days 12-13-14...

As follows:-)

Day 12
"Olympic Total"
1 rep max snatch
1 rep max clean and jerk
Then 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, 6 rounds for total metres.

--------

Day 13
Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
Then in 5 mins;Run 200m and in the remaining time do as many 95lb thrusters as you can.
Rest 2 mins
Then in 5 mins;Run 200m and in the remaining time do as many pull ups as you can.

--------

Day 14
Front squat 10x3 reps
Do across at 90% of 3RM.

Much joy

days 8-9-10.. Karl says hi:-)

Day 8

500m row
25 ring dips
500m row
20 ring dips
500m row
15 ring dips
500m row
10 ring dips
500m row
5 ring dips

Day 9

Build up to the heaviest unbroken lift through the complex;
3 deadlift
3 hang squat clean
3 push press
3 front squat

Day 10

3 rounds of;
Run 400m
21 pull ups
12 kbell swings


Once again this just goes to show that if you are in the market for some fantastic training, but don't feel like spendign half your future heritage on airfare, all you have to do is rally on over to CrossFit Manchester....
While you are there make a point of staying at the most glamorous hotel in town.... Which one could that be?

Much love

Days 5-6-7... sorry I'm late!

I was supposed to post these days two days ago, which means that I have robbed you of the opportuninty to do the WOD's percribed by Karl for days 5 and 6. The mistake is all mine and I am so sorry about that- My suggestion is that you have these days in the back of your mind, and tey to make them up sometime in the future..

Here are the WOD's as described by the man himself:

Day 5
"The Chief"
As many rounds in 3 mins of;
3 power clean, 60kg / 40kg
6 press ups
9 squats
Rest 1 min
5 rounds.

Day 6
Run 400m
Rest 2 mins
4 rounds for time.

Day 7
For time;
Row 1000m
5 rounds of;
6 push jerk, 60kg / 40kg
25 pull ups

That is all for now, but I promise that I will not be late with posting the WOD's again..

Much love

Blessings from Karl...

My month of programming has come to an end, and it is Karl Steadman of CrossFit Manchester who has taken over the rodder.. For the next month he will be sharing some of his skill and insight with us, and doing the programming..

I feel very fortumate to be able to follow his lead, and hopefully discover some new ways of excelling as an athlete..

Day 1

Back Squat 10x3 reps

All sets to be done at 85% of your current 3RM.

Day 2

Weighted Pull Ups 7x1 reps

Day 3

As many rounds in 5 mins of;

7 thrusters

7 pull ups

Rest 2 mins

3 rounds

Day 4

Rest

I look forward to seing how everyone does, and don't forget to post your results!

Much love

Mads

Before Karl...

...takes over and does the programming for the next month, we still have one more 3-day-block of CrossFit.. Please enjoy!

Day 25

For time:
"JT"
HSPU
Ring dips
Push ups

21-15-9

Day 26

for time:
50 Back extentions
50 Walking lunges
50 Air squats (leap off the ground approx 1 inch on every squat)

3 rounds

Day 27

For time:
25 K2E
25 KB swings 24 kg
25 Push Press 40kg

5 rounds

After this Karl Steadman of CrossFit Manchester will take over and do the programming for a month. I am super stoked to have the opportunity to train under Karl, even if his box is far away.. I hope that everyone who has done this last months challenges, will continue, and hopefully recruit at least one more person to do this challenge...

Much love

21-22-23 sportsfans:-)

It's time for another 3 days of CrossFit:

Day 21
"Ode to Amundson"

For time:
3 rounds of 7 thrusters and 7 pull ups
Run 400m
3 rounds of 5 thrusters and 5 pull ups
Run 400m
3 rounds of 3 thrusters and 3 pull ups

Day 22

For time:
Overhead squat
SDHP

21-15-9

Day 23

For time, complete 10 rounds of:
10 Box jumps
10 Hang power cleans

Then

Run 3K


Day 24
Rest Day


Much love

17- 18- 19 the challenge continues...

Day 17

For time:
Body weight back squat
Ring dips

21-15-9

Day 18

5 Deadlifts 100kg
5 HSPU

10 rounds for time

Day 19

Squat clean technique:
10-10-10-10-10-
The challenge is to pick a weight that you do not have to let go during the set! Work your technique towards perfection, and post how you did and what you learned/discovered..

For some odd reason I hvae fallen into a bad groove of working too much, this means that I am once again pressed for time, and on my way to work, which is why this is such a short post.. I have to go in a couple of hours, and that little time is spent with my fantastic family..

Looking forward to seeing your comments to the challenge!

Much love

3 more days of fun!

I have a bunch of things I'd like to share with you, but its late, and I am in my way to work- so I'll have to save the funny things that have happened for another day..

The next three days will consist of the following:

Day 13
Deadlifts:

1- 1- 1- 1- 1

Post loads for score..

Day 14
5 Pull ups
10 Push ups
15 KB swings (24kg)

Max amount of rounds in 20 min- post rounds for score..

Thank you Karl for introducing me to this baby:-)

Day 15
"Annie"
For time:
Double unders
Sit ups
50- 40- 30- 20- 10

Don't forget to post your scores and cheer on your fellow crossfitters doing this Challenge- and of course getting at least one new person to join in the challenge..

Much love

A new diet, and 3 more days!

As I may have been able to convey in previous posts- I am a huge fan of the zone, and my body has never felt better than when I did the zone, and follwed it to the letter.
However I have to admit that the constant weighing, and converting was about to drive me absolutely nuts. Not to mention the constant feeling of guilt of having had a couple of almonds too much, or summing up the day and having to admit to oneself that I had a red apple instead of a green, and it was probably a large apple and not a small apple, like it was supposed to be..

So after driving myself up the wall and back down, an epiphany appered in the shape of the diet-oracle Jonna! She had found a diet called Intermittent Fasting.. You can read the article she emailed me below- but let me just say that it is the best thing that has ever happened diet-wise, and the results I have been getting on my WOD's have been great!

I guess I could have been a sport and compiled it all- but I'll just admit that I got it all from Jonna, and loved it right of the bat.. Please check out her blogg for more info..

Read the following http://www.leangains.com/
Sunday, June 27, 2008

Sure-Fire Fat Loss
My name is Martin Berkhan and I work as a nutritional consultant, magazine writer and personal trainer. I also happen to be a proponent of intermittent fasting for health, fitness and fat loss. I have my own blog about fasting (www.leangains.com), but when Mike asked me if I’d like to make a guest post on his blog, I thought that’d be a great way to present my method in greater detail.
The Leangains protocol consists of two phases; 16 hours of fasting, followed by 8 hours of feeding. During this period, three meals are usually eaten. Depending on the day, the composition of those meals varies; on workout days, carbs are prioritized before fat, while on rest days fat intake is higher. Protein remains fairly high on all days. That’s a very basic and general description of the protocol I employ; of course, variables change depending on goals, gender, age, body fat and activity levels, but it would be hard to describe it in greater detail without drifting off too far.
Most of my clients are fitness enthusiasts, athletes and weight trainers, but the great majority of them have one thing in common – to look good naked. The ‘gain’ in Leangains can therefore be a bit misleading, as most of my clients wants to lose fat, while retaining as much muscle as possible in the process. While their diets might vary, it rests on some nutritional principles that I thought I’d present to the crowd reading this post. These principles will work for everyone, regardless of fitness level.

Here are a few guidelines that I consider success factors for performance, fat loss and excellent diet compliance.

• On workout days, break the fast with meat, veggies and a fruit. If you’re planning to train shortly after this meal, add a few carbs in the form of a starch source – potatoes or whole grain bread, for example. Make it a medium sized meal and don’t stuff yourself. Train within 3 hrs of having eaten this meal and have a much larger meal after your workout; in this meal, add more complex carbs – and you may even have one of your favourite treats as dessert, if it’s not too high in fat and if eaten in moderation. Good examples of what I refer to as ‘treats’: low fat ice cream, sorbet or JC’s cheesecake. Bad example: Chinese buffet or your son’s birthday cake. You get the point, keep it within moderation and don’t pig out.
• On rest days, eat less calories than on workout days - do this by cutting down on carb intake, and make meat, fibrous veggies and fruit the foundation of your diet for this day. The first meal of the day should be the largest, in contrast to workout days where the post-workout meal is the largest. Largest doesn’t necessarily mean largest in terms of volume; I suggest getting at least 40% of your calorie intake in this meal, and the dominant macronutrient should be protein. I’ll have some clients eating upwards to 100 g protein in this meal, so don’t be afraid to pile on the meat (or whichever protein source you prefer). Fattier meat and fish like ground beef and salmon are examples of some excellent protein sources that may be consumed on rest days.
• In the last meal of the day, include a slow digesting protein source; preferably egg protein, cottage cheese (or any other source of casein based protein). Meat or fish is also ok if you add veggies or supplement with fiber. This meal will keep you full during the fast and exert an anti-catabolic effect on muscle protein stores by ensuring that your body has an ample supply of amino acids until the next meal.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Why would I do Intermittent Fasting along with weightlifting?
I will briefly outline the benefits of IF in this post.
All the claims made are scientifically proven through empirical studies on humans.

* Increased insulin sensitivity, possibly resulting in superior nutrient partitioning as compared to traditional meal patterns; especially when combined with weightlifting. There are also several other health benefits, including improved blood lipids (scientifically proven).

* Possible to reduce bodyfat and increase lean mass through a cyclic calorie intake.

* No more obsessive thinking about food and worrying about eating every second hour.

* Very liberal approach to calorie intake in the eating window (8 hrs) and post-workout window; you can eat to your hearts content and still lose bodyfat.

* Increased mental focus, energy and productivity during the fast.

* Increased metabolism during the fast. Ironically, most people think it´s the other way around.* Appetite suppression during the fast. This is particularily beneficial if your main priority is to lose bodyfat.That being said, IF is not a universal solution to gaining lean mass and losing bodyfat. Just like there are people that prefer high carbohydrate diets, and loathe low carb diets, some people will prefer a higher meal frequency and more regular meal patterning. However, those that like IF rarely go back to their old habits of meal patterning and meal frequencies.

• Whole and unprocessed foods should always take priority over processed or liquid foods, unless circumstance demands a compromise. For example, you might find yourself in situations when there is little time to eat or prepare foods – in such a situation, having a protein shake or meal replacement bar is ok, where as solid, more satiating foods should be consumed whenever there is ample time to cook.

More reading
http://avidityfitness.net/2008/01/12/interview-martin-berkhan/

http://www.theiflife.com/2008/08/29/intermittent-fasting-roundtable-the-experts-talk-about-if-for-fat-loss-muscle-and-health/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-intermittent-fasting/

http://www.alanaragon.com/an-objective-look-at-intermittent-fasting.html

3 More days

Day 9

Courtesy of CrossFit NSC:
For time:

5 Pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats
Run 200m
12 pull ups, 21 KBS (24 kg)
Run 400m
75 Wall ball shots
Run 400m
21 KBS, 12 Pull ups
Run 200m
15 Squats, 10 push ups, 5 pull ups

Day 10

25 DB snatches
25 GHD sit ups
3 rounds for time

Day 11
Max push ups, rest 1 min- repeat 5 times- post scores for each effort!

Day 12
Rest- you are worth it!

I am happy that so many have joined in on the challenge- I would love to have some more join, so please kick some people around you onto the challenge- the more the merrier:-)

Much love

Mads

Sportsfans....

Its time for the next 3 days of the Challenge..

Day 5

Tabata Something Else:

-Pull Ups

-Push Ups

-Sit Ups

-Squats

Complete each 4 minute intervall of one exercise before moving on to the next exercise.. Post accumulated reps for score..

Day 6

For time:

5 rounds of:

5 Hang Power Cleans

5 Front Squats

5 Split Jerks

Weight for him- 60kg

Weight for her- 35-40kg

Day 7

For time

10 rounds of 400m run..

run 400m rest 30 seconds before beginning next lap.. The 30 sec rest is mandatory! Post totasl time for score..

Day 8

Rest..

I am super happy that so many have joined in on the challenge, and I have to admit that one of the reasons why this is so much fun is because I have to post my scores next to those of you who have posted.. However it is important to stress that posting results is done for our own sake.. It is not a competition- it is an inspiration.. The competition is internal!

So please continue to post results, even if you can't do the challenge every day..

Much love

Mads

Surprise- another Challenge!

By now you have either come to the point where you could not be bothered with another challenge, or you have taken a strange kind of fondness to challenges! Either way I think you have understood where I stand!

For a while now I have had the pleassure of sharing results and experiences with Karl Steadman from CrossFit Manchester.. The man is an absolute stud, and a fantastic athlete- it has been a pleassure to have this opportunity to run along side an athlete like him, and I hope that I have managed to bring some kind of enthusiasm , if nothing else to his WOD's??
We have decided to take things to another level, and let me do the programming one month, and then Karl will do the programming one month! This should ensure that we both get to work on our programming skills, and we get to do some WOD's we have never done before? Any way we turn this it should be an learning experience!

So I'll present the first 3 days of the challenge here. Starting tomorrow:

Day 1
Overhead squat
15-15-15-15-15-4 reps

Day 2
"Helen"
Run 400m
KB-swing 24kg 21 reps
Pull ups 12 reps (Chest-to-bar)
3 rounds for time!

Day 3
For time Row 5 k

Day 4 rest

I hope you will join in on the challenge, and post your results here..

Much love

Almost "Randy"..

My knee is getting marginally better every day I don't irritate it. So todays WOD, which was 7 heavy snatches, was a gamble. Should I go for broke and hope that the knee would hold, or should nurse it and hope to recover 100%??

I passed the question on to Karl Steadman, who came back with the wise answer that I should do a hang power Snatch "Randy" instead. Randy is a 75 rep 35kg snatch hero WOD, but due to the knee I had to modify it...

I went to Fighter Centre and did the WOD. My result was 06:16 min..

I have never done this WOD in any way shape or form before, so I have no idea if it is an ok effort- but it felt like I should have done it a lot faster! The problem however was that my grip was killing me! I tried to put together reps before resting but I almost dropped the bar, so I had to let it go, shake my hands, and then return... A strange sensation!

I am happy that I got a workout in despite the knee, but not quite happy with my effort... I'm looking forward for tomorrows WOD- keeping my fingers crossed that it's not squats..

Much love

Mads

HSPU???

Today's WOD on the HQ site was:

For time:
135 lb Squat clean, 10 reps
50 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 8 reps
40 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 6 reps
30 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 4 reps
20 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 2 reps
10 GHD Sit-ups
So What am I rambling on about?

There are a couple of reasons why I had to change todays WOD into something that could be done within the confines of my home!
The first is that the heir to the throne and eternal love of my life, has been at home for the last two days with a stomach ache! Yesterday Jenny stayed at home with him, and today after lunch it was my turn to make sure he got everything he needed:-)
The second reason is that I was a little uncertain of the condition of my knee! It was nowhere near normal this morning. Some angles were perfectly ok, while others hurt like nothing I have ever experienced before. So I decided that Squat Cleans probably were not to be recommended! I went with a little challenge that I would like to extend to anyone else who has a day of, or just want to mess with me by beating my time... I know there are some truly amazing athletes who check in on this blog from time to time- please feel free to humble me once again!

Todays WOD for me was:
50 Hspu for time: My time 09:46 min!

I have no clue if that is any good or not, but it was hard as hell, and I had to redo quite a few just because I did'nt make it all the way to the ground.. I'll have to try again some time and compare!

Another funny thing happened today that I would like to share with you. Yesterday I posted another freaky picture of myself, and added that I love cool t-shirts and beanies.. Today in the mail I got a package from our friends at Crossfit Manchester Rachel and Karl.. In the package was some fantastic chocolate that is bound to send me to Zone-hell and taste-heaven! The package also had a beanie! How much joy can you put in one package- I thank you form the bottom of my heart!
If anyone feels like getting one of these beanies, or one of the performance enhancing t-shirts they happen to have at Crossfit Manchester, please visit their website www.crossfitmanchester.com and order one or two right away.
We bought a couple when we were in Manchester at the cert, and they are great! Equal to anything I have bought in Santa Cruz- and thats saying a lot..

Well, for now that is it, but I will try to be back tomorrow

Much love

Deads, and a bit of magic!

Lately I have been hearing from all different kinds of places, that the magic is in the numbers! Mostly this has been related to the financial crisis that is roaming the world, but somehow a shred of this truth (if it really is the truth) has found it's way into my training! Before you think I've gone even more mental than usual- let me explain!

Do you remember feeling like you would never get that 100kg squat? You would get to 97,5kg and it would feel like you owned it. But when you put on that last 2,5kg it suddenly felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders, and there was no way to stick that lift!

Well, the 3 rep deadlift with 170kg is like that to me these days! I have been wanting to nail it for a while now, but everytime I get to the last lift something happens, and I have to stop just one rep from completion!

Here is how todays WOD went:

Deadlift: 3-3-3-3-3

120kg- 140kg- 150kg- 160kg- miss at 170kg

The first two lifts at 170kg went really well, and even if they were not the best looking lifts I have ever managed, they were legit. But when I went for the last lift I just got stuck in the middle. As if this was'nt bad enough my left knee made an odd sound, and suddenly I lost all power in my right leg! Needless to say I dropped the weight and once again found myself so close to the magic number that I could almost smell it.. Like I said the magic is in the numbers!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the knee will feel ok tomorrow, and wish for better luck next time around..

Thats all for now, but I'll try to be back tomorrow

Much love

Ps.. I'm a sucker for beanies and cool t-shirts!

Mr Joshua and a WOD!

Mr Joshua was another hero WOD that absolutely tore me apart!
The wod consists of:
400m run
30 GHD sit ups
15 Deads at 250lbs ( I went with 112,5kg)
5 rounds for time.

Like I have told you all before, my hands were a work of art and more remenesent of a tapestry, than a finely tuned tool, after the first two hero WOD's- so the deads were a dread even before I got started.
It went really well the first two rounds, and I was beginning to think that I just might ace my way throug it- when the trouble began. The deads suddenly began feeling horribly heavy, and my running just got progressivly worse (and it's ugly from the get go)..

My time: 35:49 min

I would like to think I could do this faster, but that was all I had to give today!

After this followed a day of rest and a very sore lower back! It has been way too long since I could work out like this and actually follow the main page, so I'm loving the sensation of kicking my body back on track!

Todays WOD was a funny combination, that I don't think I have done before:

Shoulderpress 21 rep at 75 lbs (I went with 35,8 kg on the first two sets, and then scaled down to 33,6kg. Jenny and I worked out at Haga where they have some strange weights)
Back extentions 21 rep
7 rounds for time!
Needless to say the sensation of this baby- was to have every little bit of strength leave your shoulder, and then find that there is nowhere to find the momentum to force out the last reps! Or put slightly less elloquent- getting you ass kicked with such a pathetic weight!

My time 21:06

For now that is all, but I hope to be back tomorrow

Much love

"Erin"..

Another Hero WOD today!
At The same time as I appreciate the athletic challenge of a Hero WOD, it saddens me deeply! My deepest condolences goes out to the families and friends of the men and women who gave their lives to defend the way of life that so many of us take for granted.. It really puts our own sacrifices in perspective!

Before going into details about todays WOD- let me just say that I realize that I have made a mistake on yesterdays WOD. I substituted the muscle ups with 3 pull ups and 3 dips- the correct sub is 4 pull ups and 4 dips- I am sorry for this!

Todays effort.

I was sore like I have not been sore for the longest time from the WOD yesterday when I ventured into todays challenge- It felt great in some odd way!
Yesterday I also managed to tear up my hands pretty bad and today did not make that better- my hands now look like something Salvador Dali would have come up with. I keep my fingers crossed that tomorrow will be some handless WOD:-)

Jenny was the first to do the WOD- she went with the 12 kg dumbells, and her time was: 16:00 min! Once again nothing short of amazing!

I then went, opting for the 17,5 kg dumbells- my time being: 15:02..

I am pretty happy with todays effort, and hope that tomorrow will be something along the lines of 5 km run:-)

For now that is all, but I will be back shortly..

Much love!

Ryan!

Todays WOD was hard!

I just wanted to share the experience of todays WOD with you. I got my ass handed to me by a couple of really fantastic athletes, and fought my way through it..

Todays WOD was Ryan:

7 Muscle ups

21 Burpees

5 rounds for time:

Jenny and I did the WOD together at CrossFit Sthlm. A couple of minutes before we were about to hit it, we found out that the place where the rings are was boked for a seminar, so we had to sub the muscle ups for 3 pull ups and 3 dips. The place is hugely popular, so these things happen- and as coach says " we train for the unknown and the unknowable!" So suddenly the WOD was:

21 Pull ups

21 Dips

21 Burpees

5 rounds for time!

From the beginning the WOD was hard, but this just made it harder. Since I started getting problems with my shoulder again, I have taken it really easy on the pull ups, so doing a WOD with 105 of them felt pretty scary. However this was a hero WOD, so nothing in the world could keep me from doing it.

I went first, and immidiately got in trouble. My time was a humbling experience:

30:21 min

The Jenny did it! She is a freak of nature, and a fantastically gifted athlete, her time:

24:51 min

I am currently "compeating" with Karl Steadman from CrossFit Manchester, who is an equally gifted athlete, who just recently got a 5 rep squat of 102,5 kg- at 68kg body weight- just to give you an idea af the capacity this guy has.. It is a brilliant opportunity to be able to compare WOD results with such inspirational people..

Karl did the WOD with muscle ups, and got an amazing 19:56 min.. Congratulations on a stellar effort my friend!

I thought I'd treat you to a picture from the cert in Manchester. It was not all squats! And here is proff that my danish genes can't be denied:-)

Until next time

Much love

A couple of experiences richer!

Not too much has happened this last week, that would qualify as earth shattering news, but at the same time I have had a couple of experiences that will definately make working out and keeping a strict diet a lot easier in the future!

Epiphany 1!

Jenny and I started the full on Zone diet last week. I have always wanted to give it a try after hearing about the fantastic results everyone on it have made, The problem for me however, has always been that I have never felt that I had the time to sit down and get truly aquinted with the diet- and I have had so many things to do, that finding time every night to weigh my food, and prepare for the next day, felt like an impossibility.

So when Jenny decided to commit to the Zone 100%, and said that she would actually make the meals for me, I was stoked- to say the least. I am fully aware of the time and work that goes into preparing ONE persons meals, let alone two.. Jenny is an amazing person, and I am blessed to have her in my life.

We have discussed the particulars of entering the Zone with Brendan before, and closer at hand we have the diet encyclopedia Jonna (she honestly knows everything worth knowing about dieting- just look at her blog in the links colum) so we had a pretty good picture of how to get started, and how to divide our blocks.

Everything went really well, even if my mood was absolutely horrible all week, my body felt great, and I actually managed to get a new PR on 30 muscle ups 9:49. The problem however is that people around me were paying the price of my foul mood. The whole thing got to a peak on sunday, after I had had my cheat day on Saturday.. I was like an angry bee- hoovering around looking to pick a fight!

A short analysis by the diet wizard came to the conclusion that I needed to eat a clean diet(without counting blocks), with the ingredients of the Zone, for a week, to detox from the carbs, and then try to start putting my food on the scale, for a full on Zone.. I feel much better already!

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this week will go as planned and that I can begin Zoning monday next week!

Epiphany 2!

I told you all earlier that I was planning on taking it easy, in order to get back to full strength before going full on in the workouts again.

I have had that plan before, and never actually managed to stick to it. I have always felt that it was time to increase the intensity and the loads way to early. The result being that I have always carried some little part of the injury/cold etc with me- never really being 100% fit.. Well, this time I think I just might have learned my lesson. I have been taking it pretty easy, and allowed common sense to overcome my ego in the workouts. This has resulted in great workouts at something like 60-70% of the capacity I think I have- and I think that both shoulders/knees and a couple of other things that have been bothering me, are actually getting better.

For now I will not speculate as to when I'll be completely up and running again- but it sure feels better. I only wish I had listened to my body before.. 33 years old and still getting wiser:-)

Well, for now that is all, but I promise to be back shortly...

Much love

Mads

Mr Miyagi returns!

Old school!
Can anyone guess who the guys in the picture are?

Way back in April I wrote a piece about the violent extention of the hip, and drew some rather bold comparisons to the movie "Karate kid".

I have decided to repost this piece, bacause of the simple fact that the essence of the piece I wrote still very much applies, and even more so after the Manchester certification- where the truth behind the words became stunningly clear.. Please enjoy:

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!

I hope you enjoyed:-)

Today I have taken it easy, and put my focus on technique, trying to take baby steps towards full recovery. So I did the following WOD:

5 rounds of
10 Deadlifts 85kg
10 Push ups

Then I did:
3 rounds of
10 K2E
10 GHD sit ups

It actually felt really good, and nothing hurt more than I had expected, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.. I did'nt time the workout, since I wanted to focus on technique, and being such a sucker for time, I knew I'd rush through it if I set the timer..

I would also like to share another fantastic accomplishment with you. My better half, Jenny, weighs 58kg, and she got a new PR today. She nailed a 127,5 kg deadlift!
She is absolutely amazing, and I am as proud as she is.. It feels like there are some pretty awesome achievements in the making..

Until next time, much love

Mads

A side order of good luck, please!

I swore on this very blog, not too long ago that I would not make excuses if my workouts did not go the way I planned them. I swore that I would accept everything at face value, and try to grow from there on, and draw experience and knowledge from every single workout!

Well, then what do you do if you can't work out?

We got back from the cert in Manchester, and I had to admit to myselt that the injuries I had been trying to forget all about on the way to the cert, could no longer be ignored, and I needed to adress them. So I decided to take a week of, and then start up slowly today!

It sounded like a briliant plan, until this morning when I woke up with a sore throught, and a cold with an immidiate e.t.a.

Even though I have been known to be stubborn (read borderline stupid) at times, not even I am stubborn enough to ignore this. So what do you do?

This was supposed to be the first in a long line of baby steps towards full recovery.. I guess I'll just have to wait a few more days for that!

My question to you is! How do I get rid of this sore throught? How have you gotten back from what feels like forever without decent training? Share your experiences please!

Much love

Mads

A certification and the rest of a challenge!

The last week or so has been fantastic! Let me try to share what has happened with you!

First of all my wonderful son is now 2 years old- He is the light of my life!

I am now a level 2 trainer within CrossFit!

This weekend we attended a seminar in Manchester where Jenny attained her CrossFit level 1 certification, and I got my level 2 certification.
It was a fantastic seminar. We had the pleassure of having coach actually show up and share his wisdom, enthusiasm and insight on CrossFit with us all. Coach only rarely does seminars these days, so it was a treat to have him there. Along with coach Nicole, Andy, Jimmy and Todd (Scott as Jimmy referred to him more than once during the weekend) were the ones who were in charge of the certification- and they really managed to make it all worth the trip over to Manchester. They went through the basic moves utilized in CrossFit and stressed the importance of correct execution of these movements- the magic is in the movement- at the same time as they shared their enthusiasm of CrossFit, and the knowledge they have of everything from olymtic lifts to diets.. It is a rare treat to have them in Europe, actually the first time they were here for an open seminar!
If you have not yet attended a certification then book yourself on the next available seminar, and change the way you look at training for the rest of your life! If you have already been certified, then hurry to the next certification and refuel your enthusiam and your knowledge- it is worth every second..

Beside the things that are scheduled for these seminars, there are other gains to be made! Some truly fantastic people come to these certifications, and it is impossible not to make a bunch of new friends. I had the pleasure of doing the level 2 certification with just that kind of people. Karl, Davie, Colm and many more whose names escape me now were just as much a reason for the success of this certification as the knowledge gained. I promise that I will make a point of keeping these new found friendships close, and hopefully we will all meet again soon!

Like I said- Do a cert asap!

The rest of a challenge!

I have decided to post the remaining days of the challenge I set out to do. The reason for this is that I have to rest for a week or so in order to get my bad knee completely back on track- but that does not mean that you should all have to wait before you can continue, so here comes the rest of the challenge:

Day 23
"JT"
Ring dips
Push ups
Hspu
21-15-9

In honor of petty officer 1st class Jeff Taylor, 30, of Little Creek, VA, who was killed in Afghanistan June 2005.

Day 24
Rest

Day 25
Deadlift
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Day 26
7 Front squats
1 Rope climb
200m Run
7 rounds for time

Day 27
Shoulder press
3-3-3-3-3

Day 28
Rest

Day 29
"Grace"
135 pounds clean and jerk
30 reps for time

Day 30
For time:
150 box jumps
- every time you stop for more than a second, do 50 ab mat sit ups

Day 31
Weighted pull ups
3-3-3-3-3


This was all for now, but I weill be back soon

Much love

Mads

3 days of fun!

I will have to get back to you with the results from the last 3 days.. They have been really good days, and it looks like I am back on track.

But today we celebrate my sons birthday, so the entire day is dedicated to him. This means that I can't sit here and share results and reflections:-) I'll do that tomorrow- however I could not leave you hanging without the next 3 days of fun, here comes:

Day 17
Squat
1-1-1-1-1-

Day 18
Sumo dead lift high pull
Ring dips
21-15-9
For time

Day 19
"Michael"
Run 800m
50 Back extentions
50 GHD sit ups
3 rounds for time

Disaster strikes!

I thought this would be a tale of steady progress, and a bunch of new PR's, but the past 3 days was a kick in the head with a steel cap boot- and a reminder that sometimes things just don't go quite the way I plan them!

I have not managed to actually complete a single one of the last 3 days WOD's!

I started this challenge by saying that I would not make any excuses, and tell it like it is! So instead of feeling sorry for myself, and making up excuses I'll just admit that I did'nt do any of the WOD's and as a consequence will do these 3 days when the challenge is over!

However Jenny did the WOD's and made some fantastic results!

Day 9
15 deadlifts ( He 100kg) ( She 80kg)
15 HSPU
15 Pullups ( Chest to bar)
15 Thrusters ( He 42,5 kg) ( She 30 kg)
3 rounds for time

Jenny: 17:18 min

Day 10
6 Shoulder press
9 Push press
12 Push jerk
5 rounds - post load per round- do 6 shoulder presses, then without putting down the bar 9 push press, then without putting down the bar 12 push jerks- this constitutes one round!

Jenny: 30 kg- 35kg- 37,5kg (did 3 push jerks, then had to put down the weight before doing the remaining 9 reps) 35kg- push jerk 4/8- 30kg had to rest after the push press

Day 11
25 Knees to elbows
25 Double unders
5 rounds for time

Jenny: 9:15

The next 3 days are:

Day 13
Bench press
3-3-3-3-3
post loads

Day 14
Snatch
10-10-10-10-10-
this is for technique- post loads

Day 15
"Helen"
Run 400m
21 kg swings
12 Pull ups (CTB)
3 rounds for time

Day 16
Rest

Next 3 wods and results..

Day 9

15 deadlifts ( He 100kg) ( She 80kg)
15 HSPU
15 Pullups ( Chest to bar)
15 Thrusters ( He 42,5 kg) ( She 30 kg)
3 rounds for time

Day 10
6 Shoulder press
9 Push press
12 Push jerk
5 rounds - post load per round

Day 11
25 Knees to elbows
25 Double unders
5 rounds for time

Day 12
Rest

And results from..

Day 5
Deadlifts
3-3-3-3-3

Mads: 120-130-140-150-160 ( Got 2 reps of 170 but could not complete the third rep)
Jenny: 100-110-112,5-115-117,5

Day 6
10 Hang squat clean ( He 60 kg) ( She 40 kg)
15 Box jumps
10 K2E
5 rounds for time

Mads: 15:33
Jenny: 15:32

Day 7
Run 5 K

Mads: 30 min
Jenny: 23:45

//Mads

Another 3 workouts and results!

Well!

The first 3 days are over and it is time to confess to our progress and the fact that my coordination still leaves a lot to be desired!

We have actually come off to a great start and the 3 first workouts have felt really good. As off tomorrow Jenny and I will be back on a strict diet.. Lately we have been taking it very easy, and allowed for a bit to many things that are nowhere near our original diet, to make its way to our meals.. As of tomorrow these days are over.

First things first. The next 3 days workouts are:

Day 5

Deadlifts:

3-3-3-3-3-

Day 6

10 Hang squat clean (men 60kg/ women 40kg)

15 Box jumps

10 Knees to elbows

5 rounds for time

Day 7

Run 5 k

Day 8

Rest

These are the challenges for the next 3 days!

The past 3 days have have been great, but my double unders still leaves a lot to be desired- this shows mercilessly in the time I managed to accumulate during "Annie"..

Day 1

Overhead Squat

5-5-5-5-5-

Jenny- 40kg- 45kg- 40kg- 40kg-40kg- (the last 3 sets were 15 reps each for technique)

Mads- 50kg- 60kg- 65kg- 70kg- 80kg

Day 2

"Annie"

50-40-30-20-10

Double unders

Ab mat sit ups

For time

Jenny- 7:00 min

Mads- 19:23 min

Day 3

150 push ups

every time a knees touches the ground- run 400m

Jenny- 16:55

Mads- 14:19

Well, these were our times- please post yours and comment on how you did:-)

Much love

//Mads

I Challelge you ll !

Is is time to launch my second challenge!

The last challenge was fantastic, and we really worked our little hearts out, and gave it our all in every workout in order to perform well. It was a supreme motivator to know that we had to post our results on this blogg, and that a bunch of people actually logged on and follewed our results!
However the challenge did'nt quite end up the way I had planned. I had to work a lot both days and nights, and so the last days were thrown out of order and I had no chance of following through with my commitment.. This time there will be none of that!

So here is my second challenge:

Day 1
Overhead Squats
5-5-5-5-5
Post loads

Day 2
"Annie"
For time
50-40-30-20-10
Double unders
Ab mat sit ups

Day 3
150 push ups for time
Every time a knee touches the ground- run 400 meters

Day 4
Rest
This is when I will post the next 3 days:-)

Much love

Chest to bar!

Lately there has been a lively discussion on different Crossfit discussion boards, on whether the chest-to-bar pull ups that were required at the Crossfit Games this year, should be the standard?
Initially I was thinking that I should wait to see whether Coach would make some sort of ruling in the case. I was thinking that maybe Coach would decide that some workouts would require chest-to-bar pull ups and others would not!
In my own workouts I immidiately decided to use chest-to-bar pull ups simple because I liked the full range of motion and that fact that chest-to bar required more of me as an athlete- in other words- I thought that chest-to-bar would increase my fitness, so why on earth not!

My laid back approach to the entire thing has served me well. I have been able to read what my betters thought, at the same time as I have felt the effects in my own workouts. I feel however that it is time for me to make a stand and confess to where I put my buck!

Chest-to-bar all the way!

Crossfit is a fantastic exercise regimen designed to make me as complete as an athlete as humanly possible. Take a look at the following, I know you have all seen the list before:

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.(Thanks to Jim Cawley of Dynamax for the list)

Chest-to-bar requires more of us as athletes in almost every single category! So if you are a true crossfitter, how can you not embrace this development, clap your hands, and smile at the fact that you now have yet another way of becoming a better athlete?

Look in The mirror!

The question is whether you have become so caught up in posting scores and beating PR's that you have forgotten why it is that you do Crossfit? Has it become more important to you to cut 5 seconds of your "Fran" time, than developing as an athlete? Is it more important to you to be able to say that your "Angie" time is faster than mine, than becoming stronger, better coordinated, increasing agility etc?
If the above is the case, then my personal advice is to check yourself!
One of my favorite things about Crossfit, besides the fantastic things it has done for my fitness, is the atmosphere! The fact that everybody truly cares for each other and rejoices in each others progress. When someone comes up to me and tells me that they have just set a new PR, I am genuinly happy for that person. When someone tells me that they just nailed their first muscle up, a grin immidiately appears on my face, and I remember the pride I felt when I got my first, and I am happy for that person!
This atmosphere of wanting to share results with others who have put down the same effort in order to evolve as athletes, is unique for Crossfit. The constant sharing of ideas, techniques and expiriences is unique for Crossfit- If you have forgotten that and have stopped striving towards excelling for your own sake, and dismiss progress like chest-to-bar because you don't want to post slower times etc- then you have forgotten where you came from, and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will find your way back- cause child you are lost:-)

There a many reasons why some people don't do chest-to-bar, and many of them are perfectly legit. The point however, is that if you can do them and don't because of some silver toungued devil on your shoulder, massaging your ego- then you have lost your way (and the way I see it, you have lost touch with why we do Crossfit).

Chest-to-bar all the way baby!

Results!

I have no results to share today- I will however be back in a coulpe of days with a new challenge, so please drop by and check it out!

Much love

Pick your friends- and results..

Once again it has been a while since I actually got around to publishing the results of our hard work. I promise you however that this is not because we have not been working out.. I have just been a lazy fart- my solem promise to you is that I will make a point of getting better!

In order to avoid making this the longest and most boring post ever- I have decided to just post the day and the score.. On the days where something interesting happened, I will make a small comment.. You will find the WOD's in the post " I challenge you".

Before we get into the results though, I would like to share some brutal insight that has dawned on me during the summer, and I will spend at least a couple of months implementing it in my life!
A while back I wrote about- Power People- and the fantastic impact these people have on our lives. I even listed some of the people I find to be my power people, and described why they are power people to me.. I also tried to encourage you to let the power people around you know that they are indeed power people to you- we all need a pad on the back and to know that people we care for appreciate us is the ultimate pad on the back, and it encourages to continue to be a role model, positive inspiration, and a power person..
I have really made an effort to make these people feel appreciated, and let them know how much they mean to me. Now it is time to take the next step!
During the summer I have realized that I need to exclude some people from my friendship! These are the people who everytime we have met, leave me with a feeling of being drained. The people who care only for themselves, and seem incapable of walking that extra mile, just to make sure that someone else thrives/excells. The kind of people who can't enjoy the progress of other people, and immidiately find a flaw in the small step forward that I have made. The list goes on, but I am sure you know exatcly who I am talking about- and if you take a second, you just might come up with a few in your surroundings as well..

I have already begun letting some of these people know that I no longer have room for them as my friends, and why I feel the way I do.. It is a painful process, because you have to point out the flaws of others, and nobody will like it when you do. Some will react by getting angry, and immidiately attacking you- while others will be sad, and just take of..
Some however will take your point of view to heart, and wonder why things have become the way they have.. To these people I will always be there when they want to be my friends again, and a second beginning, with mutual respect and growth is just around the cornor..
The others- I will be richer without.

I am not saying that this is a solution that fits everyone. Not everyone wants to have that talk with people whom they used to call friends, and instead they will choose another approach to the problem- but my advice is to sort out who your real power people/ friends are, and part from the leachees!

It's time to clean up..

Back to business:

Day 9- Jenny- 15:33 min
Mads- 15-42 min

Day 10- Jenny ME push ups 50/ pull ups 15 (chest to bar)
Mads ME push ups 51/ pull ups 15 (chest to bar)

Day 11- Jenny 26:43
Mads 25:21

Day 13- Jenny- 73,6kg
Mads- 119kg ( heaviest set of 3 reps)

Day 14- "GI-Jane"
Jenny- 12:25
Mads- 12:33

Day 15- Jenny 6:50 min
Mads 6:28 min

Day 17- "Christine"
Jenny- 12:22
Mads- 12:42 ( Jenny is just so fast- it's fantastic)

Day 18- A new personal record!
Snatches 10- 10- 10- 10- 10-
Mads 45kg- 50kg- 55kg- 60kg- there should have been one more set, but I tore my hands pretty bad on the last set..

Day 19- Jenny- 28:51min
Mads- 27:00

Well, it is still a lesson in getting my ass licked when it comes to fast met con WOD's, but I am getting better, and having someone to chase makes it so much more fun!

For now that is all

Much love

Mads

Results day 5- 6- 7..

This is turning into a long sad tail of, how to get your ass throughly handed to you by a girl! The workouts have gone really well, and even if I had my sights set for better performances on some of them, I have to be pleased with how things have gone..

The thing, I guess I have to get used to, is that a rather small girl is running cirkles around me- Just check out the results from the last 3 days of training!

Day 5

"Tabata some thing else"

- Pull ups

- Push ups

- Sit ups

- Squats

Complete a full tabata intervall of 4 min on each exercise, before moving on to the next exercise. There is no rest between exercises. Accumulated amount of reps is your score.

Score:

Jenny 336

Mads 327

On this one we decided to go by the new pull up standard and do to pull ups- chest to bar. Needless to say this cut into our score dramatically- but what a fantastic workout. Once again the push ups are a complete killer for me- but its getting better!

Day 6

5 Hang power clean

5 Front Squat

5 split jerk

5 rounds for time

Score:

Jenny 40kg 5:44

Mads 50kg 4:06

On this one I should have gone heavier to make a fair comparison to Jenny's score- but my grip and forearms has been giving me a lot of trouble lately, so I opted for a lighter version and more speed.

Great fast workout, that really eats into grip strength, and technique!

Day 7

Run 10 x 400m

Rest exactly 30 seconds between rounds. Your total time, including rest is your score!

Score:

Jenny 22:14

Mads 21:06

None of us are fantastic runners, so no surprise in this result. The great thing with this is that we found a track right where we live, and it made the workout much more fun to be on a real track!

For now that's it

Much love

Day 1- 2- 3- results!

Well, the first 3 days of my little challenge are over, and I have to admit that I thought I would have done a lot better than I did on the first two days!

One thing you will notice while we are doing this challenge is that no excuses will be accepted. Comments like: I worked all last night- I did'nt sleep enough- My meals were a little of etc. will not be found in this blog as I venture through these 32 days!
I have found that I am a master at making excuses to myself as to why the WOD's did not go as I planned them. Often I'll begin before the workout and catch myself making excuses as to why this might not be my best workout ever, or why I can't perform to the best of my abilities.
The peoblem with this behavior is that it gives me one more obstacle to overcome, as if the WOD was'nt enough! When push comes to shove and fatique is choking me during the workout- it is an easy way out! There will be none of that! I willwork my little heart out every time, and get the job done! as I read on a crossfit blog, by some very dedicated crossfitters here in Stockholm-

It does not have to be fun, to be fun! Perfect!


Day 1
Overhead squats rep/kilo
15/40kg 15/45kg 15/50kg 15/55kg 15/55kg 4/60kg Ass to the floor!

I thought I'd be a lot stronger in this WOD- but 15 reps are a lot! On the 4th set I had to struggle to maintain good form, so I decided to use the same weight in the last set, and I got the balance perfect from the first rep on that one. The final set of 4 went without any problem- I could have gone a little heavier on that one!

Day 2
"Cindy"
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 squats
max effort in 20 minutes!
Result 17 rounds and 10 push ups!

My goal for this one was 20 rounds, but the push ups absolutely killed me. The first 10 rounds felt really good, but then they got heavy, and I had to start breaking down the push ups. For some odd reason it felt really good though. I mean they were heavy but still felt good??
I can also proudly say that every single rep that was counted was legit!

Day 3
Row 5 k
result 19:40min

I am actually pretty happy with thins one. I had set my goal for sub 20min and managed by 20 seconds. Rowing is an absolute killer, and whereas I tend to get into a groove when I run, every single stroke of the row is work, and thought of hitting the perfect technique!

Jenny and I have made a little deal!
She is in charge of our diet, and I take care of our workouts! Jenny is borderline fanatic when it comes to her diet. I however, tend to take the easy way out, and take a couple of days of the diet all too often. Those days are over, and the effects of eating better are stunning! I feel better than I have done in a long time, and I look forward to seeing the effects it will have on my workouts..

Join in and post your scores!

Much love

Mads

I challenge you!

Before I get into my little challenge, I just have to applaud my better half Jenny for her fantastic effort at the Games i Aromas.

Jenny finished 26th of 90 something women competing in the event. After the first workout which was:

5 Deadlifts

10 burpees

5 rounds for time

Jenny had the 3 fastest time of all. Her second workout of the day was:

The hill run

After this event Jenny was in 5th place of all 90 something girls!

Then it was time for the final event of the day- the revised "Fran". The rules had been changed a little for the Games, so to get a legit rep on the pull ups, you had to make contact with the sternum to the bar!

Revised Fran:

Thrusters

Pull ups

21-15-9

On this workout Jenny had a hard time getting the required height on the reps, and after this workout- the 3d of the day- she was in 32nd place..

On the second day there was only one workout- a heavy revised"Grace". Bring the bar from the ground to fully extended arms above the head, through a full clean! Jenny did a fantastic job on her first "Grace" ever, and at the end of the day she had finished as 26th overall!

It is a fantastic job, and the fact that she came of a penicilin cure only 3 days before leaving for the Games, and she got the complete opposite order of the workouts than she wanted, only makes it more impressive! She is an inspiration to everyone, and I am thankful to have such a wonderful person in my life!

I challenge you!

Here you will find 32 days of workouts- my challenge to you is to follow the program with me, and beat me at every single workout! I will post comments every night, so please comment how you workout went!

Day 1

Overhead squats

15-15-15-15-15-4

Try to increase weight on every set and go as heavy as possible on the last set of 4!

Day 2

"Cindy"

5 pull ups

10 push ups

15 squats

Max effort in 20 minutes!

Day 3

Row 5 k

Day 4

Rest day!

Day 5

"Tabata something else"

-Pull ups

-Push ups

-Sit ups

-Squats

Finish a complete 4 min tabata interval on every exercise, before moving on to the next. Score total reps for all rounds!

Day 6

5 Hang clean

5 Front squat

5 Split jerk

5 rounds for time

Day 7

Run 10 x 400m

Rest 30 seconds between laps- post total time

Day 8

Rest day!

Day 9

Courtesey of Crossfit North Santa Cruz!

5 pull ups- 10 push ups- 15 squats

run 200m

12 pull ups- 21 KBS

run 400 m

75 wall ball

run 400m

21 KBS- 12 pull ups

run 200m

15 squats- 10 push ups- 5 pull ups

Post time for score

Day 10

max effort push ups

max effort pull ups

Rest as needed between these two exercises

25 db snatches

25 ghd

3 rounds for time

Day 11

run 5 k

Day 12

Rest day!

Day 13

Back squat

3-3-3-3-3-3-3

Day 14

"Gi Jane"

100 burpee pull ups

Day 15

Row for time

100m rest 10 sec

200m -

300m -

400m -

500m -

Day 16

Rest day

Day 17

"Christine"

for time:

Row 500m

12 bw deadlifts

21 box jumps

3 rounds for time

Day 18

Snatches

10-10-10-10-10

Day 19

for time

Row 3 k

25 H2E

Row 3 k

Day 20

Rest day

Day 21

For time

Back squat 225 lbs

Ring dips

21-15-9

Day 22

"Lynne"

Bench press bw max reps

pull ups max reps

5 rounds- post total reps in each round !

Day 23

Run 3 k

Day 24

Rest day!

Day 25

"Fran and then some"

For time:

KBS

Thrusters 95 lbs

Pull ups

21-15-9

This workout is brought to you from Brendan Giliam- enjoy!

Day 26

Front squat

3-3-3-3-3

Day 27

For time

Deadlift 225 lbs

Box jumps

Ring dips

21-15-9

Day 28

Run 400m

Row 400m

3 rounds for time

Day 29

30 Muscle ups for time

Day 30

Rest day

Day 31

"Diane"

HSPU

Deadlift 225 lbs

21-15-9 for time

Day 32

"Jason"

100 squats

5 MU

75 squats

10 MU

50 squats

15 MU

25 squats

20 MU

That is all folks- I look forward to seeing you comments- and competing with you!

Much love

Mads

Why every workout counts!

Take a look at the following criteria for fitness!

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.

4. Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.

5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.

6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.

7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.

8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.

10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.(Thanks to Jim Cawley of Dynamax for the list)

I stole this list from one of my favorite Crossfit sites in the world www.crossfitnsc.com but it can be found on virtually every crossfit site out there- I guess B-boy and the crew at Crossfit North Santa Cruz got the list from Jim Cawley of Dynamax - we all know it.

Sometimes you just dont need a thousand words to get the point!

To all of those out there who have decided that they need a product other than the one provided so effortlessly by www.crossfit.com check yourself, and the wods you do- are they improving all the criteria? Or are you being your own worst coach?

Much love

Mads

Even God fights stupidity!

A sudden change of plans!

I was going to write about my recent achievements in my workouts. About how I, just the other day, managed to get a perfect 3 rep max with 150 kg on the bar! I was going to share the feeling of wanting to leave my body after having gone through the horrible workout consisting of, 12 burpees, 12 pull ups- 10 rounds for time! I was going to brag about the fact that today I got my first legit one legged squats during todays wod... My dear friends- that all changed when I saw the youtube film from the Balance Crossfit Games..
before I go into why my heart rate went through the roof, and I got so mad that I could hardly speak anything else than profanities for at least an hour- please take a minute to watch the film! Remember that these people actually put this film outthere themselves?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12uYc2Bxs1I

Where do I begin?

Not too long ago I wrote a post on this blogg called: " who do you think you are?" The article, if you will, was about the frustration I was experiencing when I witnessed people with partial reps and incomplete form post their times on public forums without admitting that they had not performed the wod as rx'd..
I used the comparison with a 100m competition, where one participant actually ran 100m and the other stopped after 80m claiming to have finished the 100m race. Whereafter the person who only ran 80m would go online and post his score ( in this case a time) for the 100m race- though this had never been completed!
I was furious about this behavior, and claimed that it was undermining the entire CrossFit comunity, ruining the purity of CrossFit- and suggested that I be banned from CrossFit forever if caught cheating in this manner- thus implying that I think this would be an adequate meassure for everyone else caught with their hands in the devils cookie jar!

Well, it has happened again!
Only this time it is an even bigger foul! This time it is not some poor weak soul who could not restrain himself- and ended up posting an incorrect score, or fell for the temptation of cutting corners, and cheated on the range of motion, and counted non-legit reps etc! This time an affiliate arranged an event (which they chose to call the CrossFit Games- though non of the requirements of the Crossfit Games were met. I'm still not sure if this is'nt another foul- but I will let that rest for the time being- simply because the heap of S**T is so big that I have to focus on the most important issues).
The result of the event was what you saw in the film, that they so graciously provided themselves!
I think I saw 2-3 reps alltogether that I would consider legit and actually count! Push ups nowhere near the standard chest-to-deck that we all know to be the norm. Deadlifts with a complete lack of extention of the hip! Pull ups, where the arms were not fully extended in the bottom position, and the chin never came above the bar! Box jumps are never complete unless you achieve full extention of the hip in the top position etc..
I could go on and on about the shortcomings, so proudly presented in the film, but I wil let it rest- you all get my point!

Now, the question is if the requirements of CrossFit exercises are a secret as well guarded as the plot in the Da Vinci Code?
The answer of course is no! Anyone can enter the website and look at the demos and quite effortlessly discover what is considered CrossFit standard. In case these demos leave you with an ounce of doubt, you can always turn to the CrossFit Journal. There you will find all the info on CrossFit standards that you heart could ever desire. Let us, just for the sake of the argument, imagine that you were still not sure what the standards were? The next logic step to take would be to contact your local CrossFit affiliate and look up the first level 1- 2 or 3 instructor you find and ask! They would gladly provide you with the information, and probably ask you to join in on a couple of classes!
If by this point you still did'nt feel that you had gotten the information you needed (after watching the demos, reading the journal, asking the trainer and trained at the affiliate facility???) There is still one thing you could do.. You could get in touch with the folks at HQ! They are the nicest people in the world and would without a doubt tell you exactly what is required of the exercises you want to use in your "Games",to be legit and meet CrossFit standards..
My best advice however is to actually get your ass to one of the seminars. If you had done that the question would never have arisen!

Now, why does this make me so mad?
Well, there are several reasons this makes med more than mad- it makes me furious!

1. If you are going to showcase CrossFit, the least you can do is get it right!
2. It is a slap in the face of all the people who have come to legit CrossFit classes and been subject to qualified scrutiny of licenced trainers!
3. It is a sell out of one of the pillars CrossFit was built on- the correct completion of functional movents!
4. It leaves the unknowing spectators with an incorrect impression of what CrossFit is!
5. Why would you attend seminars if there is no need to learn the correct movements?

The list of things that piss me of could go on, but I'll let it go there!

As you all know I love analogies- they have a certain way of making the absurdity of things all the clearer.

To me the film from Balance CrossFit Games can be compared to someone who films himself while cheating on his written latin exam, and then desides to to share the experience with everyone else, by putting the incriminating evidence on youtube!

It is like watching two people, who with all their might try to keep their eyes closed- one asks the other- " can you see where we are going?" The other answers "No!" and so they both step up to the ledge and plummit into the abyss!

I would like to dedicate todays blog to my better half, Jenny- who will be compeeting in the actual CrossFit Games in roughly 3 weeks. I believe in you with all I have got. You are a fantastic athlete, loving partner and the best mother our son could ever have, and I love you dearly!

I would also like to dedicate this to all the people who have come to my CrossFit classes at Fighter centre Stockholm- You are all role models, and your commitment and dedication are the basis for the fantastic results and improvements you have all made.. I am humbled by you all!

Last but not least it is important to stress that the opinions expressed in this blogg are purely personal..

Much love

Mads

Old friends!

I would like to begin by apologizing for not writing the last week or so.. My family and I have moved into a bigger place, and the process of moving has taken virtually every spare minute I have had. I think however that things should be back to more or less normal now, and I would like to think that in the time to come I will be back to my usual routin of blogging every third day!

This is a blogg mainly dedicated to training and the likes, but since I have been moving and not getting my workouts in the way I would like to I will skip the training part, and instead share a fantastic thing that has happened to me..
I have gotten back in touch with some of my oldest friends, that I thought were lost to me forever.

Old friends- There is no finer titel in the world! To be some ones old friend means that you have shared fine moments, sad moments, fantastic experiences, tragic events, laughed, cried and everything in between. It means that despite the differences that inevidently exist between people, you have a connection that is stronger than the differences could ever be... I could go on forever and dwell forever on what an old friend is- but the truth is that is is something different to everyone- I am just absolutely thrilled that I have found 3 of my oldest friends again!

First I got in touch with 2 of my very best friends from Denmark. We used to be the best friends in the world, and spent pretty much every spare moment hanging out. We have gone through the ups and downs of each others lives, and always been there for each other. For some odd reason however we just drifted apart, while we were all too busy growing up!

My brother found Jef on faceboook (my brother is great with finding people on facebook), and through him I got back in touch with Michael.. So now we are all meeting up in Copenhagen in a few weeks, to catch up.. It sounds trivial but I am happy beyond words to see them again!

Joe Lavery! Joe was my best friend when I was an exchange student in California.. We were actually really good at keeping in touch after we got back, but once again growing up got in the way! Joe is a fantastic friend and we have laughed together so much that at times I have thought I would be physically ill from laughing...
Well, once again my resourceful brother found him online, and once again were are in touch.. Getting to Australia might be a bit to far to travel at the moment, but like you know I'll be in Thailand in january, so hopefully he'll join us there...

Well, I am walking around with a smile on my face looking forward to enjoying the company of my friends again...

For now

Much love


Mads

What do you want?

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

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