Monday, November 19, 2012

CROSS-fit #107 Hitting the wall

Quite a common phrase for many people, especially runners.
They hit a 'wall'.
They just can't progress anymore, they don't see any more improvements regardless of months and months of training.
They just can't seem to get to a higher level than they already are at.
For the amount of work (And this is alot of work), the returns they get are well, less than desirable.
I've seen so many people just lose the steam to push on anymore.
They lose the fight to win, they lose the fight to go for another repetition.

There's a simple saying which goes...
If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done.
It's stupid, really, if you do the same thing over and over again and expect to have a miraculous breakthrough.
If you're doing a Fran and only been doing Fran for the past 2 months. (This is an extreme case)
Maybe, in your first week, your Fran would probably have a huge jump! You'll feel good.
Sometime down the road, you'll still see some gains, shave some seconds off.
But you'll hit a wall, you just can't break past a certain point.

Thus, Crossfit is constantly varied.
Throw in something totally different, some heavy lifting, some fun stuff.
Some hard runs, some prowlers, some different training and programming methodologies.
Spice up your day, you'll see some really big gains!
If you've been a runner all your life, try something different! Then go back, hit a marathon.
Bam, I'm sure you'll run a PB.
If you've been staring and forecasting accounts all your life. Try something different!
Improve yourself!! After a while, you'll just be a better person overall.

Now I'm going to talk about something sensitive now.
Some may not agree, some will hate me for it, some will agree without a doubt.
Let's talk about programming.
We all try to follow a structure of programming your training here in Crossfit.
There's the heavy day, the speed day and the conditioning day, so on and so forth.
It's a template, you can fill it with whatever you want, but it's a template.

Now say you suddenly break free from that template. What's going to happen??
Do you think you're strength will jump? Or drop? Since you've been following that template forever!
You've been gaining but maybe not as rapidly, but hey it works!
So what'd you think...

A couple of months back, I came over to Tucson, Arizona.
It's been a great ride here every since.
However, the biggest change, the workout programming.
There's a whole different template they follow. Honestly, in the first few weeks, it threw my body out of sync.
However, I still tried to follow the program back home. Heavy Mondays, speed Tuesdays.
Then I started to get a bit more worn out... Double days for many days ain't fun (I'm no Froning)

So I tried it, I gave in to their template and went full out on that.
When that happened, my Power Snatch went up 20#, deadlift 20#, backsquat 10#.
The lack of adaptation and frequent weekly use of that energy pathways caused me to gain.
A whole lot more...

So what am I trying to say?
Sometimes, when things are going good for you, really good for you.
Still, change it up.
Throw yourself out of that adaptation. Let your body adapt afresh.
Gains will be massive. Growth will be measured. Try it...
Maybe the template for you life has been good, maybe, try something different.



Saturday, November 17, 2012

CROSS-fit #106 The Games Prep

The much anticipated Crossfit Games 2013
To many people, it's all or nothing this year. To a few, it'll be their first.
However, one way or another, all of them, all the competitors-to-be are all gearing up for it.
They all have different programs lined up, they all have different systems and training ideas in mind.
Some are out resting and taking a break due to injuries, some are on a highway to an injury.
The smart ones are using this time to get strong, looking at their nutrition and mobility.

HyperfitUSA points out some good training tips on workout programming for the Crossfit games.
This is their link, HyperfitUSA
They make sensible conclusions on planning and preparation.
Not just for the physical concept but for the mind as well.

Many if not all athletes mostly focus on their physical training regime.
The 3 on - 1 off idea.
They follow the paleo diet real strictly and have no time to mess around.
They pound their bodies by doing multiple double day workouts (With the exception of Rich Froning)
Come back broken and beaten only to get up the next day to follow the 'plan'.

That's good and all, don't get me wrong.
I follow a training plan myself.
Being here in the states, I've got to fend for myself, do my own share of planning and programming.
The fascinating thing is that sometimes, we follow so closely to the plan, we lose sight of what really matters..
Your physical condition, your body and your mind.

If you get up one day and feel like hell.
Look at your program and it's a heavy heavy day for you.
How would you think you'll fare?

There's a fine line between being lazy or succumbing to your body and actually listening to it.
Your body doesn't feel tired simply because it's lazy. Sometimes it's really beat.
Training in that condition, that's just a recipe for an injury or deteriorating the level of gains for the same amount of time.
Remember, you're not just a Crossfit athlete, you're also a student, an employee, a father, a son, a husband and a Christian (Make time for that). So maximize your time.
But as said previously, sometimes, your body just feels lazy, you feel lethargic and tired.
But pushing through may just break that mental barrier of yours.
So it's really up to you.

And your mind.
This is perhaps the most important portion of preparation.
Of course your physical conditioning is important.
But your mindset, your mental picture, has to be trained for success.
If you're doing workouts and constantly see the three letters DNF (did not finish) on the board.
Then probably you're doing something wrong.
Living in defeat is not the way to go, it trains you to be stronger, yes it does.
However, it drains you. It causes you to lose the very aspect Crossfit was supposed to instil in you.
'Confidence' and 'Hope'.
Have a program or days where by you build up to reach desired levels.
Probably not just in Crossfit but in life.
Sometimes, if failure is all you're seeing, switch it up once in a while.

Thomas Edison failed many times to get that light bulb going
But nobody mentioned how many small successes he had along the way.
Measure those successes, keep the hope up.
Be confident.

All the best for Crossfit Games 2013!
My training has already begun! (Quite a while back now)

Monday, November 12, 2012

CROSS-fit #105 The board says otherwise

One of the few things I love about Crossfit?
You can't lie.
You can't lie about your fitness or cheat your way through this one.
(Of course if you want to cheat yourself then sure, I guess you'll live a relatively sad life)

CrossFit | WelshCouple of days back, I was about to hit a relatively 'favourite' of mine.
A couplet of heavy ground to overhead and pullups. Simple and fresh
So a friend commented right before the hour commenced.
"You're gonna kill it buddy".
In my head I thought I was, I genuinely did. But hey, the only nice thing to do is to reply...
"Nah, I'm sure it'll hurt and I'm not too good and those stuff."
A failed attempt at being humble, really....

But what he said after made me change the way I answer any of such questions ever again.
"The whiteboard clearly says differently buddy, either that, or there's another Lionel around I've never met."
I had no comeback for that... I was dumbfounded.
But it's true isn't it! You don't need to hide or say anything to cover your strengths or your weaknesses!
The whiteboard says all.
It'll exclaim loudly whether you owned it or got massacred by it.

Find that whiteboard in your life and not just in crossfit.
Maybe it ain't too far away, maybe you can stop hiding right about now.
Stop hiding your weaknesses or your strengths.
People can tell... No word of a lie.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

CROSS-fit #104 Embrace the SUCK!



The phrase of the week has to go to my dear trainers are Wildcat Crossfit.
Midway during probably one of the toughest workouts ever (I don't normally say this)...
One of our coaches, Nick, shouted out, keep going! Embrace the Suck!
Hilariously, one of the athletes literally walked towards a pole and embraced it.

As figurative as it sounds, gosh sometimes you need to embrace something to actually feel something inside.
Our outward nature clearly reflects our inward nature.
Often, we need to say hello to the suck, smile at it and hug it.
It could very well be the person next door whom you probably want to murder.
It may be your boss.
 Or oopsie, it could just be your spouse and dearest right beside you.
But whatever it is, you've got to embrace it.
It sucks, big time. It really does.

Especially when it hurts so bad and it's been hurting for the past 10 minutes in a 15 minute workout.
Yeah, the feeling when the pain will only get worst from here on out.
Yupp. I'm sure everyone kinda knows what that feels like.
Halfway through Cindy, and really!? Push it!?
Only one way to do it... Embrace the suck.
Somehow, somewhere deep down that determined sick mind of yours.
You need to tell yourself, that...
"I Like This Suck".
"Wow, this pain is amazing!"
Somewhere along those lines.
Why!?
Cause just like every patient young child.
The goodies await at the end of the tunnel :)