I hear people complaining the gym about workouts being to hard, about people saying "I can't do that.......... thats impossible!" New members struggling to do pull ups thinking they will never get it. In fact I can tell you first hand that some people are so lazy that they have actually stopped coming to the gym because they do not like the soreness that they get from their muscles. They think some of the workouts are too hard. This is even with scaling, dropping it way back to basics. See the problem is that some people think that if everything isn't given to them on a plate then life is just to freaking hard.

Well what most of us saw on the weekend was nothing short of abolutley AMAZING. See I have trained athletes that are not as fortunate as some before. Individuals bracketed as special needs. Everyone knows about the Para Olympics and those athletes are very well respected and stronger mentally and physially that many of us able bodied individuals. BUT on the weekend at CrossFit Brookvale many of us saw an athlete compete who was BLIND!!!!

I saw this guy standing there with his friend/guide/trainer. He had his cane standing in the front row, and I thought it was great that he had come to support. I was wrong!! Next heat he walks up the back sets up his deadlift bar all by feel......... His guide walks him to the box jumps where the athletes feels around and gets his bearings of the distance between box and deadlift bar. I didn't think it was real........... Training an athlete is one thing but having that athlete compete in something as technical as a CrossFit workout, well that takes courage, strength, commitment. I thought it was AMAZING! I had goose bumps watching this guy compete. He didn't just complete the workout he was actually very very very competitive. I do not know his name. I am not sure where he trains at, but that young man is someone I look up to.

For those people who think CrossFit is to hard, that they have to get fitter before they train, that think they are too old to start or just think a bit of muscle soreness is to much to live with............ take a leaf out of this guys book. He is everything CrossFit represents.

31 May 2010

So next day DOMS have kicked in... First time in a while but I guess 85 deadlifts at 120kg and 100 kettlebell snatches will do that to you. Thought about having the day off but thought a light hit out would do me well.

The RAW workout was 7 sets of 1 split jerk. Decided to do a fair bit if mobility work to ease out the soreness. Didn't go full throttle but still challenged my shoulder rehab!

1. 70
2.80
3.90
4.95
5.100
6.105(f)
7. 105

max 105

27 May 2010

3 rm thruster 97.5kg

So today the shoulder pulled up a little stiff after yesterday. Maybe just a tad weak but nothing out of the ordinary. It was still ok for the theraband in the warm up, shoulder rotations and dislocators caused a little grief but it held up well for OHS- over head squat, snatches, kettlebell snatches and handstand push ups. Three rounds if 5 reps if each

Started of light with the thrusters a d went 50,60,70,80,90,95kg's and was happy with that until Corinne said it looked easy so on went another 2.5 to take it to 97.5kg. Got it up withba wobble here and there but quite happy with the three!

30 muscle ups for time rx'd = 5.55

After the anticipation of yesterdays snatch workout and the fear/anxiety I had about testing my new shoulder reconstruction I totally forgot about the 30muscle ups programmed today until about midday yesterday. After lunch I started to think about today's workout. 1- if my shoulder would even hold up to 30. 2- how I was going to approach the workout.

I have seen to many times athletes getting pumped up for a WOD and then crash and burn. One of our best make athletes Kerron (Kez) has done that on this very workout. If I am correct I believe he pumped out close to 21 in 6 or 7 minutes and was still trying to finish of the last 5 or so reps 25 minutes later!! It happened just this morning with Dane DNF-ing at 16 in 33.23 minutes

My strategy was to break it up into 5's regarless if I was tired or not. My overall goal was to just finish the workout with out injury. This meant not getting caught up in the time but more just staying steady. After all slow is smooth and smooth is fast right?

I got 2 sets of 5 and then 2 sets of 4 so 18 total in around 2 mins. From there I broke if down further to 3's. I failed 2 attempts throught out the 30 which meant I did nit stick to my game plan as I wanted to remain fresh and not fatigue to weaken the shoulder. I took a good 45sec break before attempting the final 3 unbroken only because I was held back by John Sewerle. I'm glad he restrained me in the end as some of those dips were deep.

Although not a PR (3.43) 5.55 is still a great time for me. More than anything I am glad to have 2 half decent shoulders again.