as many as I had done on the 40 kg load......so now I did.
I looked at the video and my squats are not as deep as I want but working on that too.


now I am done with the 40 kg...tomorrow I raise the load...for 20 reps.....


Handstand practice 30-45 mins.
Variations.
one hand left and right
against wall 
free standing 
fore arm stand against wall - nearly ended on my nose...:-)


Tomorrow I start work at 7AM.  So no morning session......


Peace. Love. CrossFit.

August 6th - back in the gym?

Today was my first day back to training after the trip, the Games, the splitting of shins, the spraining of thumb......


I was going for a max back squat to see where I am.


I have lost about 20lbs in body weight and about the same in my max back squat.
I want a re-do on todays work out.!!!!
I want to do it again tomorrow - more focused.
This is what I did today 


40kg/88lbs no prob 
50kg/110lbs no prob
60kg/132lbs ok
70kg/154lbs fail
65kg/143lbs fail.....


killed it there. 


I was working by myself and in the safety cage - good thing to have at fail...


I am not so happy with todays result at all but it is a starting point.  I have a lot of work to do !!! A lot.





Peace. Love. CrossFit.

LA - GAMES - NYC for a day and now back to STOCKHOLM

Got to LA.
Got a convertible.
Got a GPS.
Went to GAMES and I am so inspired !!!!
Took a bunch of pictures of the Afro Brutality athletes , Lisa, Neil, Aja and Elisabeth.
Watched Butcher's Garage Team - they were sooooo goood.!!!!!!
Spent Monday driving in LA- dinner with a friend and colleague -then off to the airport -
red eye to NYC -
job meeting and lunch then off to NEWARK 
red eye to Stockholm.
Vacation done.


Tomorrow training and work starts again.
Shins are healing well.
Now it is high time to get really strong.


Happy Stockholm Pride week!




Peace. Love. CrossFit.