Dynamic Duo Partner Comp - Level 10 CrossFit - Sept 26, 2015

On Sept 25, 2015 I competed at the Level 10 CrossFit - Dynamic Duo Partner Competition.  (www.level10crossfit.com/).  Although I have competed in a lot of CrossFit events over the years, this one was special.  It was the first time I able to complete with Taylor my daughter.
Santos Reyes, the owner of Level 10, programmed 3 WODs and 1 floater.  Each was fun, yet challenging.  We did not win, but I could not be more proud of our finish.  Truly a blessing to have shared this with my daughter.

Happy to be done!

CrossFit Healdsburg, Healdsburg, CA. - Dec 12, 2015

On Dec 12, we made our yearly trip to the Wine Country.  This trip is never complete without a Saturday morning WOD.  This year we again stopped by CrossFit Healdsburg, (www.crossfithealdsburg.com)  Sean Jones is the owner and coached our class.  This visit was a little special as Sean was putting on "Reps for Food" to collect donations for the local food bank.
What better way to pile up a bunch of Reps than for a Fight Gone Bad type of workout.
5 movements - row, box jumps, push press, KB swings, and slams.
45 sec of work, 15 sec transition. 3 rounds.
Thanks Sean for accommodating our visit and fitting us in with the group.  If you get to Sonoma, make sure to stop by and work off some of that wine.

CrossFit 424, Pella, IA - August 15, 2015

Visited CrossFit 424 in Pella, IA today.  (www.crossfit424.com).  A friend of mine from High School, Jack Nicholson, invited me over while I was back at home.  I have been to a lot of CrossFit's but this had to be one of the coolest facilities.  Attached to the box, there is a turf field where we did a dynamic warm up.  Clint was our coach for the day - excellent warm up, challenging WOD, and good cool down.  WOD was with a partner.  100 KB Swings while your partner was holding a push up plank, then 100 thrusters (65/45) while your partner holds the bar in the rack position, then 100 wall balls while your partner hangs from the pull up bar.  Switch as you need.   The fact that I did Karen yesterday (150 WB) made the thrusters and WB pretty fun.
Thanks to Jack for invitation and shirt.  Hope I get the chance to reciprocate.  And, thanks to Mitch and Klint for to WOD and welcoming environment.  If you are traveling close to Pella, make sure to stop by.

CrossFit Turn Up, Knoxville, IA - August 14, 2015

Great day today as I got to train at CrossFit Turn Up (www.knxelitefitness.com), in my home town of Knoxville, IA.  Chris Gordon opened KNX Elite Fitness a few years ago, but just affiliated a year ago.  Very excited to have a place to train while back in town visiting.  This week is the Sprint Car Nationals, so there were quite a few visitors.  Always fun getting to WOD with fellow CrossFitters!
Chris programmed a couple "Girls" for us today.  We started with Annie, then waited for 5 minutes and went right into Karen.  I love Annie, but Karen always kicks my butt.
Special thanks to Chris and good luck finding your new building.

Creek Boys CrossFit, Richardson, TX - July 15, 2015

Today I had my butt totally kicked.  Stopped by Creek Boys CrossFit in Richardson, TX. (AKA Jerome's Gym. www.jeromesgym.com. Owner/Trainer is Jerome Givens.  Since I missed the CrossFit Class, Jerome decided to give me a 1-1 coached WOD.  I explained that I had just had Heart Surgery and was limited to what I could do with my upper body, what he put together was brutal but fun. Jerome's Gym is huge.  It is a regular gym with weights and machines, has an Olympic Weightlifting area, and has a huge CrossFit area.  Jerome sometimes utilized a machine to fatigue a muscle before a CrossFit movement.  (from my experience today, I can tell you this works)
Before I go into the WOD, first a little about Jerome.  He was one year away from graduating from Medical School.  His specialty was operating the heart/lung machine.  I found this cool as if things had been a little different we might have met in early June.
 WOD today
15 leg extensions
30 unbroken thrusters
21 leg extensions
25 unbroken Front Squats
28 leg extensions
10 unbroken Hang Snatches with a lunge on each leg
35 leg extensions
25 unbroken OH Squats
Followed by 2 rounds
25 squat / rows unbroken (using a cable rowing machine)
15 KB swings with each arm (5 KB swings, 5 KB high pulls, 5 KB snatches
25 unbroken thrusters
He might have had a third round planned, but my legs were done.
One of reasons I like visiting other CrossFits is to learn new stuff; this might be a cool new WOD, a good warm up, or a different technique.  Before today, I never would have considered incorporating weight machines into a WOD.  As always, I learned something.
Special thanks to Jerome for accommodating my visit and for a great WOD.  I hope I can walk tomorrow!

CrossFit Pohaku, Kona, Hawaii - July 10th

Another awesome day in Hawaii.  Today we visited CrossFit Pohaku.  (www.crossfitpohaku.com).  This box came highly recommended by the locals in the area.  Owner/coach is Andy Huebner.
We arrived early so Skylar could work out with the Barbell Club.  We thought an 8:30 am WOD would be a little cooler, we were proven wrong.  The good news is you certainly get to sweat out all the poison from the night before.
We started with back squats for strength.
3 x 60%, 3 x 70%, 3 x 80%, 2 x 85%, and then 3 x 2 of 90%.

WOD was a quick burner:
5 - 3 minute rounds.  Run 200 meters then 10 box jump over burpees.  Rest the remainder of the 3 minutes.  Big difference with completely jumping over box.

Lots of CrossFits to choose from when visiting the Big Island.  I would certainly suggest making sure you go by to visit Andy at CrossFit Pohaku!

CrossFit Kawaihae, July 9, 2015

Sorry for the lapse in making new updates.  This is the the first CrossFit I have visited since my Open Heart Surgery.  I still have to scale some of the WODs, but did not miss a thing with enjoying all that our community has to offer.
Today we visited Kawaihae Crossfit on the Big Island of Hawaii!  (www.crossfitkawaihae.com)
 Gotta love the environment of  the Hawaiian Crossfits.  Today there were more visitors than members.  Met people from so many locations.  As always, there is no preparing for the humidity.
Tiff was our coach for the day. Super welcoming, and worked with me to scale a long but fun WOD.
0:00 to 18:00 min
1 Mile Run
40 Burpees
30 T2B
20 Thrusters (95/65)
Rest 2 min
20:00 to 33:00 min
800 m run
25 burpees
20 T2B
15 Thrusters
Rest 2 min
35:00 to 45:00 min
400 m run
20 burpees
15 T2B
10 Thrusters
Lots of Crossfits to choose from when you visit the Big Island, this is certainly a great choice when you are here.  Thanks to Tiff and Melissa for being so accommodating to me and my family!