My Experience at the CrossFit Level 1 Certification Seminar

Last weekend on Jan 30th and 31st, me and couple of buddies had a great opportunity to be trained by CrossFit top HQ trainers along with two past CrossFit games winners on our Level 1 Certification Seminar. Here were the trainers that I had the pleasure to work with:

• Todd Widman (head trainer at CrossFit HQ)
• Adrian Bozman (top trainer from CrossFit HQ and trainer from San Francisco CrossFit) 
• Josh Everett (2nd place in 2008 CrossFit Games)
• Jason Khalipa (2008 CrossFit Games winner and owner of CrossFit Santa Clara)
• Jolie Gentry (2007 CrossFit Games winner)
• Austin Begiebing (Head Trainer at CrossFit Unlimited)

Here's the two-day schedule for the CrossFit Level 1 Certification:

1. Day one - Started with an introduction by Todd Widman (director of the seminar) going through the agenda for today which was the following
• What is CrossFit?
• Learning the 9 CrossFit Basic Movements - Josh Everett
• Squat -> Front Squat -> Overhead Squat
• Shoulder Press -> Push Press -> Push Jerk
• Deadlift -> Sumo Dealift High Pull -> Medicine Ball Cleans
• Practice the Squat movement
• WOD: Tabata Squat
• Lunch
• Practice (using PVC pipes) of the 9 CrossFit Basic Movements
• What is Fitness and Who is Fit?
• WOD: Team Fran! Groups of 4, total of 200 Thrusters, total of 200 Pull ups 
2. Day two - Started with an introduction to upcoming events and rules for 2010 CrossFit Games by Dave Castro. This followed with the rest of the materials below:
• CrossFit's definition to Intensity
• WOD: Run, Push Up, Kettle Bell swings in teams of 3 AMRAP for 11 minutes 
• Using the Glute-Ham Developer and it's benefits
• Nutrition
• Programming & Scaling
• Q&A and Beer

It was the best training and seminar I have ever attended. EVER! Why? Because it was well structured, clear instructions with a relaxed environment while still keeping everything interesting. The relax and interesting portion is what was cool. How many times have you been to a seminar where the material is interesting but they kept everything very formal and strict, making it ... boring. All the trainers brought with them personal experience, funny stories along with inspiring stories that  made you think and realize how great this whole CrossFit program is.

Take away: My squat sucks. I really dont know squat about squats. When we practice the squat  movement (and all other movements), athletes were to stand in a circle demonstrating the movement and afterwards, one was put in the middle to be 'coached' (as the coaching trainig portion). I was the guy in the middle for squat. Don't get me wrong, I was glad I was put in the middle because it told me what I was doing wrong. Here's what they were:

• Back was leaning forward to maintain balance
• Knees were pointing straight instead of out 
• Push from the bottom was using the quads, instead of the hamstring and hip
• No midline stabilization (globo gym synonym: 'core') on the way down to keep the back straight

This is what they call an immature squat. Which sucks bec all this time I thought I was doing my squats correctly. What I need to do now is go back to the mechanics and maintain consistency (taught during Day two). Before applying intensity, every athlete must demonstrate proper mechanics and consistency (in the movement and in the CrossFit workout). I somehow skipped or skimmed through mechanics and consistency and went straight to intensity (which is probably why I got rhabdo on my first WOD).

It's time to get back to basics. In the following days, I will be checking myself in to therapy ... Squat Therapy that is. Will be posting videos of the progress on this blog.

Post comments please.

6 Steps to Improve your Sports Performance Through Olympic WeightLifting

This article was such a great article that I just had to re-post them here. Read these 6 steps to truly understand why olympic weightlifting and their variants can improve your performance at any sport.

1) The Exercises are performed from standing
The fact that the exercises are performed from standing is important for a number of reasons. One of the most obvious is that the majority of sports are also performed from a standing position - although there are exceptions, such as cycling and rowing (and I believe that Olympic lifting is also beneficial to them). Olympic lifting develops proprioception (basically, the ability of the body to adjust to the forces transmitted through its limbs and muscles) and spatial awareness (the awareness of the body in space and the adjustments made consciously and unconsciously to, for example, maintain the robustness of a sports skill). The lifts develop these qualities.

2) Olympic lifts mirror the way force is produced in sport
The way the Olympic lifts are performed mirrors the way force is developed in numerous sports: for example, in basketball and football, where it is applied to the court/pitch, carried through the lower limbs, up through the body and transferred (often) through the upper limbs – the basketball jump shot being a prime example.

3) The exercises involve multiple muscles
The Olympic lifts are compound muscle-group exercises as they work across numerous joints. This is important for time-saving reasons. Rugby and football players who are in team training, doing skills practice, speed work and other conditioning have limited time for strength training. But the Olympic lifts and their variants are ‘bang for buck’ exercises.

Continue reading here ...

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WOD - 1/15/2010
Rest Day

Still recovering from flu ... My DCF Coach said the remedy to a cold is 'Fluids, Sleep, Rest'. So that's what I'm doing, even though I feel like running down the block with 3 sweaters to sweat it out and drink Nyquil at night. I'll try this 'back to basics' remedy for now ...

Two Easy ways to lose weight, get fit and feel energized

The most frequent advice you hear to get healthy consist of two easy things: eat right and exercise. So I was browsing on Google Reader and found two great articles about exactly these two things. These two advices are part of the Primal Blueprint Lifestyle Lifestyle that I've been following for a couple of months and I can testify that it was worked great! I'm now able to maintain the weight that I'm in and feel energized throughout the day. And it didn't take much for me to do this. All I had to do was eat right (paleo style - meat and vegetables) and go to CrossFit 3-4 times a day.

STEP 1: Eat Right through High Quality Nutrition
High-quality nutrition can be boiled down to 7 basic categories:
1) Vegetables – Source of carbohydrate.
2) Fruits – Source of carbohydrate.
3) Beans – Source of carbohydrate. Not Paleo for those looking to stay strict to the Paleo Diet
4) Meats – Source of protein.
5) Fish – Source of protein.
6) Nuts – Source of fat.
7) Seeds – Source of fat.
8) Oils – Source of fat.

Continue reading here ...

Notes:
Focus on eating better quality food. We want to fuel our life and our workouts using 'premium' fuel for 'premium' performance.

STEP 2: Exercise
According to the Primal Blueprint
, our ancestors did two things throughout the day that helped them become fit and healthy. They had to lift heavy things (returning gathered items) and they had to sprint once in a while (to avoid being eaten) or to catch dinner. So on the same note, we try to imitate what our body is built to do in modern times, and this can be done by performing CrossFit type workouts.

Why CrossFit? Because CrossFit implements its workout through:
Metabolic Conditioning or Cardio
Interval Training
Gymnastics
Weightlifting
Throwing

Read a full (long but complete) article about this here, or watch CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman explain CrossFit as a Broad General Fitness in the video below:


Simple. Easy. Try it. Post comments and share your experience.

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WOD - 1/14/2010
Rest Day

Ever went to a gym where the workout for the day is to REST? In CrossFit, resting is an important part of the workout. Your body requires rest so that the muscles may repair itself and for you to regain strength from all the workout that you have done. I'll post more about this in the following weeks.

Alternatives to a Crowded Gym

I was watching the CBS 5 News last night and they were reporting how the fitness gyms in this month has been so crowded, not just because of the New Year resolutions but also because of the unemployment rate. They covered a Santa Clara gym that is filled with people working out on treadmills, stairmasters and on the zumba classes. And they interviewed this one woman sitting on this half recliner, half cycling machine that was commenting on how going to the gym keeps her sane and happy while she goes through interviews to get a job. She talks about how by working out, she can be healthy, get in shape and ensures she looks good on her next job interview.

Kudos to her and everyone who exercises to be healthy, but let's be real here. You don't get results by sitting down on a cycling machine for 30 minutes (or even an hour) while you read a book and watch TV. Same case for elliptical machines, stairmasters and treadmills. These machines actually limits you. Think about it. You can't run as quick as you can, you can't go up the stairmasters with the intensity that your body is capable of. It basically limits your workout with a certain pace in the alloted time; which basically lets you to be lazy. Plus it wastes your time because you are doing a workout that you can probably complete in 30 minutes if you went all out but instead you push it out until 1 hour, with low intensity.

So here's what I propose to you. Get out of your regular gym and use your own body weight and  places around you to get you a workout. The truth is, you don't need an elliptical machine or a static bicycle to get a heart rate rising. Nor do you need 1-2 hours hanging out at the gym watching Wheel of Fortune on TV to do that. All you have to do is get back to basics, utilize the  exercises that you were forced to do in high school, the regular push-up, sit ups, jumping jacks and variations of them.

Here are a couple of body-weight workouts you can do outside your gym:

• Run 1/2 mile 50 air squats. Repeat for 3 rounds.
• 10 push-ups 10 sit ups 10 squats. Repeat for 10 rounds.
• 200 air squats as fast as you can. Record your time.
• Run 200m, 10 squats, 10 push ups, for 5 rounds.
• Sprint 200m and do 25 push ups. Repeat for 3 rounds.
• Tabata squats and tabata pushups. Note: Tabata is 20 seconds workout, 10 seconds rest. Repeat for 8 rounds. Find Tabata Timers here.
• 50 air squats x 5. Rest equal amounts as it took to do each 50.
• Run 1 mile and do 10 push-ups every 1 minute.
• Sprint 100m, 30 squats. Repeat for 8 rounds.
• 10 sit ups and 10 burpies. Repeat for 10 rounds, measure time.
• Handstand hold, 30 seconds, squat hold 30 seconds. Repeat 10 rounds.
• 250 jumping jacks as fast as you can. Record Time
• Find more here

Try the workouts and post your results and thoughts. 

Here's a good video about the Paleo/Primal Lifestyle. 



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Diablo CrossFit WOD 1/11/2010
800m run
100 push ups
400m run
100 sit ups
200m run
50 push ups
100m run
50 sit ups

Record total time.

Thoughts: Running outside was cold! I definitely could have done a lot better push up forms. I think when I reached 30 on that first 100 push ups, my form became worse as it became harder to go all the way down and push to full extension. And note to self, next time, do not try to do 100 sit ups without resting. I felt like puking after that workout and my abs was so tight the whole night. Not as much as a good feeling as I thought it would be =)

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Post WOD Meal - 1/11/2010
2 pieces of Grilled Chicken Breast
Carrots and Mushroom soup
Vegetable mix with Fish Cake
Indonesian tempe

Sorry, not so Paleo. My in laws are in town and I just couldn't say no to it =)

Introducing 4 Fitness Guys!

Last posting on this Blog was dated May 27, 2009 and 7 months later, I continued to practice CrossFit with some Martial Arts (Kickboxing and Krav Maga) on the side. And I've never felt better! I have also gotten together with a couple of my buddies to put together a team that will be delivering not just blogs with our fitness experience, but also products that you can use to assist you in a more productive workout. Introduction on our first product will be coming soon.

We call ourselves the 4 Fitness Guys because we consist of 4 guys that understands the importance of Fitness and how much they affect our every day life. In this blog, I will include our stories, advices, experiences and discoveries as we continue to practice CrossFit, Martial arts and the Primal Diet to 'not suck at life'.

Our goal is to influence, assist and eventually inspire folks out there who are frustrated in losing weight, getting fit, becoming healthy or simply in achieving your goals. You'll be surprised but just adding a good challenging workout routine to your everyday life can make a significant difference in the way you perceive life and manage stress. With this kind of perception, nothing is impossible.

So we ask you to join us in our fitness journey by sharing with us your story, your struggle and your discovery.

-4 Fitness Guys

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Today's WOD - Diablo CrossFit
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 400
20 Virtual Shoveling Reps* (men use empty bar plus 45lbs on one side, women use empty bar plus 25lbs on one side).

*A virtual shoveling rep is moving the bumper plate on the one end of the olympic bar over a 12" high parallette and back to the starting position. Switch sides (which hand is in front) as often as you'd like.

Record total rounds.

How was it?
This seems to be a pattern for me. Every time I see a WOD that looks 'fun', it always ends up feeling like hell. You would think virtual shoveling is a really fun and exciting exercise because it's different, and it's functional and how hard can it be, it's 'virtual'. But in truth, it's pretty hard to execute with proper form (avoid using your back) and 1 count is when you go left AND right. I was sporting my Vibram FiveFingers on this because nowadays, I can't run without them. But since I was late, I was not able to warm up so I started right away and at the end of the workout, my middle toe was frozen. Literally, I can't feel a thing, it was completely pale white and ice cold. Not sure what happened but it did, I probably couldn't feel a thing on that toe until 2 hours after when I arrived home (long commute).
Result: 4.5 reps

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 Post WOD Meal:

Snack (within the hour after workout): Handful of almonds
Dinner: 3 pieces of chicken thigh with mushrooms

If I can do it, you can too ... seriously!

Fight Gone really bad ...

Went back to crossfit today after my first 3 personal training session at DiabloCrossfit. And guess what was the workout for today? Fight Gone Bad! This was supposedly the crossfit workout designed for BJ Penn to prepare him for a fight. After the training, they asked BJ Penn what he thought about it compared to a fight and he said, it was like a 'fight gone bad'. Thus the name.

This is what it covered:
1. Wall-ball: 20 pound ball, 10 ft target men ,14lb ball, 8 ft target women. (Reps)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75 pounds men 55lbs women (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20" box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75 pounds men, 55lbs women (Reps)
5. Row: calories (Calories)
(just copied and pasted this from diablocrossfit.com)

We were to do 3 sets of these with 1 min rest in between (just like a fight). It was tough. I did a total of 203 reps which really sucks, my partner (whom haven't been there for months ... a girl, smaller than me) did like 270 or something like that. But nevertheless, right after, I felt great. I feel fresh, and most importantly, I feel like I've accomplished something.

Here's a youtube video that tells you about Fight Gone Bad (beginning tells you what it is and middle shows you the workout)

By the way, I'm not in here. I got this from google video and it's probably from CrossFit headquarters or something.

Back in the Game ... and now with a Plan!

It's been a while I haven't been blogging and it's because I got my workout routine back! It was difficult coming back after the rhabdo, the biopsy and all the 'advices' I get from the people that love and care of me (especially my wife) =) ... but I must stay active and get myself back in shape.

So what is the plan?

• M-F: Crossfit at diablocrossfit.com. Class is offered at 5-8 (every hour) and it's literally like 5 min from my apt, which is awesome. And they have a kickboxing class on Monday, Thurs and Sat. So i get to maintain my kickboxing training.
• Sat - Sun: Krav Maga in San Francisco with my best buddy. On Saturday, they have this great Conditioning class that combines circuit training with bag work. On Sunday, they have a KO bag class which pretty much tells you to hit the crap of the bag. Great workout, and kickboxing inspired (which is a must for me). These are usually followed by jiujitsu and light sparring.

It's been 2.5 weeks and it's been going great. Especially the crossfit. I know it gave me the rhabdo in the first place but where else can you find a workout that can beat the crap out of you in 15 mins?!? Crossfit. Check it out.