What a Journey, My First Year of CrossFit-Constantly Varied and Continually Improving

Hello and welcome back my friends.


One year ago today, I succumbed to my urges, overcame my fear and apprehension and stepped into CrossFitPRx to do a workout that became the catalyst for a lifestyle change that has taken me farther in strength & conditioning than I ever imagined.  More of what led me to CrossFit can be read in my February post, (Time Off The Bike...).
  


In the last 12 months of being a novice CrossFit athlete, I have improved my technique on Olympic lifts, increased my skill in Double Unders, developed a love/hate relationship with Thrusters and Burpees and have a greater understanding of mobility that have improved how I walk, sit and stand that were once thought were pretty well mastered.  The list could go and on as I'm sure it would for anyone that has spent the same amount of time developing new skills and I am not going to go through each and every thing I have learned.  Reflecting on the CrossFit journey, I want to thank everyone that helped along the way to my current level of fitness.

Thank You DK and Wendi for encouragement to try CrossFit and being there as I did my first "fitness test".  Thanks to the CrossFit PRx family for welcoming me in and bringing a level of friendship, competition, and fellowship that is indescribable.  Thanks to the 5AM BeastMode class, back when there were a small handful of us crazy enough to be up at 5AM to workout.  DK, Coop, Dave, Big Dave, and JP are inspiring men that were always willing to help anyone out, push each other harder and made the workouts fun.  Each of you have a drive and focus that always made me want to push harder and look forward to the next day.  My hats off to you gentlemen!

I also want to thank the following people and organizations that I have not met directly, but have benefited greatly from their expertise.  The hilarious men of the Barbell Shrugged podcast and developers of Technique WOD.  Mike, Doug, Chris, and CTP have been my online coaches that have helped fine tune techniques and train with a clearer purpose.  Kelly Starrett and MobilityWOD for helping me to become the Supple Leopard I want to be and to the CrossFit community that share a passion for healthy living and physical fitness.  

I have learned so much and have so much to be thankful for.  Several years ago, I incurred a back injury and was diagnosed with Occulta spina bifida, a malformation of my L-4 vertebrae.  I had no idea of this issue throughout my childhood, but as an overweight young adult, poor posture made the problem worse as I grew older.  After the diagnosis, I was instructed that squatting and lifting were practically eliminated as this could cause more strain and damage to my spine.  Naturally scared of doing something that could re-injure my back or cause more pain, I was very apprehensive to lifting heavy weights.  Through the constantly varied training of CrossFit, learning proper form and understanding technique, I have strengthened my back muscles and have been doing some form of squatting and weight lifting on a consistent basis.  I continue to listen to my body and make sure to keep correct form when lifting weights, knowing that if not mindful of body position, I could easily injure myself.  I may never compete in The CrossFit Games, but through the constantly varied schema of CrossFit, I will continue to improve and be better than I was yesterday.  Here's to the next 12 months where anything is possible.

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard 

MB&B

Back in the Saddle--Have my work cut out for me.

Hey my friends and welcome back!  There has been a lot going on at the MB&B home, with moving to a new state, getting settled in a new home and environment and it has thrown my entire workout schedule out the window.  Have you ever been in a spot where there is so much upheaval in your normal schedule that you no longer have a solid foundation or recollection of what that looks like?  That's where I am right now.

In the not so distant past I was going to bed early (early for me, anyway) and getting up to start the day off with a 5AM workout at my CrossFit box or getting on my bike trainer and putting in some miles to prep for the weekend for a Friday or Saturday morning ride with friends and family.  It wasn't a tight schedule, but a schedule nonetheless.

My home CrossFit Box

My internal clock has been completely out of whack and getting up early has been a challenge as I have been staying up later than usual to spend more time relaxing after the kids are put to bed.  The last several weeks, working out later in the evening has been the only way I have been able to fit in time at the home gym and riding my bike took a toss out the window until a few weeks ago.  It never fails that after watching some pro cycling, I get excited to get out on the road and explore.  Mind you, I am in no way close to the level of fitness of a semi-pro cyclist, but a person can dream...and work toward being a better version of themselves.

I must confess, for several months, I have been hesitant to get out on the road in this new town.  The roads are unfamiliar and rarely have a shoulder and I am unsure of the driving habits of the local motorists.  After working up the nerve and scouting out several roads, I decided that I would venture out and explore.  I did my usual bike safety check and made sure I had my emergency information handy (driver's license, insurance card, credit card, cash, Road ID) and informed my wife of the route I was taking and struck out on the open road.  I must say that once I got rolling, the exhilaration of being on the bike came flooding back and it was fun once again.

False flat heading into the climb

To read my last post about how I drove the fun out of my cycling, click here.

Top of the one of the "hills".

For several years, I have been riding super flat terrain at or near sea level and now the elevation is slightly higher, which isn't a big deal, but the terrain is full of rollers and some are far steeper that I have ever had to ride.  One particular climb started as a false flat and gradually became a segment of several hundred feet of 5% to 8% grade incline, which as a flat lander could have been the base of the Rockies.  Thankfully, the lessons I learned from my Cyclo90 training workouts and the heavy emphasis of squats, walking lunges and explosive movements learned in CrossFit aided in keeping my head clear of my objective and gave me the leg strength to keep turning the pedals over, even though it still was a very rough climb and I know I wasn't in shape enough to climb the hills as efficiently as I would like.    I definitely exposed a weakness and have my work cut out for me.   Exposing a weakness, acknowledging its existence and making it your focus to overcome it will lead to far greater success and gains than ignoring it or rarely addressing it.  That's the trick folks, if you want to call it a trick.  It's self awareness and realizing that you're not perfect.  Becoming a better version of yourself is not just for improving in a sport or level of fitness, but can be used in every aspect of your life that will increase your wheelhouse of abilities.  I hope this was helpful and mostly entertaining.  Stay tuned for more cycling progress as I work toward rounding out my weaknesses.

Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp,

 body fit, and pedal hard 

MB&B

Time off the bike...reveals new passion

Well, where shall I begin...  I've been out of pocket for quite a long time and although most of you probably weren't sending out a search party to find me, I'm sure some may have been wondering where I've been and what's been going on in my neck of the woods.  My family and I have relocated to a new state for work, prepped a home for sale, located and moved into a new home all while trying to keep sane with so many things changing.

First and foremost, thanks for checking out the blog where I have made an effort to make things fun, educational (sort of), and entertaining.  Up until mid to late November, I had been spending lots and lots and lots of time focused on the bike.  I was engrossed in it, couldn't get enough of it and was always on it whenever I had a free moment right up until the excitement dropped off like going over a cliff.  

It was my own fault for putting in so much time on the trainer, focused solely on being faster, stronger, leaner on the bike that I rode the fun right out of it.  Have you been there? Become so short sighted on one thing that you lost or forgot the whole reason you were doing it in the first place?  That was me.  I wasn't sick of the bike, but I just didn't have the passion to saddle up and pedal with energy and excitement, so I stepped away from it altogether.

Some weeks passed by where I was looking and trying different things to ignite that spark that I found when I first got on my road bike.  I started running more, lifting weights, pilates, yoga, etc. in search for that magical sensation until I finally gave in to something that was taboo, unknown, and from the articles I read, potentially dangerous.  CROSSFIT.  

At the invitation of some friends that own and operate a crossfit gym affiliate, Crossfit PRx, I decided to give it a try and to my relief and amazement, it was not what I thought it was and at the same time it was more than I thought it was.  In my mind, I pictured arrogant meatheads lifting an insane amount of weight and judging those that couldn't match their strength, similar to my past experiences in a gym.  This was something completely different.  The group of men and women that suffered through daily workouts in this "box", as its called, were down to earth, friendly, supportive, and highly encouraging.  The first week was physically brutal.  I considered myself to be fairly fit, but quickly realized I was not as well rounded as I assumed. 

My body was sore everyday from the previous workout and just when the soreness was passing, another workout would make my muscles scream even more.  The workouts consisted of a warm up that prepares the targeted muscle group, followed by a routine that further fatigues that muscle group, and finished up by a WOD (Workout Of the Day) which is usually timed or set up as a high paced circuit that usually thrashes my body.  By definition, Crossfit optimizes fitness through constantly varied functional movements  performed at relatively high intensity and I definitely did not personify any portion of that!  As the weeks went by, I quickly realized the only person I need to compete with is myself.  Can I do better than I did a moment ago, a day ago, a week ago?  Can I push harder, do one more rep, make my mind tougher and think past the pain?  It was this mentality and the encouragement of my fellow athletes, which goes hand in hand with crossfit, that I was able to build more confidence in my abilities and see past my prior limitations.

Even though I was moving slowly due to muscle soreness and I could fall asleep in a matter of seconds the moment I stopped moving, I kept thinking about what challenges we were going to face the next day.  I could feel that burning sensation in my core...other than muscle soreness.  I started to feel that fire inside ignite and like a phoenix from the ashes, a new passion revealed itself because I was able to get out of my own way, try something new and truly allow myself to be humbled by what can be accomplished by stepping out of the comfort zone.

As for the bike, I haven't given up on it.  We will meet again soon and venture out on some new terrain.  It's still a passion I love and will continue to make time for, but my plans now are to incorporate my two fitness passions together that will not only make me a stronger cyclist, but a stronger overall athlete.  My specialty, will not be specialized.



This was my first Workout:

Be mindful that you do the following at your own risk and to listen to your body to reduce the chance for injury.

Warm up: 5 Sets
5 Barbell Squats (dumbbell or bands can be used)-push hips back, keep chest and chin up

Workout 1: 3 Sets
20 Wall Balls
10 Squat Cleans-(modify with a Catch Squat)
10 Dumbbell Snatches

WOD
Pistol Squat (one legged squat, left leg then right leg)-1 minute 
Rest-1 minute
Burpee-1 minute
Rest-1 minute
Jumprope-1 minute

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

Happy Belated Father's Day

Hello My Friends, 

I'd like to wish a very happy belated Father's Day!  I've been out of the pocket traveling for work the last few days and came home this evening to find a late Father's Day gift waiting for me from my wife and kids.  

I've wanted these bodylastics resistance bands for quite some time.  What I really like about these bands is that the weight/resistance for each band is stamped on the carabiner clips and it has a design system that prevents the bands from snapping.  The band has a braided inner cord that prevents the bands from being extended beyond its point of elasticity.  I'm really looking forward to trying these out and incorporating them into my workout routine.

I first discovered these bands while perusing Mike McErlane's Workout 101.  His instructive workout videos show proper technique and alternatives to performing specific exercises while explaining what muscle groups are being worked and how to maximize muscular growth.  I encourage you all to check out his videos and see for yourself, especially if you're looking for specific exercises to incorporate into your workout routine.  

Send me your comments below or tweet me @mindbodybike.

You can also follow Mike McErlane on twitter @McErlane and Bodylastics @bodylastics.

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

Life on the Run--It happens to us all!

Good Day My Friends,

The last several weeks have been extremely hectic with work and life in general.  I have therefore spent very little time in the saddle putting in some quality miles.  When life happens, and I can't get time on the bike, I still continue to look for ways to keep moving and motivated.  Fortunately, there is a wellness program at work and we have access to a gym, so I have been utilizing the facility during my lunch hour.  I've been spending time on the treadmill while also working on strength and flexibility.    



What I looked like running!!



When I first started my fitness journey several years ago, I turned to running (or my version of running, which was more like a bubba-run or a big-boy run) that wasn't a pretty sight and in reality was a fast uncoordinated walk with several bumbling hops to feel like a run.  I gradually got better, dropped some weight and became more efficient, if only slightly.  Since then, I have improved and being on the bike has aided in developing the endurance and strength to keep pushing myself. 

Here's a quick "run" down of "Old Me" VS. "New Me" based on averages over several years:

"Old Me"--257 lbs (when I started running)

Fastest 1 Mile--14'31"
Fastest 5K------47'52"
Avg Pace-------17'16"/mile

"New Me"--212 lbs
Fastest 1 Mile--8'02"
Fastest 5K------28'24"
Avg Pace-------10'24"/mile

Summary
Fastest 1 Mile--55.34% improvement / 6' 29" shaved off
Fastest 5K------59.33% improvement / 19' 28" shaved off
Avg Pace-------60.23% improvement / 6' 52" shaved off


In addition to my time on the treadmill, incorporating strength training and flexibility exercises into the routine keeps me in good form on the bike and reduces muscle tightness and strains.  In the search to keep things fresh and to prevent my mind and body from growing accustomed to the same workout routine, I continually look for ways to make training more engaging.  I was looking for alternative exercises to build upper body strength and read this article on LiveStrong. com.  I have tried a few of these exercises and have found them challenging.  I urge you to try these pushup variations to challenge yourself.

Martin Rooney is the founder of Training for Warriors, trained athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA and several Division I colleges, and has lectured for the American College of Sports Medicine and many other professional strength and conditioning organizations. He created the Pushup Warrior app, which features 120 pushup variations and 80 workouts. He has also written seven books, including “Warrior Cardio,” which is now available on Amazon.

  After trying these variations of the pushup out, send me your comments below or follow me on twitter @mindbodybike and we can work together to become stronger, healthier athletes.

 Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp, body fit and Pedal Hard

MB&B

You are an Athlete 1st, no matter what!

Howdy My Friends,

I received this weekly email from Chris Carmichael, former pro cyclist, personal coach of Lance Armstrong, author, and Founder of Carmichael Training Systems (CTS).  I found the email insightful and encouraging.  As I have been working at being a stronger and healthier person, I never thought of myself as an athlete, until my wife called me one after a long ride where I was giving her a run down of the ride and how I overcame challenges and pushed hard on the difficult sections.  Shannon Sharpe's ideology and outlook should be the foundation of every person's mental outlook as we all work to be stronger, better versions of ourselves.  

Enjoy the email/newsletter and add your comments below or contact me at mindbodyandbike@gmail.com or follow on twitter @mindbodybike.

This week I had the opportunity to spend some time with 3x Superbowl Champion and NFL Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, and he’s a very impressive guy. He visited our Colorado Springs facility for a battery of physiological testing: lactate threshold, VO2 max, body composition, and a 3D Bike Fit. He’s a big man, especially compared to the skinny runners, cyclists, and triathletes we typically see in our lab. And he’s also in great shape, quite lean, and looks like he could suit up for the Broncos and play right alongside Payton Manning when the season starts up.Jim Rutberg, our Media Director, asked him about his motivation for staying in such great condition now that he’s no longer playing in the National Football League. The entire video interview can be seen here. I found Shannon’s response very interesting. He said, and I’m paraphrasing, that he doesn’t want to walk past a father and his son and have the father tell his son that Shannon once played football, only to have the son ask his father whether Shannon was a defensive or offensive lineman. Now, maybe there’s some vanity in that rationale for staying fit, but there are also some very important statements about identity and legacy.

Shannon said he still wants to look like he could play, even though he knows he can’t. But he also said that he can’t see himself letting himself go to the point where fitness isn’t a major part of his life. (As you can tell from this photo gallery, he hasn’t let himself go.) And his actions and routines are indicative of someone of who values performance as much as, if not more than, appearance. He’s lean and very muscular because he’s continued to train consistently, and with a lot of intensity.

What's interesting is that Shannon is one of a relatively small number of elite athletes I’ve seen who have successfully separated the “professional” from the “athlete” after retiring from being a professional athlete. For many elite athletes, their identities are so closely tied to being professional athletes that they struggle to remain athletes once it’s no longer their profession. Shannon is passionate about being an athlete. Being an athlete runs deeper within him than being a football player, and that’s a great characteristic to instill in kids and young adults when they see him riding, training, and staying in great shape nearly 9 years after playing his last NFL game.What does any of this have to do with you? How does any of this impact your training? Well, I think identity is a crucial part of being a successful endurance athlete, especially when it comes to working parents and career professionals. When time-crunched athletes reduce their training time too far, and start skipping events and group rides/runs they used to enjoy, it becomes harder to maintain your identity as an endurance athlete.

I hear it every time I travel. “I’m not really an athlete.” Yes, you are.  an athlete in every body. Every single one. Sometimes you’re in training and sometimes you’re not. But everyone is an athlete.  People believe they are not athletes because they think there’s some unwritten minimum threshold for weekly mileage or training hours, or maybe it’s some arbitrary performance marker, but below that level they no longer qualify as an athlete. That’s just self-deprecating horse- umm, let’s say ‘manure’. Speed, distance, and power output don’t make you an athlete. If you’re getting out there, getting it done, and having fun, you’re an athlete.

Of course, you could be a better one; which is why we train, recover, fuel up properly, and work with coaches. Improving your performance level strengthens your identity as an athlete – to yourself, regardless of whether it changes how others identify you – and that has a positive impact across other areas of your life. When you identify yourself as an athlete, you act like an athlete. You eat like an athlete, sleep like an athlete, carry yourself like an athlete.

When you allow your athlete identity to whither, it’s more difficult to continue eating a healthy, high-performance diet. It’s easier to migrate over to junk food. When you no longer see yourself as an athlete, it’s more difficult to find the motivation to exercise. It’s easier to stay on the couch. When you don’t think of yourself as an athlete, what is going to fill that void? Unfortunately, some people discover that unpleasant parts of their personalities rise to the surface when they turn away from being an athlete.

I found Shannon Sharpe’s visit to CTS very refreshing because of the perspective and positive attitude that he brought with him. Here’s a man who reached the top of his sport and spent a long time at the top. But rather than rest in comfortable retirement, he’s still pushing himself; not for money or glory or endorsement deals, but because he’s genuinely passionate about being an athlete. In case you’re wondering, that underlying passion is the difference between good athletes and great ones, and if you can tap into that passion in your own athletic pursuits, you will be a better athlete for it as well.

Have a great weekend,

Chris Carmichael

CEO/Head Coach

Carmichael Training Systems

Stay the Athlete!!

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

Tri-County Ride-know your limits and when to push them

Good Day my friends, I had the opportunity to meet up with John, a fella I met during the Magnolia Miles event some weeks ago and he brought another friend, Morné, to join us on a ride this past weekend.  Morné originates from South Africa, which I thought was pretty cool and we hit it off immediately.  Morné is what John called a skinny rider, which spells doom and suffering for us heavier set guys as he kept us pushing our limits just to keep in pace.  To be good at anything, you really need someone better than you to push beyond your comfort zone and give your muscles a quick (and sometimes severe) wake up call.

Half-way through the ride, John decided he was going to attack at every climb while calling us a bunch of pansies (or some other expletive that was a direct attack on our manliness).  John threw down the gauntlet and Morné happily accepted the challenge as he exploded off the line, tucked into John's slipstream for a few pedal stokes and powered ahead to win the sprint to the top. 

What is it about the male species that we constantly test each others machismo by calling each other a derogatory name?  It's all in fun, but it never fails to bring laughs and challenges as we attempt to keep our dignity and pride in what boils down to a name calling contest.  Alas, I too fell into the trap and attempted to battle it out after John took off at the bottom of a short steep climb followed by Morné.  I'm no climber, but I thought, "Let's see what I can do!", so I shifted gears and hammered on the pedals.  I remember looking at my bike computer and seeing 27.5 mph (HOLY SMOKES! THIS IS FAST & IT'S UPHILL!).  I was feeling strong, even as my legs were screaming at me to stop pedaling.  I looked up expecting to be close to the attack.  I was dead wrong.  I saw Morné passing John to the top of the climb about 20-30 yards ahead of me.  It was amazing to see them battle it out like that!  It went on like this for at least 5 or 6 climbs with me bringing up the rear.  I tried to match the attacks and speeds these guys were hammering out just to keep competitive (this came back to bite me in the arse).

Summer 2011 Wildfire

We were at the 45 mile mark when we headed back to with 22 miles to go.  I took my turn at the front and set the same pace as John and Morné had with the wind in our faces.  I made it 4-5 miles before I had to peel off and make an attempt to recover.  From mile 50 to the end of the ride I was bringing up the rear trying to keep my pedals turning.  I was cooked, suffering and trying to keep up.  It was then that I kept thinking about how I should have conserved my energy early on so I had enough in the tank for the end.  Thankfully, it was a no-drop ride and the guys were sticking with me and encouraging me to keep pedaling.  There were still the occasional attacks that I was unable to match, but they were kind enough to keep it short so I could catch up.

Summer 2011 Wildfire

These types of rides reinforce the need to know your limits and how to plan your workout.  It's not just about finishing, but finishing strong and having a great support group to keep you moving when your mind and body want to stop.  I'm thankful for the group I was with and the lessons learned.  After a few days of reflection, I've come to the conclusion that a S.W.O.T. Analysis would be a great tool by laying out a plan of action to sharpen your current skills and develop and identify areas for improvement.  For those not familiar with the strategic planning method, a S.W.O.T Analysis identifies your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.  Think about where your fitness goals fit into these four areas and where/what are the areas that you need to work on.  S and W are simple enough, but the Opportunity could be something along the lines of making better use of your time in order to have a more effective workout and the Threat could be allowing your stomach to dictate your next meal by not making healthy food decisions, especially right after a workout. 

Post a comment or send an email and we can share our experiences and grow our support group as we fight on to be stronger, leaner athletes. 

Until the next time,
Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

T-Shirt Tuesday-USA Pro Cycling Challenge



60 Miles Per Hour



Another week has come and gone and it's time for T-Shirt Tuesday for your viewing & sharing pleasure.  Enjoy!

These shirts are from the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge that took place in Colorado last August.   



Peace Love Ride



Check back for more shirts next Tuesday and if you find a cycling related tee that you'd like to share, let me know and I'll post it.




Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B