Already Monday!?

Wow that weekend went by way too fast! I can't even believe it. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.

2011-June-27

Krav Maga class @ F&F

Worked on hammer fist, groin kicks, elbows, and ground defense. Fun game lay face down, jump up, find a pad to hit...love that!

2011-June-26

Scuba day..aka active rest - I really needed an easy day after the OLY seminar on the 25th. Went to San Marcos for some volunteer dives at Aquarena springs. Nice clear water, until we started cleaning up the Riverbed area.

2011-June-25

Olympic Lifting Seminar @ Fit & Fearless Crossfit
This was my first time to go to any of the Crossfit events at F&F, so I went there with an open mind and determined to get some knowledge and possibly even some skill!  We started out with the Burgener Warmup for the Snatch, then for the Clean & Jerk (full squat cleans w/Split Jerk). After three hours of skill work, we got to the bars to work a 1 rep max for each lift.

Snatch
45, 65, 75, 95, 115, 135x, 135, 155x, 155x = 135 
A bar overhead while in a squat is my kryptonite. This is why I attended. I still have a long way to go, but it was definitely helpful.

Clean & Jerk
135, 155, 175, 185, 205, 225
Man, I have to tell you - it feels good to win. By win I mean complete the biggest C&J of anyone at the seminar. I think I have another 10-20lbs in me, but a) we were out of time and b) after 3:45 of skills and such, I was pretty smoked. I was the only person do do 185 or more and w/the squat - I am not sure why the other guys were just power cleaning it...wtf?

Surprise AMRAP to finish up the seminar...
AMRAP -15min
6 squat clean, 115lb
12 pullups
24 double unders (my other kryptonite)
4 rounds + 1 pullup RX
I found it odd that so many of the other guys that were there, and regularly attend their classes, left! What the hell?

Chris B = Chris Brutal?

The last day of "Client Appreciation" was today at Crossfit Central, and wow we ended it in fine pain-train style in the heat of Texas!

2011-June-24 

Crossfit Central WOD

Sumo Deadlift 5x2 - yeah, again :))
135, 225, 315, 315, 405X

Chris B
4 Rounds
400m Run
10 back squat, 155# (clean -> press over head -> squat it x 10)
14:53 Rx

After work:
KO Bag class - 1hr of punch and kick the heavy bag! I am gonna sleep well tonight...

Finally back home...nice to be back!

Man, I have a lot to do. It's been a busy last 7 days! Just want to get these logged and move along :)

2011-June-23

Crossfit Central WOD
Sumo Deadlift 6x2
135, 225, 315, 365X, 315, 315

Ronnie R
AMRAP 12min
2 wall walk
10 db muscle snatch, 55lb (5R/5L)
20 box jumps
4 + 10 box RX

After work: rest/recover! I was wiped out from a crazy last few days.

2011-June-22

Hyatt Hotel WOD 1
21-15-9
Squat clean & jerk 55lb dumbbells
Pushups
V-ups

WOD2
21-15-9 (55lb db)
deadlift
goblet squats

2011-June-21

Hyatt Hotel WOD
Run 5k
28:28

2011-June-20

Krav Maga class
Tons of hammer fist, kicks, punches. Worked on hook punch techniques, which was really good.

2011-June-19

Went diving...good stuff

2011-June-18

Krav Maga - Blade weapon defense day 2
Two hours of bashing forearms with people learning how to defend against getting stabbed. Awesome stuff!

2011-June-17

Active Rest day

You gotta work on stuff you're not good at.

I suck at overhead squats, which means I also suck at the snatch. I have known this for a long time, but I do not actively work on improving them. I know that just doing CrossFit and everything else I do is not going to magically make these movements improve, but alas I tend to ignore them. There are other things in my life that I actively work on, but these? Not so much. I've been working on mobility a lot more, which will help, but it can't replace actually doing these - even with just my broomstick.

I hereby commit to work on these every week. There's no fucking reason I should struggle to OHS 95lbs being as strong as I am in other lifts (CFT around 1000, for example).

What do you struggle with?

2011 June 16 - Crossfit Central WOD

5x2 hang snatch (coach said not to go heavy, work on form)
45, 45, 65, 65, 75

Cindy B
AMRAP 15min
1 hang snatch
2 overhead squat
1 hang snatch
250m row
4rnds + 2 OHS @ 75lb

After work:
Yoga for Athletes
Focus this month is still on handstands. I'm sure it'll be painfully fun.
Update: Man...when I think of yoga I think of calm, not pain and groaning!!

Time is flying

Dude, where is time going? Am I the only one that feels this way? I can't believe it's already mid-June!

2011-June-15 - Krav Maga Level 1/2 Class

Today's class started off with a good warmup, some shoulder/knee/head touch and then into straight punches, which we haven't done much of. We then moved to choke defense. Next thing I knew our hour was done!

After that, finished up work an headed out to Lake Travis for a dive. Good day!

2011-June-14 - Crossfit Central WOD

Chris R
4 rounds, 15min cutoff
200m run
5 clean, 155
5 muscle-up
5 handstand pushup
2 rounds + 3 MU (jumping) completed.

Clicks

When you get something new and it clicks for the first time, it's one of the best feelings, right? I have found a couple of those moments over the last few days, and it's great! Being new to Krav Maga, each time I go is both a lesson and a killer workout at the same time. Awesome stuff. The various instructors, as you would expect, all have different ways of explaining things - sometimes the way one explains makes it easy to put to action.

2011-Jun-13  Krav Maga Level 1 & 2 class

Felt good to get back at it today after a day off on Sunday. Today a couple things clicked for me with my footwork, which I have been struggling with. Better footwork leads to a better fight position which leads to better hip engagement ending with a much more powerful kick...what's that song? Click click BOOM! 

2011-June-12

Went diving in the morning and shopping for new kicks after.

Champs in Barton Creek (?) mall has Nike Free TR $25.00 off!

2011-June-11 Krav Maga Edge Weapon Defense Seminar

I wasn't sure what to expect -I knew for sure it wouldn't be two hours of sitting and listening to a lecture, though! I had a good night of sleep and was hydrated and ready. The class was fantastic and I really learned a lot. The only bad thing was smashing my forearms against my partner's for two hours straight...both of my forearms (and I bet his too!) are pretty bruised up. Two more hours next weekend!

Busy times

Today starts a hectic next few days. The time will fly by, and it'll be all I can do to get everything done! Workouts, seminars, dive charters, new foster dog, etc...wow! This evening I have a technical dive, which will be a challenge and fun at the same time. I'm a bit sad I'll miss the Yoga for Athletes class tonight, however!

2011-June-9 - Crossfit Central WOD
6x2 Front Squat
135, 185, 185, 205, 225, 255(pr)
“Jess E”       
20 Wall Ball, 20lb
1 Inverted Burpee
18/2, 16/3, 14/4, 12/5, 10/6, 8/7, 6/8, 4/9, 2/10
13:30 Rx

2011-June-8 - Krav Maga class

The 1st week ... looking back, I've learned a lot, but have SO much to learn. Tonight's class was really good. We worked on palm-heel strikes and played a game where the instructor randomly put pads around the room and we had to jump from face-down & hands behind back to our feet, find a pad and hold for someone else who didn't get to one in time. If you are fast enough to get a pad, you're a holder, otherwise you get to spend a minute (which feels like 5) striking the pad over and over. Fun game! I had to hit only once, so that was cool. Then we worked on choke defense, focusing on proper technique and mechanics rather than speed & aggression - better to learn the correct movement, first.

Small changes, big results

OK...confession: Oly lifts are an area that I need big improvements. Today we did power snatch @ 115lb and I found that it was harder than it should have been. I couldn't feel what was going wrong in each lift. Next thing I know I heard Coach Zach "JAMES! Get your ass down!!"  I get into a better position and he says "NOW! GO!"  Result is amazing! The weight flies up much easier! That's small change leading to instant results!

I've found that the same thing works in Krav Maga classes too. Proper rotation of the hips = huge increase in power. Strike with palm not fingers = huge increase in power. Elbow down, not up = ... see what I mean?

I could not see any of these things working out alone. This is why a really good coach is so important.

2011-Jun-7

1) Crossfit Central WOD
"Alexis"
15-12-9-6-3
Power Snatch 115#
Ring rows
10:28 RX

2) Yoga For Athletes
Tonight we focused on shoulder mobility - just what I need, I'm thinking. Next thing I know we are doing wall walks. Over, and over, and over...wow....that was unexpected and pretty hard!! Throw in some wrist mobility and a 2min headstand and before I knew it the 45min class was done and I was, yet again, soaked in sweat.

What a kick-ass day!

The light

 I think I can see it now! The light at the end of the tunnel I call my old job. Today I started my transition to a new job with the same company. It will take a long time, I am afraid, to get people that I work with to go to the new guy -- if they ever find someone! I wish I could say "not my problem," but that's not currently the case.

I can tell you that I am 100% de-stressed right now.  Krav Maga has that effect! What a blast!!

2011-June-6 - Krav Maga Level 1/2 combined class

I was a little nervous about going to a level 1&2 combined class, as I am just starting this stuff and still feel like I'm out in the weeds a bit. It turned out to be a really fun class and a pretty damn good workout all wrapped up in one nice little hour. We did a bunch of drills today, many involving standing with eyes closed waiting to be "attacked" then fighting the attack off - pretty fun stuff.

Be Aggressive...B E Aggressive :)

Man, it feels so good to take aggression out. I guess I have a lot of built-up stress in my life, and now I feel like I have a bunch of outlets which I can utilize to both reduce stress and improve my fitness. A win-win, right?

Being aggressive definitely pays off in these classes, and I'm learning that I can hit the bags, held by a buddy, full on without worry of injuring him.

2011-June-4 - Krav Maga Class

This was my 2nd KM class, and it was both fun and a fantastic workout at the same time. We did a bunch of different strikes, kicks, knees, choke defense, and finished off by everyone running around the room trying to choke everyone and anyone while trying not to get choked! I hate when people have their hands on my neck, and even in class I got a shiver down my spine the first few times! I feel very confident that I can break a choke hold and do some damage retaliating. Let's hope the only place it ever happens is in another class, though.  So far so good, I love it. Between this and my CrossFit Classes, it's gonna be a great summer.

2011-June-3 - KO Bag class

This was the first time I had taken a bag class, and I had no idea what to expect. The instructor is one of those no freakin' BS, get it done NOW, but in a cool way kind of guys. I can identify with this and it works for me. We started off with single jabs, working into combinations, then adding kicks, and elbows! Loved it!

CFT finished up (May 2011)

I'm not totally pumped on my CFT this time, as it's a bit down. I was, to be honest, a bit scared to really go for it on the back squat due to the tight back I've been working around. I'm a bit under 1000, but I'm confident I'll get back and my goal is 1100.

2011-May-2 Crossfit Central WOD
Day 2 CFT
BS - 365 (Done 5/31)
SP - 210 (Done 5/31)
DL - 405
Total: 985

Later tonight: Krav Maga
Edit: Ended up doing a Yoga for Athletes class. Which involved heavy shoulder mobility. How cool. Then went and did handstands and L - wow, much more difficult than I expected. Awesome stuff.

Aggression + Technique = BOOM!

So I've been wanting to try out a Krav Maga class for a long time, but various things were allowed to get in the way. Yesterday, it was time to go get some!  I showed up not really knowing what to expect or how it would be. I had heard from someone (not a person that does CrossFit) that just the warmup was ridiculous, but I was not worried about that! We started off with a pre-class meeting with the instructor to go over the basics. It was actually really basic and intuitive. A couple stances and techniques and we were cleared for class.

We started by jogging around the studio room, then high knees, butt-kick run, etc then some stretching. The warmup was far from ridiculous, so my confidence that I could handle it was growing. We started with some hammer fists as the pace of class quickly increased. My partner was also a first-timer so we were in the weeds a little bit, but kept each other pushing and hitting. Once we did tons of variations of hammer fists standing, on knees and on our backs - fighting someone off - we moved to kicks. This was where principles of aggression and technique really come together when you do it right, and really shows when you don't! We were doing kicks and I was not doing it right. The instructor taught me how to rotate my hips to get more power...resulting in my next kick landing a lot better. I was pumped, until I heard "Now do it with some fucking aggression, like you fucking mean it!" BOOM! My training partner last night was far from a small man, but my kick send him stumbling back against the wall. Holy shit! It was a fantastic feeling! Then we got to do it about 100 more times. Each time I found myself losing a little power, I am sad to admit! Next thing I know we are in groups of three, with two people coming at me and me kicking and punching them away at random times and directions. This seemed to go on forever, but it was fantastic to let out all that stress.

Hooked.

I signed up for unlimited ass kicking! My classes at Crossfit Central plus these classes a few days a week will result in great nights sleep, tons of laundry, and a whole new mental outlook. The physical benefits will be great too!

CFT time again

Still having some sore/tight back issues, so - honestly - I was a bit scared to really go for it on back squat. Shitty feeling, to say the least.

2011-May-31 CC WOD 

CFT Day 1
BS  365
SP  215