You gotta have some inspiration

So, not sure if anyone noticed, but I haven't been blogging lately.

It's not because I'm lazy, or haven't had time, or am not interested anymore. It's just that, I've gotta feel it when I write something. And I just haven't been inspired lately.

Sure I've had some good workouts, lots to talk about. Like I ran a 1:22 for the 400 this week. Not bad I guess. I'd like to improve for sure.

Also I managed to crank out 40 pullups on Tuesday's WOD which had us doing four rounds of running the 200 then cranking out as many reps as we could on pullups. I was slow with the run but made the most with the pullups. My biceps hurt and I was happy but still not inspired to write.

And on Wednesday I started doing double unders with some consistency. Like nine or ten at a time. I was surprised and stoked but still not in the writing mood. Yeah, I don't know, just wasn't feelin it.

I've even had some pretty good funny stuff happen. Carried Lori for the 200 on Tuesday then carried Kats (for a much shorter distance) on Wednesday. Bump is promising pain and fortune with extra cardio workouts and I'm actually looking forward to it, although I think I'll hate it when I actually start working.

Still, no inspiration.

And then I clicked on this link: http://games.crossfit.com/about-games

Watch the video. Watch these people workout. See how in shape they are. See the upside down push-ups USING THE RINGS!?!?!??!!?

Yeah baby, that's what I'm talking about. Crossfit games. I want to get there one day.

But how? How do I compete? How do I train for something like that? It seems like at my present pace I'll be 45 years old before I can even try. This is not a rip on RFM or their training by the way, I'm looking at myself and saying that this body will take some time to get into the kind of shape that it needs to be in for the games.

Is it possible? Sure. The great advantage of being me is that I'm pretty stupid when it comes to acknowledging my limits. Of course there are some drawbacks to that (see torn pectoral blog post from last year) but mostly it's a good thing.

Ok let me rephrase that, with RFM's help and guidance it is a good thing. For the most part. I think.

So, sorry it's taken so long to get inspired, but it feels great to write again. And to have a lofty goal to draw inspiration from.

While we're on the subject, what inspires you?

Let me know.

Rod

RFM members looking good, no numbers for Ikaika and why I'm too tired to hate cardio right now

First I want to shout out to Carol, Jun and Erin. They've done what I haven't, which is lose a lot of weight and lean up something fierce.

Carol has to be down at least 50 pounds and Jun and Erin 20 pounds. It's gotten to the point where I just say to people, "Paleo?" And they nod their head and say yes.

I'm on Paleo lite. I know, no excuses. Eff me.

On to other matters. Ikaika has shut me out.

Usually I take my cue from him when it comes to what weight to use for the workouts. Hey, I can do worse then try to emulate a strong, fast guy who's 10 years younger than me right? I figured he was a good benchmark. Plus I get to tease him in my blog so it makes for good material.

Yesterday though Ikaika erased his time and his weight so I was left with nothing. Bump says that my workout record notebook should be my guide. Thank you Master Po.*

*(Eighties reference to "Kung Fu", the tv series. You know, Kwai Chang Kaine, grasshopper, steal the pebble from my hand? Is anyone getting these references? You all suck.)

And finally, I knew I was going to be hurting today and so I waited until I hit the apex of pain to write my blog.

And yes, it is here. I am limping around as we speak.

In my zeal to try and get leaner and meaner I've turned to some extreme sources. Namely the RFM coaches.

First came Bump with the heavy ropes. I've still got some skin missing from that day.

Then came the prowler plus 90 pounds. I hate to admit it but that was the easiest day. I need more pounds or more rounds. Or both. (I know, I know, I'm asking for it but it's the truth.)

Then yesterday I took up with Kehau's madness. I should have known it was going to be bad, mostly because she wasn't training me, she was training herself and letting me tag along.

It was sort of like going surfing on the North Shore with a pro surfer, or jogging with a cross country marathoner. You're just struggling to stay alive.

For some reason Kehau was killing herself with the rowing machine. It's an evil beast that causes much suffering. She was rowing at 70 percent for 20 seconds, 80 percent for the next 20 then going 100 percent for the last 20. One minute of hell.

Of course, once she explained it to me I said, "Sure, sounds great." She took the time to show me how to row and all I could think was, "Your quads are HUGE and work like giant pistons and you're still tired. I'm dead."

This is probably only the second time in my life that I was afraid to workout with a female. I recall years past while I was still living on Oahu I met a gal working out at 24 Hour Fitness. I remember she was a DEA Agent and built like a bodybuilder. I had met her in the field at some drug bust or another and we got to talking. Soon we had a hiking "date" set up to do the Stairway to Heaven.

For those who don't know, the Stairway to Heaven is a hiking trail on Oahu. It was built by the military way back when and is literally a stairway up into the mountains. The hike is basically stairmaster on incline for an hour and a half.

Anyway, the end of the story was that this DEA gal wasn't even tired when we got to the top while I was heaving and wheezing. Crash and burn does not even begin to describe that debacle. Needless to say there was no second date.

With Kehau I was not worried about being embarrassed so much as I was worried about puking. We did five or six rounds of that crazy rowing. Oh, did I mention she also kept on adding 45 bumper plates so that the rowing machine was at an incline? It wasn't pretty afterwards.

But I'm hoping it'll be worth it. I think I'll ask Bump if I can do the ropes again on Friday.

By the way, if there's ever a RFM trip to Oahu I'd like to be the first to suggest a Stairway to Heaven hike. I would like the opportunity to redeem myself. Here's what we're in for:

Late,

Rod

Whole Foods parking lot rocks

A while back we were talking about stuff to do on Maui and Derek had randomly mentioned that he wanted to tailgate in the Whole Foods parking lot. For a brief second I was going to ridicule him but then thought, "That's kind of a cool idea."

See I've always thought that somebody should build a subdivision across the street from Maui Mall on the beachside. A condo at least or something. It's all industrial stuff from the harbor to before Kanaha and sorta lame. Think about it, you could live in town but next to the beach, across the street from Whole Foods and Longs and the movie theatre. Instead they got a sewer treatment plant and some other businesses. Waste of some prime real estate. Of course you'd be screwed if there was a tsunami but that's another conversation.

Anyway, the picture above is a glimpse into what life COULD be like. I ran into D at Whole Foods and we grabbed a six pack and headed back to his truck. The beer was good, the view was nice and the breeze perfect. It was one of those "life is good" moments.

I know I'm supposed to write about a workout here but I think I'm just going to leave this post as is for now. Mostly because I'm thinking about that cool breeze again and just want to lie down and daydream. Aloha gang.

Rod

Forgot the shoes, wimped out on the weight and phantom sirens

It's not often that I talk about work on this blog, but tonight I will.

Not right now though, first I talk workout.

Today I forgot my shoes. Yawn.

Nothing new, I've done this one before. Check out the blog from last year.

But it was amusing to watch the new people be amused. Gladys thought I was crazy, especially since we had to run the 200 meter six times today.

The truth is, I love running in slippers. My feet feel lighter and I feel faster. Which is weird because I have some nice New Balances and they work pretty well but I guess my feet like freedom.

So today's workout was simple but intense. Ten pushups followed by the 200 meter dash, six times.

I can crank out 10 pushups as fast as anyone not in the military and I positioned myself outside so I could take off and save that extra two seconds. I was the first off the block but of course Derek catches up no problem. Ikaika follows and before the first round is over I'm behind the two of them.

That trend stays throughout the whole WOD. I end up doing 10 minutes and something seconds I think. It wasn't too bad and I wonder now if I would have ran faster or slower with shoes. It's kind of a catch 22. My feet feel lighter but also more prone to injury. So while I run faster I also feel myself slowing down out of fear of breaking skin.

I know, I gotta commit one way or the other. Maybe the answer is to buy super light shoes.

Well I have investigated, and looked at Innov8's and those funky finger-toe shoes and everything else out there. And you know what, I found the most Crossfit props for these:

  That's right, the Adidas men's Samba. I was so surprised but apparently you can run in these and the flat surface is good for powerlifting. Not as cool as those finger-toe shoes but better than running shoes. I'm glad the classics never go out of style. These look cool with jeans too. I'm so stoked because I love buying things that are multipurpose. I can wear these suckas anywhere.

  What I'm NOT stoked about is being lame when it came to lifting weights today. We were doing the tall snatch which Jun and I were finding kinda tricky. Derek and Ikaika were lifting in the big boy section of the gym and after my sets I wandered over there to watch. Kaika slapped out 8 in a row using 135 then Derek slapped on 155 and did a couple of reps.

I walked over and picked up the weight, intending to do at least one rep and just put it right back down. It just felt too heavy. I was like, "Yeah, I won't be yanking this up on my front shoulders and squatting down. Nope. Ain't gonna do it."

Afterwards I was mad at myself. WTH? Why not? What's one rep? But I guess I just wasn't feeling it today. Lame.

In any case today was much better than the thrusters, by God yes. I was happy when I came home. Gave my son a kiss and had some dinner and veged out a little.

Then at 8:35 p.m. I started receiving calls. A lot of them. Both cell phones were going off.

Apparently the civil defense sirens started going off in Wailuku. For no apparent reason.

I'll spare the details but in 20 minutes I was as tired mentally as I was physically. No joke.

And just in case you're wondering, there was no emergency that triggered the alarm. I'm hoping they track down the problem because that's not something I want to have to do again.

And with that, let us say goodnite folks.

Rod

I'm back and so are the damn thrusters

Sorry, had a momentary lapse in sanity. I actually tried to be positive about cardio.

That wasn't working. We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.

Nah, actually I don't feel like bitching about the workout today. I'd rather say cool things about my fellow RFMers.

Today Kehau offered to get me into Vegas shape while Derek said he'd support me through another round of Paleo.

How stellar is that? When was the last time anyone from your gym wanted to do something cool for you? The only thing 24 Hour did for me was withdraw $30 a month from 1995 to 2006. That's $4,000 for what?
I could use that money at the craps table next month. VEGAS BABY VEGAS.

I need abs because in the summer everyone cruises at the pool in Vegas. Last time I went we hung out and had cocktails all day, had dinner took a nap and hit the casinos at night. I'm looking forward to having that schedule again. It is bliss.

So I am truly stoked that Kehau has offered to get me into cabana shape. If she can't help me then I might as well start eating bacon and mayo sandwiches every day. Because there's no hope.

Instead we're going to embark on some sort of mad journey which involves running, pushing the damn sled and something else. Three times a week. On top of an already hard workout at RFM.

Yes indeedy, it's time to hurt. I'm ready for it though. Vegas is the ultimate motivator. I yelled "Vegas" while doing abs today. It worked.

Having said that, it was still tough today if not totally frickin awful.

Four rounds of 10 thrusters then 20 double unders. For time.

I did the required 95 pounds for men, no more, no less. I tried double unders the first round and then couldn't even lift my legs for the second.

So I switched to single unders, 60 of them. It still sucked because I still had to do the thrusters.

Every one of them was terrible. I managed to crank out a full set of ten on the first set, then had to do five or six then rest for the other three. Bump gave me some advice to set my feet and drive from my heels so I don't wobble all over the place. I think it helped.

Actually what I know helped is the front squat training. I hate that crap but it works. It's like increasing your bench by going heavier on incline bench. Don't ask me to explain it but that works too. Not that I do incline bench anymore, but maybe we should try. Couldn't hurt, right? I'll let Bump take that question. Makes sense to me though, but I'm not the guy with the Crossfit certificate on the wall.

Alright folks so say it with me, VEGAS!!!! Let's do this.

Peace,

Rod

I feel so wonderful today

I can't wait for the next time that I get to do thrusters. And burpees.

I hope I get to do them both at once.

In fact, I think I'll come up with a fantasy workout, that incorporates everyone's most favorite movements.

Maybe someone will read my blog and implement this workout on Monday. That way everyone can say happy things and smile and laugh together.

I'm hoping that one day we can all do this workout whlie holding hands and a church choir sings and puppies and children play.

Anyway, here's my contribution for a workout this week:

5 rounds

5 burpees
5 dips
5 thrusters
5 handstand PU
5 wall balls
5 kettlebell swings
5 box jumps

The first round starts off with a 100 foot bear crawl and the last round ends with a 100 foot bear crawl.

I can't think of anything more wonderful than this workout. Smile everybody.

R:)d

I can't hear you. Really. I can't

Today I realized something about my body. It's a lot like the a starship.

(If you've never watched a damn episode of Star Wars, Star Trek or any sci-fi movie in space get the hell away from my blog now. Seriously)

Anyway, in these sci-fi movies when the starship or spaceship is damaged the crew stays alive by re-routing power to vital areas. Example:

"Captain, we've been hit! We're down to 40 percent power!"

"Shut down everything but life support and shields! NOW FIRE ALL WEAPONS!!!"

"Uh, you just said shut everything down except for life support and shields. Our weapons are useless."

"Crap."

Whatever. What that needlessly long example shows is that when damaged, you've got to conserve energy.

Case in point. After the WOD people at RFM foolishly try to speak to me. Today Derek said something about my hips and people laughed. I laughed too but just to be friendly, then I walked to my car.

I have no idea what they were saying. I usually don't.

At the end of a tough WOD my body shuts down the language center of my brain and I have trouble hearing and speaking. I'd say out of the five senses that a human being usually possesses I'm down to three by 6:15 p.m.

So sorry guys. I really don't know what you were saying. I'm sure it was important and/or funny. I might have even responded but God knows what I said because I don't.

Especially today. Today was a beater. Wall balls and pullups and a 400 meter run. For four rounds.

My running sucks. I tried to do that special track running technique that MHS star Kikuchi was trying to teach us but I couldn't lift my legs. However by the last lap I had somehow extended my stride which had me going faster (a little) and helped my back but I'm not sure how I did that either.

I will thank Bumper for incorporating more weighted pullups though, because it really made the difference for me today. I cranked out the first round of deadhang pullups and then managed to kip my way past the other three rounds.

Oh yes, and having the 14 pound medicine ball instead of the 20 helped too. Then again maybe it was the front squat training that we've been doing. I fixed my grip and made it more narrow and holy crap it was easier today. I didn't do as much weight as Derek but at least the final 4 reps of 190 didn't destroy me like it usually does.

In fact, the front squat was easier than my push presses earlier in the week. Which is strange. For me at least. I hate squats and love presses. Usually. Today was different.

Strange day today, but mostly in a good way. I do not understand all that Bumper does but his tweaking of the strength workouts seems to be working for me.

Now, on to other matters. This one I will address only once so listen up.

I hate all WOD's. Bear crawls for 100 feet I hated more than usual but believe me, I hate them all.

I hate thrusters and I hate burpees. I hate deadlifts and I hate kettlebells swings and I ESPECIALLY hate when Bump schedules both on the same day, which he has been doing for every single workout for like the last 5 months or something. It's like taking a wrecking ball to my lower back every time.

But I do them, because I know I'll be better for it.

However it is my God given right to hate the WOD. If I can't hate the WOD then damn it, the terrorists have already won. I've got a First Amendment right to hate the WOD. My hate is protected by the U.S. Constitution and the ACLU.

My damn blog is called I Hate Cardio for God's sake. It's my frickin job to hate the WOD.

But that's okay. Ali hated Joe Fraizer and said he was a better champion because he said Joe forced him to go to that next level. I think his exact words were that Joe Fraizer helped him become a better man.

As much as I hate them, the WOD's are helping me become a better 38-year-old man. In fact when I turn 39 in August I expect to be even better than I was when I was 38 and I expect to be in better shape at 40 than the year before and so on and so forth.

And guess what? I'll still hate the WOD's, especially burpees and thrusters and bear-crawls. Expect me to whine and moan. But also expect me to run, jump, push, pull, lift and squat as much as I can.

It's how I thrive. I focus on hate during the WOD. It gets me going. Some examples:

- I hate Derek when he runs
- I hate Lori when she does air squats at light speed
- I hate Ikaika when I see on the board that he grabbed a weight 10 pounds heavier than I would have used
- I hate Luke whenever he does anything

Maybe that technique doesn't work for you, but it does for me. Join the hate brigade and sip on the Haterade.

Adios and stay thirsty my friends.

Rod

What all this training comes down to is . . .

. . . how do I go looking like this guy . . .

To looking more like this guy . . .

Because let's face it, that's why I'm doing all this stuff. I'm shallow, yes I know.

Anyway, please do not take this as a "Rod's not happy with RFM" because I'm totally not. It's just that as Vegas looms near I begin to think less about fitness and more about appearances. Give me a break, I just got divorced.

Also I'd like to go on the record to say I am very happy with what RFM has done for me thus far. I feel better, I believe I look better and I've gotten many compliments. Above all I'm estatic that even though I have half a pectoral my chest strength is as strong as before.

What I'm talking about is slimming down, but it really has nothing to with RFM and more to do with my diet. I like to drink after work and what I have also discovered is that you cannot really modify the Paleo diet (I can't anyway). Just a little bit of gluten messes everything up totally. I've really cut back on the sweets but still ate ice cream twice and had one jelly filled doughnut with the jelly squeezed out of it over the last 7 days. Is that good enough? It would be better if I didn't eat that stuff and I'm trying. I really really am.

Again, this is just me. Some members of my gym are on a modified Paleo and it works, I see their results. They've found something that works and now so do I. Vegas in the summer is a great motivator.

On another note I'd like to report that my back pain has lessened considerably. I'm actually proud to say that the stretching I have done before our workouts has helped along with trying to do very strict deadlifts. Of course I was being so careful going up that I forgot to fully widen my hips at the top as pointed out to me by Bump. So noted and thank you. We'll see if I can remember next time.

My kettlebell swings need some work though. Ah well, one thing at a time.

Also I'm starting to do some core strengthening before the workouts as well. It just makes me feel better. I should probably incorporate some double under practice too because that's starting to piss me off that I don't have those yet. Oh and ring dips. Grrrrr. . . but Ken showed me something with the rubber bands that I might try next time.

Yeah, no funny stuff today gang. Sorry. But that's why we have other blogs now. I have to say with no BS that Rikki is on a roll, her stuff is fresh and entertaining and she has the passion of a new RFMer that you can't replicate. It's like that new car smell, once it's gone it's gone. Kehau is funny too but her blog is more about eggs and chickens. If she starts talking about fighting roosters then I'm in there like swimwear on a fat man. Carrol is great but she still scares me. When I read her blog I feel like she's going to jump from behind my couch and say "MOVE IT DIRTBAG!!!!" (Just had a Police Academy flashback. 80's alert!)

Anyway, aloha and I'll see you at the gym,

Rod

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto

So if you read the comments section of the last blog you'll find something from a "montanna." It is strangely worded and my Spidey sense is tingling.

I do believe I Hate Cardio has been spammed.

Henceforth I will set up traps and tests that only real people will be able to pass. This will not happen again.

It does however mark a significant milestone for me. I just read my first blog from last September and back then I never thought I'd be attracting spam. Then again from what I've read online it doesn't take much to attract that crap.

Anyway, for you newbies check out my first blog attempt ever. It's entertaining if not a little unfocused.

But like Crossfit, you've to start somewhere right? Here's my beginning:

Like I said, I hate cardio

Especially running. And aerobics. And Tai-bo. And Zumba. Especially Zumba. Looks great when girls do it though.

Anyway, like a lot of guys I lifted weights for years. It was like relaxing and working out at the same time. You sit down and lift. You stand in place and lift. You even get to lie down and lift. It's easy.

Then came my 30's. Then came kids. Then came busy schedules and tight budgets and no money for the gym.

Then one day you look in the mirror and say, "Who the hell is that guy?" with two chins and a belly sticking over your belt. At some point you either grab another beer and say what the hell or start figuring out ways to jump start your metabolism. And the only way to do that is to do some cardio, which, like I said before, I hate.

So I dabbled in P90X, tried one Insanity workout and decided watching a DVD at home wasn't for me. I tried running on the road and swimming at the beach but that was a bust too.

Then fate stepped in and introduced me to two types of workouts which got my cardio going and kept me coming back for more. So this blog is my own personal comparison of both while I go through the workout process.

First there's Crossfit. It's a form of excercise that as far as I can tell, wants to give you functional strength. What does that mean? Well for me it means not having sore legs when helping my friend move boxes upstairs. It also means not getting winded while snowboarding or just playing around in the park with my kids without telling them that daddy needs to rest for a while.

Here on Maui the good folks at Raw Fitness Maui (http://www.rawfitnessmaui.com/) have welcomed me into the fold. They powerlift, do a stupid amount of pull-ups and make me run. That's right, I like running when I workout with them. Why? Because after making me squat and do snatches and thrusters and other painful things I am very happy to run away from their weight room. They hurt me on a daily basis and I am happy about it. It's sick.

Then there's Elite Fitness, (formerly Peak Performance and their website is still called that (http://www.peakperformancemaui.com/), located in the hard to find Waikapu Industrial Center. What they put me through over there I like to call Fight Science Fitness. So far I've hit the heavy bag, practiced my footwork and cranked out push-ups like there's no tomorrow. There are some pretty good mixed martial arts fighters there who have been nice enough to take time out of their workout to show me how they get in shape. Granted, it's not their workout but it's good enough for a scrub like me. Those guys are nuts. The first time I worked out with them I came away with bloody knuckles and a sore back. But I was sweating like crazy so I knew it was a good thing.

So check out this blog if you like reading about how an out-of-shape writer in his late 30's hurt himself today. Along the way I'll introduce you to the coaches and other guys at the gym. And hopefully I get better at this website thing.

Anyway, here we go . . .

100th blog post, 30 days till Vegas and scenes from a Floatila

I had big plans for the 100th I Hate Cardio blog post but seeing as how I have real work to do I'm going to keep it short. Somewhat.

When I first started this blog it was going to serve two purposes, (1) to get my ass in the gym and keep it there because if I blogged about it I'd be held accountable and (2) to give my friends some exposure to help their business.

Well, 100 posts later and I'm not sure if I've accomplished either of those missions. The fact is I go to the gym unless work gets in the way and my blog doesn't have anything to do with it. And although the gym is doing better it's because RFM is a fitness mecca and people recognize quality when they join.
As much as I'd love to say that there's been a 20 percent increase in RFM membership because of the I Hate Cardio blog that's just not true.  But what I have accomplished thus far is (1) provided entertainment for the six or seven people that read this blog and (2) give myself a creative outlet.

These aren't the same goals as when I started, but I've accomplished them nonetheless. But I'm still trying to help Bump and Kristi promote the gym, always. I owe them a lot.

In any case, happy 100th blog! As a reward for my faithful readers I've taken a page out of Kehau's book and included food preperation instructions. Namely for grilling steak, the world's most perfect food.

So here it is:

- Buy tri tip steaks from Costco
- Place in pan
- Pour high grade olive oil
- Rub Hawaiian salt and cracked black pepper onto steaks
- Squeeze juice from four limes onto steaks
- marinate overnight
- grill to perfection
- eat and give thanks

  I'll put my steak up against anyone else's steak. Look at me, I'm 200 pounds. I know what I'm talkin about.

  Also, a friend of mine has said he wants to go to Vegas mid August. I'm down but I've got to get some abs. I'll do whatever it takes. Anything. I've heard that I have to eat nothing but boiled chicken and broccoli. I can do it. I'll do abs everyday. I just don't want to be cruising the Palms pool with this gut. I'm done with the gut. Vegas in the summer and the gut do not mix.

  Finally, I've talked about having a "floatilla" on Maui but some of you don't know what I'm talking about. So here's a KHON story about what happened in Waikiki this year. Click here http://www.khon2.com/mostpopular/story/Hundreds-gather-at-party-spot-in-the-waters-off/2tfZRGTd2k6WhNoSY9i9lw.cspx

  And I leave you with the top ten keywords and phrases that lead people to my blog from search engines:

1. Rod Antone
2. "Rod Antone"
3. cardio hunger
4. cardio pistols
5 clean and jerk pregnant
6. commando squats
7. i hate cardio rod antone
8. Kehau blog fitness on Maui
9. Maui paleo
10. my injury workout site: blogspot.com

Enjoy,

Rod

Blog threats

Today I received a disturbing comment, which went something like this:

"UPDATE YOUR BLOG,  WTF???"

I felt somewhat violated and afraid and almost went to the Maui Police Department to flie a temporary restraining order. Instead I will keep blogging regularly and pray that this said person can be captured by the proper authorities.

I only hope that she, I mean, this person will not become violent. For example she, I mean this person could force me to arm wrestle in a bar. Or they could push a car over me. Maybe even tell their friends to stomp on my foot with her snatch foot stomps.

Don't worry folks, I don't get intimidated easy. Unless I'm at War Memorial Gym after a MMA fight and am outnumbered 200 to one. But I didn't go, so I'm safe. For tonight at least.

Feeling confused yet? That's okay, lets talk about the workout.

Today we did weighted pullups again, this time Ken the human flea was working out with me. He is named as such because like a flea he can jump 40 times higher than himself. It's true, look it up.

Luckily I did not have to jump with him, instead we put weights around our waists and pulled upwards. Then we did core strengthening movements which actually felt pretty good. I think I might even include them with my daily pre warmup stretches.

Then we did five rounds of :30 of dips, :30 of air squats and :30 of situps. I thought I didn't do too badly, 221 for the final tally. And that was with ring dips. Of course everyone else did more. I should have goen a bit harder on the air squats for the first two rounds.

I don't know, maybe for just one workout I have to NOT think about the sets or rounds coming later. Maybe I shouldn't prepare for what's coming next and just go all out every time.

I would do that, except that sounds like it would suck.

I tell you what, if anyone would like to do a no holds barred, stupid strategy WOD with me one day at RFM please let me know. I think I'll need a partner in this idiocy.

Have a happy Fourth gang. And don't be intimidated by those that are bigger and stronger than you.

Late,

Rod

Cheating, eating and big bastards

First off I've got some other nonRFM photos that I'd like to share, stuff that I looked up when I started this other blog of mine called the Crossfit Alliance. The idea was to have a community website for all Crossfit Affiliates that served a different purpose than http://www.crossfit.com/. It was more to share the funny stories and inspirational stories and all that. Kinda fell to the wayside. Anyway I looked up some motivational pics to decorate my other site with and here they are in no particular order. (This was back in December by the way, before I started working 24/7.)

Okay this one isn't so much inspirational as I like it because my arms look HUGE. Like 24-inch eat your vitamins, say your prayers and let HULKAMANIA run wild over YOU kinda huge. Optical illusion I know.

And this one I like because that's a lot of weight and he looks crazy. That's the effort I want to put in when I lift and run and jump and do all the crazy RFM crap that we do. Anyway, those be my images that I had set aside for the Crossfit Alliance. Maybe I'll start it up again but this website and my job are plenty right now.

Ok, so let's talk cheating. People have been talking about me cheating in the gym and various blogs because I said I cheated the last time. But I don't do it all the time, especially not upper body workouts. Squats kill me though so if you're going to help me not cheat watch me anytime I drop my ass down to the floor. "I just cannt doo it Capt'n, I donnat have the pooowweeerrrrrr . . . ." (Three cheers if you get that Star Trek reference because it goes through my mind when I fail at the gym.)

Also, Rikki is stepping up some GAME. She's already got 15 pictures per blog post and writes pages and pages of content. I feel like I'm trying to compete against a heroin addict looking for smack. You just can't stop her. Good job Rickster, keep it up.

Also, Tehau the Mentalnesian has gained more commenters than I. It's like reading the old Star Bulletin online comment page. They're longer than the story itself. Wow, I know she's popular and strong and intimidating but where's the love for I Hate Cardio? Where are my comments? Although I must admit, who can resist a good egg-pun? For more eggsamples check out an ancient Star Bulletin story by clicking this link here: http://archives.starbulletin.com/2001/06/12/news/story2.html

Okay, gotta get ready for work. Adios and see you at the gym. Today's workout should be fine. Those airsquats are going to suck though. And this brings up a good point. Should I take a step back and and do bar dips or continue to struggle through ring dips? Derek brought up a good point about technique and I'm wondering if I should scale back on certain things.

Finally, eating. I'm going back to Paleo (sans beer and liquor) and reading the Whole 30 blog every day for inspiration. The only line that matters is "all you're doing is making good food choices, every day."

That's really what it boils down to. Don't REACT to your hunger, take ACTION. Make the choice and walk away to find something healthy. We aren't starving children in Africa and we won't die because we have to wait a couple of hours to go to Whole Foods. So man up. (I'm talking to myself right now but apply it to you if you want).

Late,

Rod