This is a question I think you should ask yourself before every single Crossfit workout you do! Actually coming to think of it I think you should ask yourself this question every single time you go to work out- whether it is MMA, soccer, figure skating, Crossfit etc. the same question applies! What do you want?
The reason for asking this question is that I have encountered a strange attitude among people who work out, and I just can't seem to work it out.. Here is an example, please let me know if I have gotten it all wrong?
" The WOD for the day is to do 1 push up the first minute, two push ups the second minute, and then add one push up every minute, until you can no longer do the required number of push ups. The twist is that you have to remain standing in the push up position while you wait for the next minute.
Immidiately I see people trying to find ways to modify the push up stance, in order to decrease the workload?"
Now my question is: " Why would you want to do that?"
If you go to workout, my guess is that you do so to improve either technique, strength, or some of the other precursers we use to define fitness- or simply to become better at your sport? If your first thought is how you can get around the job easier, and minimize the work you are doing, then you are actively working against your goal! You will never get better, fitter, faster etc. if your starting point is that you want to cheat!
I bet that if you look at every single role model you ever had, they went the extra mile every single chance they got, so that they could get to the point where they are today! They worked the hardest they possibly could to get better, and they did the work!
The second question you need to ask yourself is: " Who do I cheat?" The answer is simple. You are cheating yourself out of reaping the full benefits of your training. This is true twice, because you will never be able to perform to the top of your potential if you are not training at top intensity!
Secondly you are cheating everyone you compare your scores with- and that might be even worse! What kind of training partner would do that?
There is no secret as to who my idol is when it comes to Crossfit, and I refuse to believe that he got to where he is today by looking for the easy way out.. He did the job, and as a result he inspires hundreds of people on a daily basis today.. By doing the work every time, I hope to become just as inspiring, which is why I try to go the distance in every workout I do! Do you?
I might have gotten it all wrong- please let me know?
The last 3 days I have done the following workouts:
Sunday 080420
Shoulder press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Post loads to comments
50kg- 55kg- 60kg- 65kg- 70kg
It felt really good, but due to the shoulder injury I did not dare to go heavier, and I fel really good that I got all the reps without feeling any pain:-)
Monday 080421
Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
80kg- 85kg- 90kg- 95kg- 100kg
In retrospekt I could have gone a bit heavier, the last set went up pretty easy. But I comfort myself knowing that every single rep was legit, ass to the floor..
Tuesday 080422
Clean & Jerk 10 reps
Cindy 5 rounds
Clean & Jerk 10 reps
Cindy 5 rounds
Clean & Jerk 10 reps
Time: 14:30
I did the C&J with 40kg. This was a killer! I was supposed to do weighted pull ups, but felt like trying a workout I found on the NSC site, courtesy of Adrian Bozman of Crossfit SF. Boz you are a genius!
That's all for now
Much love
/Mads
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Jenny is going to the games!
Before I get into my usual rant about my workouts, thoughts, results etc. I just have to share the most fantastic news with you!
Today Jenny just got the ok to go and compete in the Crossfit games in Aromas i july!
When Jenny, Rasmus and I were in Santa Cruz in january, Annie (Jenny's biggest idol) asked Jenny if she would compete in the Crossfit games? She thought Jenny would do really good in the competition, and probably end up in the top part of the womens division!
So needless to say We have both entertained the thought on more than one occation. The problem however has always been that we could not afford such a trip this year, with us moving, doing the certification in Manchester in september, and getting married in Thailand in january, there is just no room for an extra expense like that..
But today Sturebadet Haga decided that they would pay for her to go and compete! I can not begin to tell you how happy I am that Jenny is getting a chance like that! She will do great, and being the fantastic athlete she is- I am sure that she will tear up the competition!
Needless to say, I would have loved to join her and compete at the games, even if my chances of success are minimal- however it would have been a fantastic experience.. But that she get's to go is huge, and I am absolutely thrilled for her! You rule!
Lately I have been working my ass off, and for some reason it has not had any impact on my diet! I have been able to plan my meals and follow the plan pretty well. The problem is that my workouts have been suffering from all the work!
The last 3 days I have done the following workouts:
April 15th:
"Quarter Gone Bad"
Five rounds for total reps of:
135 pound Thruster,
15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
50 pound Weighted pull-up,
15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
Burpees,
15 seconds
Rest 45 seconds
Post total reps for all five rounds to comments
I did the thrusters with 60kg and 24kg on the weighted pull ups- my accumulated score 87
I thought my cardio would be the problem, but the weight was the killer...
April 16th
"Nancy"
Five rounds for time of:
400 meter run
95 pound Overhead squat, 15 reps
Post time to comments
My time: 16:05
I am actually pretty happy with my result. This was the first time I did all the Overhead squats in unbroken sets..
April 17th
"Elizabeth"
21-15-9 reps of:
Clean 135 pounds
Ring dips
Post time to comments
My time 9:38
This was brutal, and the first time I did the WOD as rxd', I have always scaled the weights, so this was new. I actually feel I could do better the next time I do this, but for today I am just happy to get through on the perscribed weight!
Well, I get back to celebrating that Jenny is going to the games!
Much love
Mads
Today Jenny just got the ok to go and compete in the Crossfit games in Aromas i july!
When Jenny, Rasmus and I were in Santa Cruz in january, Annie (Jenny's biggest idol) asked Jenny if she would compete in the Crossfit games? She thought Jenny would do really good in the competition, and probably end up in the top part of the womens division!
So needless to say We have both entertained the thought on more than one occation. The problem however has always been that we could not afford such a trip this year, with us moving, doing the certification in Manchester in september, and getting married in Thailand in january, there is just no room for an extra expense like that..
But today Sturebadet Haga decided that they would pay for her to go and compete! I can not begin to tell you how happy I am that Jenny is getting a chance like that! She will do great, and being the fantastic athlete she is- I am sure that she will tear up the competition!
Needless to say, I would have loved to join her and compete at the games, even if my chances of success are minimal- however it would have been a fantastic experience.. But that she get's to go is huge, and I am absolutely thrilled for her! You rule!
Lately I have been working my ass off, and for some reason it has not had any impact on my diet! I have been able to plan my meals and follow the plan pretty well. The problem is that my workouts have been suffering from all the work!
The last 3 days I have done the following workouts:
April 15th:
"Quarter Gone Bad"
Five rounds for total reps of:
135 pound Thruster,
15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
50 pound Weighted pull-up,
15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
Burpees,
15 seconds
Rest 45 seconds
Post total reps for all five rounds to comments
I did the thrusters with 60kg and 24kg on the weighted pull ups- my accumulated score 87
I thought my cardio would be the problem, but the weight was the killer...
April 16th
"Nancy"
Five rounds for time of:
400 meter run
95 pound Overhead squat, 15 reps
Post time to comments
My time: 16:05
I am actually pretty happy with my result. This was the first time I did all the Overhead squats in unbroken sets..
April 17th
"Elizabeth"
21-15-9 reps of:
Clean 135 pounds
Ring dips
Post time to comments
My time 9:38
This was brutal, and the first time I did the WOD as rxd', I have always scaled the weights, so this was new. I actually feel I could do better the next time I do this, but for today I am just happy to get through on the perscribed weight!
Well, I get back to celebrating that Jenny is going to the games!
Much love
Mads
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Focus- Daniel san!
You have probably all seen the Karate kid movies (or am I getting old?).
Mr Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing and teaches him one technique. Through the movie Daniel discovers the essentials of the technique, and step by step begins to master it. At the end of the movie Daniel, who has now graduated to Daniel san, is put to the ultimate test, and finds that in the moment of truth, all he has to do is focus really hard and use the technique mr Miyagi has taught him, and he will save the day, get the girl, and drive of into the sunset!
Would'nt it be fantastic if Crossfit worked the same way? Would'nt it be fantastic if coach would give us one single move that would work magic in virtually everything we do? Imagine how easy it would be. Every time we would find ourselves in some sort of trouble (in our workout) all we would have to do was close our eyes, and remember the moment when coach shared his wisdom. We could then open our eyes, and from the pureness of knowing that we had the answer to all the riddles that cause us distress- execute the move coach had told us- and save the day!
The truth is that coach has given us a move that will make virtually every exercise easier! It is a move that will save the day, and make the predominant part of exercises you find in the crossfit regimen, easier!
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you- The violent full extention of the hip!
It is as simple as that. When you do squats, kettlebell swings, overhead squats, kipping pull ups, snatches, jumps, sprints, push press, split jerks etc. the list goes on and on forever and ever. The one thing you will find that these exercises all have in common is the violent full extention of the hip..
It is fantastically easy to forget where you need to focus. Instead of putting full focus on the bare essentials, you start to waiver off in search of the next big thing that will give you an edge, improve your time, allow you to use greater loads, post better scores! You start to read books by obscure authors (No names, but there are a few I have my eyes on) who claim that their way is the only way. These books will tell you to focus more on things like grip, a different stance, a different breathing technique etc. In your pursuit of perfection you begin to follow the advice put forth in these books, but for some strange reason, the gains made are minimal, and they have more often than not come at the expense of other exercises!
When from the beginning all you had to do was focus on the basics- ie. the violent full extention of the hip!
Im not saying we should stop our pursuit of getting better, and always striving towards increasing our performance. What I am saying is, that until we master the basics, there is no need to focus on anything else. Before you begin to worry about getting an edge, build a Crossfit foundation to stand on, and let that be your base camp, when you begin your climb towards the top!
The last 3 days I have done the following workouts:
Tuesday 080408
Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
Shoulder press 50kg 60kg 65kg 70kg 75kg
Push Press 60kg 65kg 70kg 75kg 80kg
Push Jerk 65kg 65kg 65kg 65kg 65kg
My shoulder is still hurting from when I did the split jerks, and every time I lowered the weight it hurt really bad, and it got progressively worse during the exercises. So I'm not sure if I could have gone heavier- but I was actually pretty happy with the workout!
Wednesday 080409
"Kelly"
Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
30 Box jump, 24 inch box
30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
Time 28:21- I thought I would be a lot faster but I really need to improve my running technique. I did'nt have a 24 inch box, so I used the stairs in the gym, no comment other than I'll be getting a box!
Thursday 080410
Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
100kg 120kg 140kg 150kg 160kg 164,6kg 169,3kg
I was working out at Haga where they have a fantastic mix of weights in pounds and kilos- hence the strange pregression of weights! These weights, as it turns out, are smaller than the olympic size ones, which made for a strange sensation:-)
Still a new PR- Though not a good looking final rep, it was legit, and I am happy as can be...
For now that was it, thank you for reading
Much love
Mr Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing and teaches him one technique. Through the movie Daniel discovers the essentials of the technique, and step by step begins to master it. At the end of the movie Daniel, who has now graduated to Daniel san, is put to the ultimate test, and finds that in the moment of truth, all he has to do is focus really hard and use the technique mr Miyagi has taught him, and he will save the day, get the girl, and drive of into the sunset!
Would'nt it be fantastic if Crossfit worked the same way? Would'nt it be fantastic if coach would give us one single move that would work magic in virtually everything we do? Imagine how easy it would be. Every time we would find ourselves in some sort of trouble (in our workout) all we would have to do was close our eyes, and remember the moment when coach shared his wisdom. We could then open our eyes, and from the pureness of knowing that we had the answer to all the riddles that cause us distress- execute the move coach had told us- and save the day!
The truth is that coach has given us a move that will make virtually every exercise easier! It is a move that will save the day, and make the predominant part of exercises you find in the crossfit regimen, easier!
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you- The violent full extention of the hip!
It is as simple as that. When you do squats, kettlebell swings, overhead squats, kipping pull ups, snatches, jumps, sprints, push press, split jerks etc. the list goes on and on forever and ever. The one thing you will find that these exercises all have in common is the violent full extention of the hip..
It is fantastically easy to forget where you need to focus. Instead of putting full focus on the bare essentials, you start to waiver off in search of the next big thing that will give you an edge, improve your time, allow you to use greater loads, post better scores! You start to read books by obscure authors (No names, but there are a few I have my eyes on) who claim that their way is the only way. These books will tell you to focus more on things like grip, a different stance, a different breathing technique etc. In your pursuit of perfection you begin to follow the advice put forth in these books, but for some strange reason, the gains made are minimal, and they have more often than not come at the expense of other exercises!
When from the beginning all you had to do was focus on the basics- ie. the violent full extention of the hip!
Im not saying we should stop our pursuit of getting better, and always striving towards increasing our performance. What I am saying is, that until we master the basics, there is no need to focus on anything else. Before you begin to worry about getting an edge, build a Crossfit foundation to stand on, and let that be your base camp, when you begin your climb towards the top!
The last 3 days I have done the following workouts:
Tuesday 080408
Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
Shoulder press 50kg 60kg 65kg 70kg 75kg
Push Press 60kg 65kg 70kg 75kg 80kg
Push Jerk 65kg 65kg 65kg 65kg 65kg
My shoulder is still hurting from when I did the split jerks, and every time I lowered the weight it hurt really bad, and it got progressively worse during the exercises. So I'm not sure if I could have gone heavier- but I was actually pretty happy with the workout!
Wednesday 080409
"Kelly"
Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
30 Box jump, 24 inch box
30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
Time 28:21- I thought I would be a lot faster but I really need to improve my running technique. I did'nt have a 24 inch box, so I used the stairs in the gym, no comment other than I'll be getting a box!
Thursday 080410
Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
100kg 120kg 140kg 150kg 160kg 164,6kg 169,3kg
I was working out at Haga where they have a fantastic mix of weights in pounds and kilos- hence the strange pregression of weights! These weights, as it turns out, are smaller than the olympic size ones, which made for a strange sensation:-)
Still a new PR- Though not a good looking final rep, it was legit, and I am happy as can be...
For now that was it, thank you for reading
Much love
Monday, April 7, 2008
Dedication!
I thought that this time I'll do something a little different than I have done before- I'll dedicate this post to the people who participated in the Crossfit introduction seminar, at Fighter Centre, This weekend!
Max Philipsson and I had a Crossfit introduction seminar at Fighter Centre this weekend. The thought behind the seminar was to give the people who came the tools to follow the HQ website and do the exercises the way they are supposed to be done. Another point was to get the participants to understand the thought behind Crossfit, and to open some eyes to legit vs non legit reps..
The bonus to the participants is that after having done the seminar, they are now allowed to participate in the advanced Crossfit classes at Fighter Centre!
During the seminar we covered all the basic movements to the best of our abilities, and shared the expiriences we gained from doing the Crossfit certification in Denver last year, the trip to Santa Cruz in january, and the things we have come to realize from doing Crossfit, and teaching it to our clients!
I went into this with absolutely no expectations at all, thinking that this would be a learning experience for Max and I as well as for the participants.
Well, Max and I both gained a lot of experiences, and things that we can do better the next time we do this- but the one thing that really impressed me was the people who came, and the level of dedication and enthusiasm they brought to the table- It was fantastic to see the effort everybody put into improving their squats, fronts squats, shoulder press etc. The way everyone worked to get the technique right- and adapt the exercise to their present physical fitness, was nothing short of amazing, and at the end of the day everybody had made some serious progress!
We ended up doing a WOD, and I wish I had had my camera with me so I could have shared with you the effort everyone dispalyed, it was fantastic. Noone gave up, and everyone who had finished their workout immidiately began cheering for the ones still fighting their way through the workout- It is this kind of dedication and camaraderie that makes me proud to be a part of Crossfit Sthlm!
The workout was:
Thrusters
Burpees
Sprint
21- 15- 9 of thrusters and burpees, and a sprint in between every block!
I would like to thank everyone who came to the seminar, and I look forward to being a part of your continued journey into the world of Crossfit. I look forward to seeing how you beat you previous PR's and knock seconds, and minutes of your benchmark workouts!
Thank you for a fantastic seminar- I came home feeling the exact same enthusiasm I felt when I came back from my first encounter with Crossfit, in Denver last year... Thank you for that!
Much love
Max Philipsson and I had a Crossfit introduction seminar at Fighter Centre this weekend. The thought behind the seminar was to give the people who came the tools to follow the HQ website and do the exercises the way they are supposed to be done. Another point was to get the participants to understand the thought behind Crossfit, and to open some eyes to legit vs non legit reps..
The bonus to the participants is that after having done the seminar, they are now allowed to participate in the advanced Crossfit classes at Fighter Centre!
During the seminar we covered all the basic movements to the best of our abilities, and shared the expiriences we gained from doing the Crossfit certification in Denver last year, the trip to Santa Cruz in january, and the things we have come to realize from doing Crossfit, and teaching it to our clients!
I went into this with absolutely no expectations at all, thinking that this would be a learning experience for Max and I as well as for the participants.
Well, Max and I both gained a lot of experiences, and things that we can do better the next time we do this- but the one thing that really impressed me was the people who came, and the level of dedication and enthusiasm they brought to the table- It was fantastic to see the effort everybody put into improving their squats, fronts squats, shoulder press etc. The way everyone worked to get the technique right- and adapt the exercise to their present physical fitness, was nothing short of amazing, and at the end of the day everybody had made some serious progress!
We ended up doing a WOD, and I wish I had had my camera with me so I could have shared with you the effort everyone dispalyed, it was fantastic. Noone gave up, and everyone who had finished their workout immidiately began cheering for the ones still fighting their way through the workout- It is this kind of dedication and camaraderie that makes me proud to be a part of Crossfit Sthlm!
The workout was:
Thrusters
Burpees
Sprint
21- 15- 9 of thrusters and burpees, and a sprint in between every block!
I would like to thank everyone who came to the seminar, and I look forward to being a part of your continued journey into the world of Crossfit. I look forward to seeing how you beat you previous PR's and knock seconds, and minutes of your benchmark workouts!
Thank you for a fantastic seminar- I came home feeling the exact same enthusiasm I felt when I came back from my first encounter with Crossfit, in Denver last year... Thank you for that!
Much love
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Who do you think you are?
Imagine the following scenario:
"A person comes up to you and challenges you to a 100m race. You accept the challenge, and you both agree on a date for the race.
You then proceed to train as hard as you possibly can for the race, and in your pursuit of exellence you decide to seek help from a professional. So you start working out with a trainer, and even go as far as to attend workshops, and seminars, in order to perform better.
The day of the race finally arrives, and you feel fantastic. You get in the block, and explode out of the block, and begin your sprint down the track.. After 80m your opponent stops running? You finish the race in perfect form, and make good time- you feel proud of yourself!
Now comes the chock- your opponent claims to have won the race?? What the #%?! just happened? To add injury to insult, your opponent gets online and boasts of his exellence, and posts his time, for the 100m race! Never mentioning that he only went 80m!"
The scenario is hillarious, and noone in their right mind would ever do so- Since it is clear to everyone that he never finished the race, and you are the true winner!
Why is this not true of crossfit???
I always try to spend as much time as possible to visit as many crossfit related sites as possible, looking for exercises, programming, inspiration, motivation etc. and lately I have come across a couple of these sites, where people (whom I have seen workout) have posted their scores, and they are fantastic!
The problem however is that I have seen these people work out, and there has been no full extention of the squat or push up, no chin above the bar in the pull ups, no full range of motion in the push ups, and the list goes on and on! So now my question is this- How can these people post their scores,beside those who have had perfect technique and full range of motion, and not honestly admit that they did their best, but the technique was lacking, but they are working on it? That they really tried, and will get better?
The problem is that we are no longer competing on the same terms, somebody is only running 80m- while others run 100m... Who do these people think they are? You ruin the the very basis on which we compare, evolve, develop, motivate and inspire each other, and turn Crossfit into your own little "ego massage".. Who do you think you are? Get of your high horses, and get honest, or start working out at SATS, where no requirement of posting scores is made!
I will be the first to compliment a person who gets a 5 sek improvement on their 45 min "Fran" time, if it is legit! I'll will scream my little heart out for the person who tries to better their "Crossfit total", but misses- but does so in good form.. And I will salute and celebrate the person who blows my score on "Cindy", out of the water.
I have no personal pride in my scores, and I post them to motivate those who want, and to show how close, or far behind I am from the ones who are better! The second I post my scores for any other reason- I hope I get caught red handed, and banished from the Crossfit community- cause then I am no longer worth being a part of this!
Think! Who do you want to be?
The last three days I have done the following workouts:
Monday: Fran
Thrusters
Pull ups
21 - 15 - 9 for time: 5:01
I really thought I was going to beat my previous PR of 4:45, but I just did'nt have it in me- but I gave it my all. The ambition for next time is to beat it- preferably somewhere around 4:30:-)
Tuesday:
Run 800m x 4
rest as needed between rounds
I am not a runner and desperatly need for someone to give some pointers on the pose 4 technique.. I was somewhere between 3:30 and 3:00, getting progressivly faster as I went, but nowhere near impressive:-)
Wednesday:
30 Glut ham sit-ups
25 Back extentions
5 rounds for time.
I don't have anywhere to do proper glut ham sit-ups, so I did straight legged L-sits on the pull up bar instead. I know that this is not even close to as taxing as real glut ham sit-ups, but still this was no walk in the park- Time 9:12
Today was a rest day, and I already feel this wonderful dread of what will come tomorrow...
Much love
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