A Questioning of Faith

I'm not really happy with the title of this post, but I'm having trouble summing up my thoughts and feelings in just a few words. About a week ago I found a thread on the catalyst forums about the problems with Crossfit as a training program, and it's been very, very interesting. First off, one of the main problems pointed out is the programming and how rarely it is done with any purpose and doesn't improve one's strength. This really makes me appreciate Jerry's programming, with his use of the 5/3/1 periodization strength bias (if I'm understanding things correctly). Met-cons may be sexy, but working on strength is what produces a better athlete. There are many issues addressed in the thread and links to many other posts, and I'm not even done reading it yet, but here goes a summary of what the thread covers:

• There's little oversight for crossfit. My office mate could pay $1k for a cert and then open up a box of his own. He knows jack sh!t about exercise and would probably teach very poor technique to people who wouldn't know better. This would lead to injuries and would hurt a lot of people, as well as hurt the brand image of Crossfit.
  
• The acceptance of degradation of technique of complex lifts like the snatch for the sake of finishing WODs faster will lead to injuries as well.
  
• Kipping pull ups, SDHPs and American kettlebell swings are easy to do incorrectly and if done incorrectly they will cause severe shoulder injuries (SLAP tear, impingement, etc)
• Crossfit Headquarters is so close-minded they reject peer review and burn bridges with experts outside Crossfit (like Robb Wolfe and I think Riptoe), this makes it seem like Crossfit is snake oil
• Crossfit Endurance is not going to get someone to a 12-15min 5k
• The people who perform the best with Crossfit came in with an already strong base, no one's come in as a weakling, done crossfit, and become some one who can deadlift 500+ pounds, clean 350+ pounds, snatch 300+ pounds, and can run a 15min 5k
• Typical crossfit programming will not improve one's VO2Max

Now let me be clear, I don't necessarily agree with all that is being said on that thread, but I feel like it is something that should be looked at. For me it makes me appreciate Jerry Hill and his knowledge base even more. There's more that I would like to post but I've got to get going.

Hand stand push up work

So Monday's wod was 1 HSPU every 30 seconds for like 12? minutes. I was at first a bit bummed because it looked like I would have to modify by limiting my range of motion by having my head touch bumper plates instead of the floor. However, I noticed Uhle was done and was just hanging out, doing some extra work. I asked if he could spot me doing banded pushups and he said yes!

This was exciting because Danya says doing banded HSPUs really forces a tight core as well as you get full ROM. I didn't realize how much the band would help. I started out at the orange band, but then added 25# plates for my hands, increasing the range of motion. Then I did flat HSPU with the red band, but then I kind of hit a wall, so I went back to the orange band.

After that we did a workout with push press, and this is an exercise that has always given me trouble. With my weak abs my rib cage keeps poking out, thus arching my back unnaturally. However, this time around something kind of clicked, and my push press felt a lot, lot better. I guess working on the full ROM with the HSPU primed my shoulders to figure out the push press. If I can get a faster, better push press my fight gone bad score should go up dramatically.

The workout also featured box jumps, now that I've figured out how to do them plyometrically they are usually the easiest part of a workout, I just burn through them quickly and without pause.

The only downer from Monday was that I didn't have time to go in and do my interval work. This was partially due to it being so late at night (645) and partially due to me just forgetting about it. Once it becomes more of my routine I'll remember and do it with more regularity.

Post Superfit, where to go from here.

So I didn't do so hot with the superfit wods, now what? I asked for feedback and I got it, this is what I got:

1. My aerobic capacity is usually what slows me down first. This can be remedied with some interval training 2 times a week.
   
2. I'm not as strong as most of the competitors. Although CFOT is a strength bias, I should raise the weight and lower the volume on met-cons to increase my work capacity.
3. Core strength needs work. I should do something, L-sits, GHD, toes to bar, every time I come into the gym.

So I guess I'm going to have to change up my routine a bit. I guess I'll "cash out" each day with some GHD's. I did that for a while, and it really started to bring out my abs, guess I should start doing that again. The interval training should be interesting, as I def don't do any aerobic activity outside of xfit, at least not until spring starts and I'll start biking again to the gym. ...I've been thinking of joining Alexandria's Master swimming program for some time, perhaps this is the time???

On another note, I'm participating in my gym's paleo challenge. And although during the week it's not a challenge at all, during the past couple of weekends it has been quite a challenge. Two weekends ago I went skiing in snowshoe West Virginia (which was awesome) and the only food there was crap. Fortunately I brought my own food for breakfast, but lunch and dinner were tough. This past weekend was both my birthday and the Superbowl, and when your gf makes peanutbutter cupcakes for you, it's hard to not indulge.

However, I'm still making good progress. The other day I ran into Chriss and Andrea, my old coaches before they went and started Trident Crossfit, and they were amazed at how I looked, and I was wearing a jacket. Chriss kept gushing about how I'd changed, and I responded with, "Well, I'm doing this thing called Crossfit, and it's really helping me get into shape." I miss those two. Anyways, point is I'm still making progress. I remember about this time last year when Judy commented that I was really starting to look ripped (a product of getting massages), and I've gotten only leaner and leaner.

Going into crossfit my goal first and foremost was to get a six-pack, to look ridiculously shredded. As the years pass, I'm now becoming more concerned with performance. I want to be stronger and faster. However, I think ideally I'll be able to accomplish both. I'm always looking out to see if I'm going into Keytosis, and I still eat a lot of almond butter. Yet I still find myself hungry, not starving, but hungry. Still tweaking, but I think I'm in a great place right now with diet, I've even given up on adding sugar and cream to my coffee!!!! Never thought I'd drink coffee black, but then this paleo challenge came around and pow, I want to win!!

Superfit 2011 fourth workout

This is the last wod of the competition, and I was in the last heat because I was in the bottom five. I'm a bit frustrated by this, I've been xfitting for 2.5 years, I've been on the zone diet for 2 years and then the paleo/zone for about 4 months, I learned about recovery and mobility and practice it everyday, while getting a professional massage every two weeks (and I needed to get one every week for a while there) to make sure my muscles aren't suffering from an excess of inflammation.

Point is, I felt like I should be better than placing in the bottom five. So I was determined to do really well on this one, and I did have my best performance of the weekend. I felt confident with this workout because of the OHS's, my shoulder mobility is much better then most dudes (remember those massages?) so I wouldn't be fighting my own muscles or having to really focus on keeping the weight overhead. I could use my muscles to maximum efficiency.

I ended up doing four and some change, which was better than a few other CFOTers. However, it was exactly half the amount the guy who one it did (ridiculous), if that gives you an idea of relativity. My performance bumped me up two spots, but it also helped that 11 people didn't even show up to do this wod, so it kind of diminishes my sense of accomplishment. I just feel a bit weak, that I'm not progressing like I should be, it's a bit frustrating. I will say this though, I look way better than I did when I started, and I'm looking better every day, especially thanks to the paleo challenge some of my friends are doing, but I'll save that for another post.

Anyway, here's an awesome video put together by our videographer Koz:

Superfit 2011 third workout

This was a somewhat surprising and humbling experience. In posting my earlier blog post I said my goal was 40, but I had completely forgotten about the 7 pull ups on the minute. I ended up getting nine reps, which was not a whole lot, not a lot at all.

My game plan was not to burn out quickly, I wanted to pace myself. So I decided to go for 10 thrusters the first round and go by how I feel after that. I knew that the difficult part with this wod was the pull ups, but it had been a long time since I've worked out with c2b pull ups, something I should get back to.

So the first round goes ok, I tried to get a final one as the seconds ticked down and although I think I got it the judge said no. In doing the pull ups I'm really feeling light, and I'm doing belly to bar pu's. For some reason I just feel like it's easier that way, I'm using my momentum more if I'm starting up at a higher place. In the video you can hear Melissa mention that I'm going too high, perhaps I was, but like I said they seem easier when I'm going up that high. I think my first round was pretty strong, but after that I didn't have a lot in the tank. I didn't really feel winded, I just felt like moving was difficult. Sometimes I wonder if I'm all fast twitch, which would be pretty bad because I'm really not that strong.

Anyway, I really struggle with the pull ups, but my form was pretty darn good on the thrusters and was surprised they weren't difficult. Here's the video, so you can see me hit the wall after the first round:

Superfit 2011 second workout

Deadlifts and double unders

For the deadlift and double unders, I actually did way more than I thought I would. I got all the way into the fifth round before time expired. This workout really hurt me, physically as well as score wise. A lot of people were able to get this one done in 4:30, if not faster. My deadlift is crap, and I need to really work on it. This is a big, big flaw in my game.

I also learned that I really need to work on my double unders. In jumping high enough to clear the rope, I'm collapsing my body instead of using plyometric energy like a box jump. This is something else I need to add to the mix.

It's kind of sad because this is the quintessential crossfit couplet, and I suck at it.

If you like to see major thoracic bend, then by all means check out the vid. And a special thanks to Maggie for videotaping this as well as her support.

Superfit 2011 first workout

First workout, the skills test

Got 57th in this, which was one of my better rankings.

I was fairly close with hitting my goals, if I didn't actual make it. The most surprising was the L-sit, which I've held for longer than 30 second before. However with this workout the tolerance was a lot lower than what I'm used to. The handles were literally inches off the ground, so no room for error. I only lasted for 10 seconds, much lower than I thought I would get.

The Xfactor that was the med ball pull ups was interesting. I tried underhanded for the first time, and it was a lot, lot easier. However the ball slipped and so I only got seven. Considering how wacky of an exercise this is, I'm ok with the results.

Got 12 OHS, this was a the bottom of what I was aiming for, but I just didn't have it in my shoulders.

The row sucked, got like 1:43, was surprised at how tired I was.

Here's a vid of the med ball pull ups: