One of the things that I'm trying to learn is how to better program my own workouts. I learned a few lessons today about programming. Here's my Cliff's notes:
1. Be sure to program ahead.
This one sounds obvious, I know. I generally have an idea each week of what I want to accomplish and how I want to work my body, but I don't do a good enough job of planning each workout far enough in advance. I found myself finalizing my workout while in the middle of my warm-up at the gym today. I feel like planning ahead for each workout would allow me to better prepare myself to perform them well.
2. Finding the balance between hard and easy is going to take some time.
So one of my weaknesses that I'm trying to program around is first, that I'm not a good runner and my stamina is not the greatest. When I do workouts, I don't have a problem lifting or pushing heavy weight, I have a problem sustaining strength throughout. I've been trying to incorporate workouts that include push over a relatively extended period of time (as opposed to stuff like "Fran", which I love, but don't want to rely too much on WODs like that). I like the CrossFit workouts that include running 400 meters and then doing other workouts in between, like "Nancy". The second weakness that I'm working on is that I don't do well with movements that require simply moving body weight, like pull-ups. The experience below will show that I have yet to find a balance between hard and easy while still focusing on my weaknesses.
Here's what happened at the gym today.
So today, as I'm debating what I'm going to do, my mind was jumping between two ideas. The first was to do a "Four rounds for time of: Run 400 meters + something". My initial thought was to run 400 meters, than do a round of "Cindy". The other workout I was thinking about doing was "Death by Pull-Up", which is basically this: on a running clock, you do a set of pull-ups equal to the number of the minute that you're on. First minute = 1 pull-up, second minute = 2 pull-ups...you get the idea.
I decided that I was going to do the "Four rounds of time of..." workout. I decided on doing a round of Cindy in between each 400 meters. I finished in about 15:21 (I needed to do a little bit of travel from where I was running to where I was performing "Cindy"), and I wasn't as gassed as I thought I'd be. It was a good workout, and I broke a great sweat, but I didn't feel as gassed as I had hoped. I realized that the workout didn't require quite as much push as I had hoped. Because I felt a little underwhelmed by the workout, I decided that I'd do some sets of "Death by Pull-up". I did eight minutes of it and then had to leave to get back to work.
Good lessons learned today and I'm appreciative of them as I work on personally programming my workouts. The next time I decide to do a run + "Cindy" workout, I'm going to do a ladder of rounds of "Cindy" instead. Run 400 + 1 round, then run 400 + 2 rounds, etc. I'll let you know how that goes.
Anyone have tips for personal programming?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Homebound WODs
After a few days of being sick, not eating well, and feeling lazy, I thought it would be a good idea to go to the gym yesterday morning, go into work for a few hours and then spend the rest of the holiday with the ohana (family). I went to bed and set my alarm for 5:00 AM. The plan was to be at the gym by about 5:45 or 6:00. Workout for close to an hour and then head over to work and be back home around noon.
At 7:30, I woke up, rushed into the shower, and made it to work by 8:00. Fail.
I told myself that afternoon that I needed to at least get some sort of workout in. I decided that I wanted to do a metcon, but didn't have much to work with. I don't have a pull-up bar, and in terms of weight, all I have is a small set of dumbbells. I decided that I'd do a variation on Cindy. Here's what I did:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 hanging dumbbell cleans
10 push-ups
15 air squats.
I ended up doing 17 rounds + 7 squats. More importantly, the workout ended up doing what I wanted it to do. It was short (including warm-up it only took me about 45 minutes), got my heart rate pumping and I broke a major sweat.
One of the things that I love that CrossFit has taught me, is that you don't need a large gym with a lot of weight or cardio machines to get a good workout. If you put the right movements in the right combination and challenge yourself against time, you've got yourself a great workout.
I definitely love going to the gym and working out amidst the energy and with good workout partners, however it's also good at times to know that when I want to, I can kick my trash with a 20 minute workout at home.
At 7:30, I woke up, rushed into the shower, and made it to work by 8:00. Fail.
I told myself that afternoon that I needed to at least get some sort of workout in. I decided that I wanted to do a metcon, but didn't have much to work with. I don't have a pull-up bar, and in terms of weight, all I have is a small set of dumbbells. I decided that I'd do a variation on Cindy. Here's what I did:
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 hanging dumbbell cleans
10 push-ups
15 air squats.
I ended up doing 17 rounds + 7 squats. More importantly, the workout ended up doing what I wanted it to do. It was short (including warm-up it only took me about 45 minutes), got my heart rate pumping and I broke a major sweat.
One of the things that I love that CrossFit has taught me, is that you don't need a large gym with a lot of weight or cardio machines to get a good workout. If you put the right movements in the right combination and challenge yourself against time, you've got yourself a great workout.
I definitely love going to the gym and working out amidst the energy and with good workout partners, however it's also good at times to know that when I want to, I can kick my trash with a 20 minute workout at home.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
My Nike+ Review | A Great Tool
I'm motivated by numbers and statistics. When I played volleyball in high school, I would spend hours evaluating my game tape. I'd look at kill percentages, how sets were dispersed, digs, blocks and errors. I'd count all the stats. I'd keep track of myself, and my team. I can tell you that in one of my last games, a critical loss in a state tournament myself and my friend both had 17 kills and that my hitting % was on the money until the last seven points of the game where the other team tripled up on me, made some killer digs and I made three pretty critical errors (I tried to do way too much...major fault of a young ambitious athlete). With that, my buddy Kamana edged me out in hitting % and won king of the court (and we loss the game on my inability to close out).
I think that I'm motivated by numbers and statistics because they tell a story. They are an objective evaluation of performance, not tainted by personal bias. Now, I will tell you that I will always be one to argue for the intangible and non-measurable, however I still enjoy the view that statistics give you.
Stats is one of the big reasons why I love Nike+.
Nike+ gives me a little visibility into aspects of my fitness habits; running and cardio (I'm going to admit to using it on the elliptical machine).
Most are familiar with Nike+. If you're not, check out the Nike+ website. It will give you a much better idea than I will. Nike+ is turning 5, and I think that it is an amazing case study in the effect that technology and the social aspect of media can have on fitness.
A quick rundown for those of you not familiar with Nike+. Using sensors that you place in your shoe, and/or GPS capability of your phone, Nike+ keeps track of your runs. You are able to upload them to your Nike+ profile, where you can see a snapshot of your activity, compete with friends, set goals and much more.
I used Nike+ for a while with the Nike+ wristband. It unfortunately got crushed while moving some things one day (even as an adult, I still haven't learned to put away my toys), and I went without for a while. A few months ago, my wife bought me the iPhone4, and I've been using Nike+ on it since.
I love the ability to keep track of my "running stats", even if they aren't very impressive. I am able to see best times, keep track of total miles run, see trends in distance and time, etc. It's not nearly as fun as watching my volleyball games over and over again (said with a tad bit of self-gloating-sarcasm), however, it gives me the same objective visibility into an aspect of my personal fitness.
Here are some of the things that I love about Nike+.
Design and Desktop Interface:
Let's be honest, nearly everything that Nike+ designs looks awesome. What I love about Nike+, is that it is also a fun interface to use. You can see from the screenshot to the right as well as the one above, that it's pretty slick. Everything from the color scheme, to the statistics, and the videos help you understand your progress.
On the interface you are able to connect with and challenge other runners, join challenges, get running tips, set goals and view progress.
Mobile Application:
I spoke in my review on loseit.com that mobile usability is important to me. I think no matter what the device, my iPhone, the iPod Nano, or the wristband, the interface is simple and useful. Depending on which device you're on, the usability changes, however for "mobile" purposes, here are some screenshots of the iPhone app. It keeps track of the following (among other things):
1. Records - best time, best mile, best 10K, etc.
2. Past runs
3. Lifetime (lifetime of the device) totals
It also allows you to control your music, connect to various social networks to share results and...it looks pretty.
Toys and Gimmicks:
When Nike+ started, you could only use it on the Nano. Now, there are multiple ways that you can use it. I think that they are all pretty awesome.
1. The Nano.
2. The iPod Touch
3. The iPhone4
4. The Wristband
There may be a couple I'm not aware of. If there are, please forgive my ignorance. Point being however depending on your preference, what hardware you may already have and what you're willing to pay, that there are multiple ways to use the tool. See below for more information about pricing and additional information for some of what is available (for the record, most probably won't buy iPods from Amazon, but it's an easy link to get more information).
There are many other tools out there that help you track your running activity. This is just one of them. Whatever you decide to use, I think that it's a good idea to track results. Similar to my statistics crazed senior year of volleyball, now I'm able to look back and identify progress, trends, strengths and even weaknesses. I think that having the ability to evaluate how you're doing is important in reaching fitness and health goals. Nike+ provides some visibility to do just that. I personally love Nike+ and hope to be able to log many more miles on it in the future.
I think that I'm motivated by numbers and statistics because they tell a story. They are an objective evaluation of performance, not tainted by personal bias. Now, I will tell you that I will always be one to argue for the intangible and non-measurable, however I still enjoy the view that statistics give you.
Stats is one of the big reasons why I love Nike+.
Most are familiar with Nike+. If you're not, check out the Nike+ website. It will give you a much better idea than I will. Nike+ is turning 5, and I think that it is an amazing case study in the effect that technology and the social aspect of media can have on fitness.
A quick rundown for those of you not familiar with Nike+. Using sensors that you place in your shoe, and/or GPS capability of your phone, Nike+ keeps track of your runs. You are able to upload them to your Nike+ profile, where you can see a snapshot of your activity, compete with friends, set goals and much more.
I used Nike+ for a while with the Nike+ wristband. It unfortunately got crushed while moving some things one day (even as an adult, I still haven't learned to put away my toys), and I went without for a while. A few months ago, my wife bought me the iPhone4, and I've been using Nike+ on it since.
I love the ability to keep track of my "running stats", even if they aren't very impressive. I am able to see best times, keep track of total miles run, see trends in distance and time, etc. It's not nearly as fun as watching my volleyball games over and over again (said with a tad bit of self-gloating-sarcasm), however, it gives me the same objective visibility into an aspect of my personal fitness.
Here are some of the things that I love about Nike+.
 |
| desktop interface for Nike+ |
Let's be honest, nearly everything that Nike+ designs looks awesome. What I love about Nike+, is that it is also a fun interface to use. You can see from the screenshot to the right as well as the one above, that it's pretty slick. Everything from the color scheme, to the statistics, and the videos help you understand your progress.
On the interface you are able to connect with and challenge other runners, join challenges, get running tips, set goals and view progress.
Mobile Application:
I spoke in my review on loseit.com that mobile usability is important to me. I think no matter what the device, my iPhone, the iPod Nano, or the wristband, the interface is simple and useful. Depending on which device you're on, the usability changes, however for "mobile" purposes, here are some screenshots of the iPhone app. It keeps track of the following (among other things):
1. Records - best time, best mile, best 10K, etc.
2. Past runs
3. Lifetime (lifetime of the device) totals
It also allows you to control your music, connect to various social networks to share results and...it looks pretty.
Toys and Gimmicks:
When Nike+ started, you could only use it on the Nano. Now, there are multiple ways that you can use it. I think that they are all pretty awesome.
1. The Nano.
2. The iPod Touch
3. The iPhone4
4. The Wristband
There may be a couple I'm not aware of. If there are, please forgive my ignorance. Point being however depending on your preference, what hardware you may already have and what you're willing to pay, that there are multiple ways to use the tool. See below for more information about pricing and additional information for some of what is available (for the record, most probably won't buy iPods from Amazon, but it's an easy link to get more information).
There are many other tools out there that help you track your running activity. This is just one of them. Whatever you decide to use, I think that it's a good idea to track results. Similar to my statistics crazed senior year of volleyball, now I'm able to look back and identify progress, trends, strengths and even weaknesses. I think that having the ability to evaluate how you're doing is important in reaching fitness and health goals. Nike+ provides some visibility to do just that. I personally love Nike+ and hope to be able to log many more miles on it in the future.
CrossFit Games Regional Highlights - Day Two
Day Two Highlights from the Regional Competitions for CrossFit are posted on the CrossFitHQ YouTube account. If you haven't watched them you...you should, they're intense. I am amazed at the sheer strength and competitiveness that exists. I hope that one of these are close to me next year so I can be there in person to watch.
Again, there are a lot more videos posted of Regionals, however this is my favorite one from Day Two. The end of this video is awesome! Great competitive spirit.
North Central Regional CrossFit Games 2011 Highlights - Day Two
Again, there are a lot more videos posted of Regionals, however this is my favorite one from Day Two. The end of this video is awesome! Great competitive spirit.
North Central Regional CrossFit Games 2011 Highlights - Day Two
For a little more insight into what these athletes put themselves through on Day Two. Here is the workout schedule.
Individual Workout 3
21-15-9 of:
Deadlift (315/205 lbs) (male/female)
Box jumps (30"/24")
Individual Workout 4
For Time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
100 Double-unders
100 Overhead Squats (95/65 lbs)
The team workouts are similar, however more reps/rounds and split between team members. To all the athletes competing in the games. I salute you.
Individual Workout 3
21-15-9 of:
Deadlift (315/205 lbs) (male/female)
Box jumps (30"/24")
Individual Workout 4
For Time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
100 Double-unders
100 Overhead Squats (95/65 lbs)
The team workouts are similar, however more reps/rounds and split between team members. To all the athletes competing in the games. I salute you.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
CrossFit Games Regional Highlights Are Posted - Day One
The CrossFit Games 2011 Regional competitions are under way. I'm excited to see how these next two months play out and who will be crowned at the end of July.
I've been loving the tweets and video updates about the progress of the CrossFit Games Regionals 2011. There are a bunch of videos posted on the CrossFitHQ Youtube account and here's a list you can follow for tweets about regional results.
Check out some of the CrossFit Games 2011 Day One Highlights. These are just a few of the regions and I'm sure CrossFitHQ will be posting more later. This stuff is intense.
South East Regional CrossFit Games 2011 Highlights - Day One
Australia Regional CrossFit Games 2011 Highlights - Day One
I've been loving the tweets and video updates about the progress of the CrossFit Games Regionals 2011. There are a bunch of videos posted on the CrossFitHQ Youtube account and here's a list you can follow for tweets about regional results.
Check out some of the CrossFit Games 2011 Day One Highlights. These are just a few of the regions and I'm sure CrossFitHQ will be posting more later. This stuff is intense.
South East Regional CrossFit Games 2011 Highlights - Day One
North Central Regional CrossFit Games 2011Highlights - Day One
Canada West Regional Crossfit Games 2011 Highlights - Day One
I'm so excited to see the highlights from the other regions. It is amazing to see the determination and dedication of these athletes. I truly admire all who compete and am excited for what lies ahead these next few weeks. I love CrossFit!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Lose it! | Weight Loss Tool
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| my loseit.com account |
1. You give basic information about you - weight, height, age, sex, etc.
2. You set a weight loss goal
3. The app sets a daily caloric allotment goal
4. You track what you eat daily
Simple concept, yet not so simple in implementation and practice. I was pretty diligent for about a month and a half, and during that time I lost about 10 lbs. It wasn't easy to remember, and sometimes not easy to figure out portions and such. It got easier over time, and it was neat for me to see and understand what I was putting into my body, how my exercise had effect and related (loosely) to my diet. It was cool to track and understand my progress. I'm a fan of visibility.
I stopped being faithful with the app (for various reasons) and I haven't really lost much weight since. There are a lot of factors that have played into that (one of which is that a change in workout routines has allowed me to put on muscle and cut some fat without changing weight). However I realize that I am not as diligent and conscious about my diet as I was then. To me, simply being conscious of your diet is what's key. I think that consciousness yields personal accountability. To me, that personal accountability helps you regulate yourself without needing to be fanatic or make drastic changes.
I decided yesterday that I'm going to start being diligent with the app again. Hopefully it will help my begin trimming down more. There are many tools like Loseit out there. I've only used a couple, so I don't claim to be an expert on them. However, here are some of the things that I like about this weight loss tool:
Mobile Interface - I'm on my phone A LOT. That is where I do most of my Facebooking, Tweeting, personal email checking and game playing. A useful and easy mobile interface is important to me.
My Meals and Foods - The app does a great job at tracking foods that I commonly eat. It also allows me to quickly pull up previous meals and add them to my current day. I didn't realize that I had that usability at first. Finding that out was like finding the hidden stash of candy in the pantry (ironic comparison, no?)
Goal Tracking - Less is more for me in this one. Instead of tracking BMI, body fat %, waist size, etc. the goal tracking is simple, "what weight by when." I like that simplicity. It's easy for me to chew on.
Desktop Usability - The desktop interface is extremely intuitive and makes for quick logging while I'm at work.
Social Aspect - I'm a friend fiend. There is a social aspect to this where you can add friends and share progress. I feel more accountable knowing that others can check up on my progress.
Quick and Useful Database - The app itself has a database of common foods, popular restaurants, and common exercises to choose from. It's not flawless and perfect by any means, however it does make logging food and activity a bit easier.
Some screenshots:
I think that we're spoiled by technology, but am grateful for the usability and ease that it sometimes provides. I'll update you in a few weeks on my progress. Are there tools that you use? I'm always up for a good recommendation.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Out of Commission
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| c/o http://junebugvshurricane.wordpress.com/2010/02/ |
Monday night I went to sleep early with a pretty bad migraine. I hadn't gotten a migraine in a while, so I kind of suspected that something was awry. I woke up the next morning with a pretty bad sore throat. I went to work both Tuesday and Wednesday, but didn't go to the gym because it hurt to breath too hard. I debated staying home, but had a few pretty important projects to work on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Late last night I decided that I'd take today off to recover. Got up this morning and felt about as good as this car looks, and decided to go to the doctor's.
Diagnosis: Strep Throat. Looks like I won't be very active over the next couple of days. I really don't like being sick. I think that it annoys me more than, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" But if I must be home, at least my son is cute, my wife is great and my bed is comfortable. Hopefully I'll recover soon so I can get back to the gym. I hate this feeling of inactivity I've had for the last few days.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Too Many Rest Days
Last week was a brutal week for me. After my workout on Thursday, my hands were shaking for about an hour. I told myself I needed a few rest days.
I didn't work out, Friday or Saturday, and I never workout on Sunday. Three days are too many days for me to rest. At work this morning, the only thing that I could think about doing during lunch was SUSHI! Luckily a buddy of mine and I had planned a workout, so we did not end up caving.
Instead of sushi, we did the following.
Four rounds for time of:
400 meter run + 50 air squats
I completed the workout in 14:23
Not a good time, but also not a bad one. Lesson for this week: try as hard as you can to not take three days off.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Sometimes it's the Little Things
I want to be the cool Dad. The one who plays sports with his sons. The one who can still take his sons in a game of one on one. The Dad that despite the age difference can still whoop his sons' butts into shape.
My son is only two, so now is the time for me to prepare and get healthy and active. The days of basketball games, running, and training and years from now. I realized last night that I can still be the cool Dad, even now.
There's this thing that my son loves. I lie on the ground and stretch my arms up over my head. He then stands on my hands and I have to bring my legs up above my head so that he can grab them. Then basically, he wants me to balance him a couple feet off the ground with his feet still on my hands and his arms wrapped around my legs. It requires a little bit of flexibility and strength, but nothing strenuous.
We were doing that last night (and he always wants to do it over and over again), and my wife commented, "That requires a lot of flexibility. I don't think that you could have done that before."
Being able to do that with my son, and my wife's comment last night made me feel like a champ. It definitely is the little things that make a big difference. Stuff like that is enough to keep me going back to the gym.
My son is only two, so now is the time for me to prepare and get healthy and active. The days of basketball games, running, and training and years from now. I realized last night that I can still be the cool Dad, even now.
There's this thing that my son loves. I lie on the ground and stretch my arms up over my head. He then stands on my hands and I have to bring my legs up above my head so that he can grab them. Then basically, he wants me to balance him a couple feet off the ground with his feet still on my hands and his arms wrapped around my legs. It requires a little bit of flexibility and strength, but nothing strenuous.
We were doing that last night (and he always wants to do it over and over again), and my wife commented, "That requires a lot of flexibility. I don't think that you could have done that before."
Being able to do that with my son, and my wife's comment last night made me feel like a champ. It definitely is the little things that make a big difference. Stuff like that is enough to keep me going back to the gym.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Fran Taught Me a Few Lessons Today
I met Fran at the gym today. If you haven't been introduced to Fran, let me do the pleasure of telling you who she is:
"Fran"
21-15-9 of
95 lb Thrusters
Pull-ups
Fran is one of the CrossFit Benchmarks and is a brutal one. I finished the workout in 4:30, however I needed to start doing jumping pull-ups during the round of 15. Fran taught me a couple of lessons today.
1. I really need to work on my pull-ups. I definitely need to improve my kipping pull-up, but I think more importantly, pull-ups at 260 lbs get hard and I don't have the stamina for it. One more piece of motivation to shed some weight.
2. The positive lesson. Lifting is my strength in the WODs and my stamina is getting much better. In this and other WODs that I've done this week, I have been able to handle the lifting elements well. My stamina from previous weeks is much improved. My struggle are the bodyweight exercises like pull-ups, handstand push-ups, dips, etc. The good thing is that all of those will improve with a combination of increased strength and weight loss.
For motivation here's a video of some CrossFitters taking on the WOD. I apologize for the very mild language. It's PG-13, don't worry.
I thought I was going to be funny and post a picture of Fran Drescher in this post, but found that LAX Crossfit had already done it...I guess I'm not original.
"Fran"
21-15-9 of
95 lb Thrusters
Pull-ups
Fran is one of the CrossFit Benchmarks and is a brutal one. I finished the workout in 4:30, however I needed to start doing jumping pull-ups during the round of 15. Fran taught me a couple of lessons today.
1. I really need to work on my pull-ups. I definitely need to improve my kipping pull-up, but I think more importantly, pull-ups at 260 lbs get hard and I don't have the stamina for it. One more piece of motivation to shed some weight.
2. The positive lesson. Lifting is my strength in the WODs and my stamina is getting much better. In this and other WODs that I've done this week, I have been able to handle the lifting elements well. My stamina from previous weeks is much improved. My struggle are the bodyweight exercises like pull-ups, handstand push-ups, dips, etc. The good thing is that all of those will improve with a combination of increased strength and weight loss.
For motivation here's a video of some CrossFitters taking on the WOD. I apologize for the very mild language. It's PG-13, don't worry.
I thought I was going to be funny and post a picture of Fran Drescher in this post, but found that LAX Crossfit had already done it...I guess I'm not original.
Two Great Days of CrossFit
I started off my week with two great CrossFit workouts. Here's what my Monday and Tuesday looked like.
Monday - "Nancy" in 20 minutes (benchmark WOD)
5 rounds for time of:
400 meter run
95 lb overhead squats - 15 reps
Tuesday - 23:50
5 rounds for time of:
135 lb overhead squats, 5 reps
10 toes to bars
40 lb dumbbell hang squat clean, 15 reps
20 double unders
Both workouts were awesome and I've got a lot of work to do, but I felt great throughout both of them. Can you believe that there are some people who do Tuesday's workout in sub 10 minutes? That is absolutely nuts, and I'm jealous.
Monday - "Nancy" in 20 minutes (benchmark WOD)
5 rounds for time of:
400 meter run
95 lb overhead squats - 15 reps
Tuesday - 23:50
5 rounds for time of:
135 lb overhead squats, 5 reps
10 toes to bars
40 lb dumbbell hang squat clean, 15 reps
20 double unders
Both workouts were awesome and I've got a lot of work to do, but I felt great throughout both of them. Can you believe that there are some people who do Tuesday's workout in sub 10 minutes? That is absolutely nuts, and I'm jealous.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
My Dilemma
I'm Polynesian. I'm big boned. I have a slow metabolism. I love to eat.
You know, I've always been a big guy. In the words of my sister, "You know you were always the chubby and awkward one, right?"
I have this dilemma. I love to go to the gym and stay active, yet the Poly inside of me eats like a Poly. I'm also part Japanese, so you combine Japanese food with a Polynesian appetite...you get the picture.
It's an awfully fun dilemma to be in. I really shouldn't complain.
In all seriousness though, in my efforts to be healthy, finding a balance in this dilemma will be one of the most important things I do (and biggest battle I'll face). The reason I'm thinking about it now is that my parents are in town. When the family gets together, we have great food and I eat more than I normally do. After this week, I'll probably have a pound or two to shed (but it will totally be worth it).
After a weekend like this, I definitely have to hit the gym hard this week!
You know, I've always been a big guy. In the words of my sister, "You know you were always the chubby and awkward one, right?"
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| See why I really have no reason to complain? |
It's an awfully fun dilemma to be in. I really shouldn't complain.
In all seriousness though, in my efforts to be healthy, finding a balance in this dilemma will be one of the most important things I do (and biggest battle I'll face). The reason I'm thinking about it now is that my parents are in town. When the family gets together, we have great food and I eat more than I normally do. After this week, I'll probably have a pound or two to shed (but it will totally be worth it).
After a weekend like this, I definitely have to hit the gym hard this week!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Benchmarks From this Past Week or Two
In a recent post, I wrote about how progress motivates me and the importance of benchmarks. I made a goal to do a "benchmark" Crossfit workout each week. It's been good to do a couple of Crossfit workouts mixed with the other things that we've been doing in the gym.
It's been a lot of fun to do and track the benchmark workouts. I've also done a few variations on the workouts as well and they've been great. Here is a list of the workouts I've done and my results for each of them.
"Cindy"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats
I was able to complete 19 rounds and 6 squats.
"Annie"
Double-Unders and Sit-Ups
50-40-30-20-10 reps; for time
Neither are strengths of mine. I completed the workout in 13:25
"Jeremy" - This isn't a benchmark workout, but definitely one that I'm going to come back to and compare times in the future.
21-15-9 reps of:
Overhead squats at 95lbs
Burpees
I do not heart burpees. I completed the workout in 6:51
Variation on "Annie"
Double-Unders, Squats and Push-Ups
50-40-30-20-10 reps; for time
I completed the workout in 12:57. Much better time than my traditional "Annie". It's probably due to a good rhythm with the rope, and that I'm much better at squats and push ups than sit ups.
Saturday's Metcon
There's no name for this one, but I did this metcon this morning. It was brutal and I did not perform well. Here's what the workout called for -
Four rounds for time of:
15 burpees
10 wide push-ups
10 narrow push-ups
14 lunge jumps (7 both leg)
15 V-ups
10 pull-ups
10 halos
I completed the workout in 28:07. Not a very good time at all. I don't heart burpees, v-ups or tackling this type of a metcon alone.
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| Exhausted after a Metcon |
It must be the business person in me, but I anticipate an amazing feeling of accomplishment when/if I crush these times/performances. Because these are all firsts for me, these times serve as baselines to crush in the future! Wish me luck.
Check out more of my benchmarks.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
To the Mothers in My Life...
...Happy Mother's Day.
I'm extremely thankful to the mothers in my life, especially my mommy and my wife. There are many other "mother" figures for me to honor on a day like this (my mother-in-law, my mission mom, my Aunty Maile, and the list could go on and on). For the purpose of this post, we'll just focus on the first two.
To me, they are great motivators to stay healthy and active. My mother always encouraged her children to eat healthy, to not eat too much, to stay active, to not watch too much TV, to go on walks, to play with friends...you know, all the things a mother does to ensure that her kid stays healthy. Not only did she encourage, but she DID as well. I remember my mother going to the gym, to step class, to water aerobics, playing tennis and much more. When I was in high school, and I was told that I had to trim up for my senior season of volleyball it was my mother who drove my strict diet and ensured I was up early enough to run before school.
Now that all the kids are out of the house, she drags Dad out to do a bunch of fun activities.
I've talked about my wife on this blog before. She's absolutely amazing and is a great example for me. We've got one little boy and one more on the way. In between the two boys, my wife decided that she really wanted to get in good shape. We engaged a personal trainer and my wife became extremely dedicated. She lost about 20 lbs over the course of a few months and still remains active far into her second pregnancy. She is such a great example to me.
To all the mothers out there: thank you for being the drivers and motivators behind that which is good. To the mother's in my life, I love you and thank you for being my motivation.
I'm extremely thankful to the mothers in my life, especially my mommy and my wife. There are many other "mother" figures for me to honor on a day like this (my mother-in-law, my mission mom, my Aunty Maile, and the list could go on and on). For the purpose of this post, we'll just focus on the first two.
To me, they are great motivators to stay healthy and active. My mother always encouraged her children to eat healthy, to not eat too much, to stay active, to not watch too much TV, to go on walks, to play with friends...you know, all the things a mother does to ensure that her kid stays healthy. Not only did she encourage, but she DID as well. I remember my mother going to the gym, to step class, to water aerobics, playing tennis and much more. When I was in high school, and I was told that I had to trim up for my senior season of volleyball it was my mother who drove my strict diet and ensured I was up early enough to run before school.
Now that all the kids are out of the house, she drags Dad out to do a bunch of fun activities.
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| Mom and Dad's new favorite summer activity |
I've talked about my wife on this blog before. She's absolutely amazing and is a great example for me. We've got one little boy and one more on the way. In between the two boys, my wife decided that she really wanted to get in good shape. We engaged a personal trainer and my wife became extremely dedicated. She lost about 20 lbs over the course of a few months and still remains active far into her second pregnancy. She is such a great example to me.
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| Family pictures 2010 |
To all the mothers out there: thank you for being the drivers and motivators behind that which is good. To the mother's in my life, I love you and thank you for being my motivation.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I'm Solar Powered
I think that we may finally be saying good bye to winter and hello to spring. It was a beautiful day today.
Saturdays are a hard day for me to make it to the gym. I get up in the morning and my son is normally awake and excited to spend time with me. I've resorted to the fact that I'm going to have to do pretty quick workouts on Saturdays most of the time. This morning I decided that I would just jump rope for about half an hour.
I went out on my driveway and in the 8:00 AM sun, and just got in a rhythm for about 30 minutes. I did some sets of 30 double-unders, jumped to the rhythm on my iPod and just enjoyed my time in the sun. It was invigorating to feel the sun on my face and back as sweat poured down my face toward the end of the 30 minutes.
I needed to help our local church's youth group aerate a bunch of lawns today as a fundraiser, so I was in the sun for a total of about six hours. I'm fried and red (thank goodness my Hawaiian blood turns that burn into a pretty nice brown), but it was totally worth it.
I'm so excited for warm weather. In the words of a friend of mine, "We truly are solar powered." Being in the sun just makes me want to stay active and healthy.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Set Some Benchmarks. That'll Keep You Going.
If you're not familiar with the Benchmark Girls, let me introduce you to them. They are a group of gals who will absolutely kick your butt, so don't mess with them.
In all seriousness though, they are a set of Crossfit workouts that are meant to be basic benchmarks for you to track progress with. Take a look at some of them. If I'm not mistaken, Angie was my first ever CrossFit workout, and boy did it gas me. I wish I could remember my time...well not really :-)!
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| From the FAQ on CrossFit.com |
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| Also from the FAQ on CrossFit.com |
There is something about benchmarks that motivate me. When I realize what my baseline is, and I am able to come back and improve against that baseline, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I'm hoping that in a few months, my times and results for each of these workouts will improve.
Having something to work towards and against...now that's enough motivation for me to keep going.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Change Motivates Me to Workout
We started a new workout plan today. It's actually the second part of the one we've been doing for the last few weeks. For the past few weeks it was a lot of high reps. This next section is lower reps and much heavier weight. I feel like these past few weeks have been great for me. I feel stronger, I have better endurance and am getting closer to where I feel that I need to be.
Despite that progress, today gassed me. It was great!
I've often found that I lose motivation when I feel that I'm doing the same thing over and over again. I actually found that with this last section of the workout. By last week, I was ready to move on...despite really enjoying the workouts.
That's a good lesson for me to learn: when I feel like I'm not motivated, change things up a little bit. I think that even small changes help. Add an extra motion. Ask someone who's working around you for tips. Observe what others are doing and try to incorporate what they're doing into your workout. Do something different and see how your body reacts (just don't overdo it).
CrossFit nails this principle and it's one of the reasons that I admire the lifestyle and program so much. Much of what you do in CrossFit is based on the unknown. You don't necessarily know what your workouts are going to look like until maybe the day of. There are so many different motions, combinations and challenges. It's exciting.
Man, when I have the money (and I'm in much better shape), I can't wait to join a box.
Despite that progress, today gassed me. It was great!
I've often found that I lose motivation when I feel that I'm doing the same thing over and over again. I actually found that with this last section of the workout. By last week, I was ready to move on...despite really enjoying the workouts.
That's a good lesson for me to learn: when I feel like I'm not motivated, change things up a little bit. I think that even small changes help. Add an extra motion. Ask someone who's working around you for tips. Observe what others are doing and try to incorporate what they're doing into your workout. Do something different and see how your body reacts (just don't overdo it).
CrossFit nails this principle and it's one of the reasons that I admire the lifestyle and program so much. Much of what you do in CrossFit is based on the unknown. You don't necessarily know what your workouts are going to look like until maybe the day of. There are so many different motions, combinations and challenges. It's exciting.
Man, when I have the money (and I'm in much better shape), I can't wait to join a box.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Inactivity. That's What Motivates Me Today.
So you'll notice that I haven't posted in a week or so. I was on a business trip in Phoenix for a few days, and I spent the last few days of the week catching up on things that came up while I was gone.
I was only able to make it to the gym three days last week. What's funny, is that 6 months ago that would have been an amazing accomplishment for me. Now, I feel let down. That's a good sign right?
Well that feeling of "inactivity" is what motivates me to hit the gym hard this week (and what motivates me to get back to blogging). I learned a couple of things this week while on my business trip:
1. I love really good Mexican Food. Man, Phoenix has great Mexican food.
2. Pro baseball games are a blast. I got to go to my first MLB game while in Phoenix. It was a blast, but the food selection isn't the healthiest.
3. It doesn't matter where you are, being active feels great. The hotel we stayed at had a very small "exercise center". 30 minutes of cardio, 100 push ups, 100 squats and 100 crunches later, I felt ready for the day. I've often found it easy to blame my surroundings for not working out. I realize more and more how much that really isn't the case. You can find something active to do nearly anywhere you are.
Well...thanks for listening to my jabbering. Have a great week!
I was only able to make it to the gym three days last week. What's funny, is that 6 months ago that would have been an amazing accomplishment for me. Now, I feel let down. That's a good sign right?
Well that feeling of "inactivity" is what motivates me to hit the gym hard this week (and what motivates me to get back to blogging). I learned a couple of things this week while on my business trip:
1. I love really good Mexican Food. Man, Phoenix has great Mexican food.
2. Pro baseball games are a blast. I got to go to my first MLB game while in Phoenix. It was a blast, but the food selection isn't the healthiest.
3. It doesn't matter where you are, being active feels great. The hotel we stayed at had a very small "exercise center". 30 minutes of cardio, 100 push ups, 100 squats and 100 crunches later, I felt ready for the day. I've often found it easy to blame my surroundings for not working out. I realize more and more how much that really isn't the case. You can find something active to do nearly anywhere you are.
Well...thanks for listening to my jabbering. Have a great week!
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