CrossFit SurfCity

503: No straps, shoes or belt

2007-03-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally learned how to download video. Here is proof I actually did the deadlift I wrote about....not that anyone cares anymore (but my little guy still thinks I am the strongest man in the world!!!)

Me: 6'5", 215 lbs, 503 lbd deadlift. Enjoy, 'cause it ain't pretty! Click here for the video.

This will pretty much wrap up my posting here for a while until I figure out how to use this blog from San Diego!! Cheers.

BIG CHANGES

2007-02-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

I'm in a little bit of a transition in my life right now. Career change, move....so CrossFit SurfCity is hibernating. The calendar won't be updated for a while and training has been suspended. I still went to get the 503lb deadlift video uploaded. I will resume posting stuff soon....I know it is a pain to go to a blog and see nothing new. Please check back once in a while. I'll get back up!!! Out.

503, Part Deux

2006-12-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

I am not a very patient man. On 12-14-06, I started a typical DL workout. 225x1, 295x1, 360x1, 410x1. All smooth and easy. I said to myself, "Self, I wonder how far we can go today. Let's see!!" 454x1 no problem. 476x1, tough but solid. Oh, it's on now!! 24 lbs is nothing. I went to put 500lbs on the bar....and it wouldn't fit. My fat (as opposed to phat) bumper plates were taking up too much room! Well, I was motivated to get this done. I'm quite a handyman (NOT) so I got a bright idea. I duct taped weight on top of the plates already on the bar. I got psyched and went for the lift. The above picture accurately depicts what happened. The tape failed, plates fell everywhere....a total miss. Defeated, I put 437lbs on the bar and did 3 singles. I was disappointed but confident the 500 was right aroud the corner.

503, Part One

2006-12-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

OK, before you guys starting thinking I'm totally full of myself, let me set the record straight. I am proud of this lift. I worked for it and earned it. However, I know exactly where this puts me in the world of lifting. I am now king shit of the little dust pile in my garage. I know several people who warmup with this weight. Heck Casey Burgener puts this overhead!!!!! (In fact, I'm not sure I even qualify on the Hoffman Standards.) I am simply posting the stuff that follows to show how I went about getting this goal. Maybe it will help someone reach a goal too. And I am doing it in a few parts because a)I'm a really slow typer and b) I'm waiting for a picture and trying to learn how to download video. So be patient. And just so you know, my little guy thinks I'm the strongest man in the world no matter what I lift, so there.

For the past couple of years my deadlift had stalled at around 442-449 lbs. (I have kilo plates mixed in so that's the reason for the weird numbers). On Nov. 1, 2006, I did a deadlift workout: 225x1, 275x1, 315x1, 361x1, 411x1. The last lift felt solid so I wanted to go heavier. I'm lazy so I didn't want to take weights off to add smaller plates, so I just put on two 10kg plates. 455x1, pretty solid. It felt good!!! I ended the workout there and put the weights away.

A while later, I said to myself, "Self, you aren't too far away from 500lbs. I'm gonna get that." So I wrote down a simple program I thought would help me get this goal (in conjunction with CrossFit workouts):

Day 1: 10x1 at 85% (387-390lbs), add 10lbs for next time if get 10 good reps.
Day 2: 5x225, 3x275, 3x320, 5x1 @ 365 (then 5x1 @ 387 on week 2, 410 week 3, 435 week 4)
Day 3: 225x1 for 10 sets, moving the weight fast, one pull every 30 seconds

That's it, along with some CrossFit workouts. Here are the notes from my training log:
11-1-06: DL 455 (new PR)
11-2-06: Military Press 5x5 (clean from floor): 5x95, 5x135, 5x145, 5x145, 5x157 (some leg)
11-3-06: 3 rounds of 100 squats, 5 muscle ups
11-4-06: DL 225x5, 275x5, 320x3, 368x1x5, with 2 min. rest, 1x6 HSPU
11-7-06: DL 225x1, 295x1, 345x1, 389x1 x10, 3 min rest approx. (later in day did 20 mins. of 5 pullups, 5 pushups, 5 squats, 5 situps--22 sets, 110 reps of each.)
11-8-06: 3 rounds of 95lb Snatch x 15/400m (13:57)
11-10-06: 135x5, 185x5, 207x5, 225x5, 242x5 pretty easy, finish with 225 lb DL, 10 singles, one pull every 30 secs.
11-12-06: 5x Max Pullups (21, 20, 20, 20, 20)/HSPU (5, 5, 5, 5, 5...I suck), then did DL 5x225, 3x275, 3x320, 5 singles at 369.
11-13-06: 7 rounds of 15 pullups/25 squats (20:36)
11-14-06: 10 x 168 lb keg lift overhead
11-15-06: DL 225x1, 295x1, 360x1, 404x1 x10 (2-3 min rest), later did 1-20 rep progression of 2 pood KB swings and a 3 mile run (yuck)
11-19-06: DL 5x225, 3x275, 3x320, five single at 390
11-20-06: Diane, then 15 muscle ups (broken sets)
11-21-06: 5 rounds of 25 squat/10 strict pullups/7 ring dips
11-22-06: DL 225x3, 295x1, 360x1, 415x1 x10, 3-5 mins rest approx., pullup ladder 1-9 reps
11-25-06: FS 135x3, 155x3, 185x3, 207x3, 223x3 + 1x15 pullups, 5 HSPU
11-28-06: 1200m run/9x95lb Thruster/9 pullups/ 800m run/15 Thruster/15 pullups/400m run/21 Thruster/21 pullups (20:05)
11-29-06: DL 225x5, 275x3, 320x3, 365x1, 409x1 x5
12-5-06: Murph (49:17)
12-10-06: DL 225x5, 275x3, 320x3, 382x1, 421x1 x5, then I helped my brother-in-law move (damn couch up three flights of stairs!!!!) and found a cool park in LA with rings and a great chin bar so did 5x10 pullups/5x10 dips/5x1 muscle ups.
12-11-06: 3x400m + Max pullups (20, 16, 13) (14:30)
12-12-06: 10 HSPU and 15 Muscle Ups

OK, I'll break here (hey wake up, damn it!!). As you can see I take a lot of days off (those are work days) and my workout schedule is quite irregular. I fit in workouts when I can. Check out Part Deux of this post soon. Out.

Christmas Came Early at CFSC

2006-12-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

This has been good training/coaching week for me. First, I went down to Camp Pendleton with Sarge. That place is awesome. As we drove in, Sarge was pointing out the hills (more like mountains!!) he runs. Then we drove by the obstacle course and the big sandpits used for fighting and grappling. Everywhere I looked, there were pullup bars. Best of all, I got to get a sweet workout in with a couple hard charging Marines who love CrossFit. These guys were awesome. They have a nice little workout area I call "The Patch"(me not very original). Pullup bars, a BIG tire, wall ball stations, heavy logs, a perfect tree for rings and enough room to run wild. We did pullups, parallette pushups, rope pulls, wall ball, slam ball, muscle ups.....Good stuff. I will definitely be back!!!! What a great atmosphere.

Every coach has had that one group that really got after it in the weight room. Coachability, attitude, athleticism and intensity combined for superior results. At Indiana University, I had a very special group of pole vaulters I will always remember with great fondness. Whether it was ET doing 50 one legged squats each leg, DE doing 100 explosive reps of 225lb cleans at 155 bodyweight, IC doing 50 reps of chins (and 100 dips and 100 chins in 10 minutes!!!), AP's beautiful full squat cleans (and potty mouth :)) or JW smoking 315 (or 320?) at 190 lbs. This list goes on and on. These kids were incredible and were an absolute joy to coach. They kept me on my toes because I had to constantly find new ways to challenge them. I think we all remember the year-end "special workout". Good memories....

Well, those kids have graduated and gone on to start careers and families. One of them (JW) is a coach. He asked if one of his athletes, who was in town for the holidays, could get a workout in with me. I said sure, though I was a little worried I might disappoint. This 19 year old kid (JC) drove 1.5 hours to get to my place. He walked into my garage, ignored all the kids toys and other clutter, went to the platform and got ready to go. We did this: 5 sets of clean, FS, PP, BS, PP X5 with 40kg. (His cleans were fast, hips and elbows moving, speed on the bar. He has a good coach!!) Then 10x2 or 1 on cleans (power and hang) up to 90kg. Great form, full extension with quick hands and feet. And he used a hook grip without me saying anything (good coach). Then it was off to the park. 5 rounds of 5 HSPU, 5+5 Pistols, 10 pullups. JC smoked through this. Next I showed JC how to do a muscle up. He hit it on his first try and then got a double. Very nice. We finished with 20 slamball, 20 medball abs and 10 stand ups. I hope it was worth 3 hours of drive time because I had a great time. JC is a great, humble kid. He loves to lift and he is very coachable. He asked a ton of questions and talked about competing and athletics. He would have fit in nicely with our group (best compliment I can give). It's nice to see the tradition continues. Thanks JW and JC...my garage is always open for you guys.

I must have been inspired by JC. In the late afternoon, I went out to do a deadlift workout. I have been doing deadlifts regularly to hit a goal: 500 lbs. Yeah, nothing earth-shattering but just something I wanted to do. The plan was to do 10x1 at 433. But 433 was too easy. All I had to do was add 35 lbs to each side....I got the video camera, gave myself a pep talk and went to work. I wouldn't be writing this if I'd missed. 503 lbs. I was very happy and proud to hit my goal. I will put up the program, time frame and thoughts that led to me making this lift in my next post. And I'll try to get the video up. So, as you can see, Christmas was celebrated a little early in my world. Thanks to everyone one giving me these special times!!!!

People read my Blog?

2006-12-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

I was perusing my blog (yup...bored), and I noticed some people had actually responded to my posts. Pretty cool. Thanks Rip and CrossFit King for the thoughts and comments. Now if I could only get Josh Everett to stop spamming my site.....

MURPH

2006-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

A few CrossFit SurfCity members had time to get together last week. We've all been going pretty hard on workouts on our own, so it was good to get a small group together for a workout. We decided to go BIG: MURPH. Every CrossFitter knows the origins of MURPH and the hero this workout was named after. The workout has taken on mythical status, and rightfully so. A good friend of mine who was in the Teams knew Lt. Murphy. This really brought home to our group the enormity of Lt. Murphy's sacrifice and the undeniable quality of this soldier's character.

We went hard, we did our best, we suffered through and hopefully we honored the spirit Lt. Murphy intended for this workout. Thank you, Lt. Murphy--a great American.

SR: 49:17
JM: 52:40
ES: 1:05
BM: 1:02

Certifications

2006-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of certifications. In my previous post, I said if you're not learning, then you're not getting better. So how can I not like certifications? Let me explain.

I obtained my CSCS in 1998. I studied for the test, did very well and got certified. I then managed to use this credential to help me get a job as a strength coach at UCLA. Great school, great staff. I learned a ton from these coaches and my knowledge about strength and conditioning grew quickly. I also learned a ton from Mike Burgener. He taught me stuff that works in the real world and isn't taught in any NSCA certification courses.

The NSCA does a decent job of providing information. But it is a political organization that wants to make money. It basically provides dumbed down info and "faddish" trends to its members...charging them through the nose for the info and for memberships. A couple years ago, I had to renew my CSCS. I sent in my money and form and showed them what I had been doing to maintain my education as a coach. I listed my CrossFit certification as something I had done to enhance my knowledge. The NSCA told me they could not recognize (and give me credit for) the CrossFit certification. They do not recognize CrossFit and since I had obtained a certification at the event, the NSCA would not accept it as continuing education.

Hmmmm. This coming from an organization that has never gone past the 3x10, 4 exercises per muscle group, target heart rate is 220-age standard garbage you read in any beginner's textbook. They do some good basic stuff...but that is it. It's like AT&T calling it quits with the telegraph but still considering itself a leader in the telecommunications industry. And the arrogance to not accept LEARNING, regardless of whether a certification is obtained, is ridiculous. I guarantee you 80%+ of those who work for the NSCA are candidates for rhabdo.

So where do you learn? Read. Try things out for yourself. Talk to your workout partners and to the guys you meet at CrossFit events. But doing is the best way to learn.

An NSCA course is usually a talking head giving mumbo jumbo in a classroom. CrossFit certs kick your ass and let you know where you stand. Burgener's USAW course makes you sore from lifting a 2lb piece of PVC....a thousand times. That's where you need to be to learn. The NSCA believed CrossFit is not good enough for them. They were wrong...the NSCA isn't good enough for anyone who wants to go out and learn and borrow from all sorts of fitness philosphies. To me the NSCA is like my son's diapers: They are good to have at first, but you find out they're full of shit and you can't wait till you don't need them anymore. Out.

SUPER FRAN

2006-11-29T11:47:00.000-08:00

After a few weeks of solitary training due to work schedules, family commitments and chasing women (for some of our luckier, younger members), CrossFit SurfCity got a group together for a nice workout.

This was a workout posted a little while ago o the CrossFit site, and I'd been saving it for the right opportunity. We dubbed it Super Fran: 1200m run/9 95lb Thrusters/9 pullups/800m run/15 Thrusters/15 pullups/400m run/21 Thrusters/21 pullups.

I have to say we approached this workout cautiously at first and increased our tempo as we went along. And it hurt pretty bad. This workout fried the legs and left us all pretty sore.

BM, a newcomer did all the reps and lightened the load...very wise and he did great. HUGE improvement observed in ES who has been diligently hitting CrossFit workouts on his own. And the typical stellar performances turned in by JP, JM and AC. It was great fun to hammer out this tough one on a beautiful day with some good friends.

Then SW showed us some other stuff that we will be integrating in the near future. We keep learning to keep getting better. If you're not moving forward, you're not getting better.

Times: (approx)
SR: 20:05
JM: 25:05
AC: 26:53
JP: 22:00
ES: 28:00
BM: 26:00

Great Day.

G-Love Workout

2006-11-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine, and recent CrossFit convert, invited me over to his place for a workout at the park near his crib. He calls himself G-Love ( yeah he's weird. I call him Glove 'cause his face reminds me of an old catcher's mit) so it was the G-Love WOD. Very basic...and effective. It incorporated running, pullups, pushups, squats, stairs (and he often adds box jumps.) 24 minutes of constant movement led to a high heart rate and great workout. Very innovative, my man. I'll be back to hit that workout again. Out.

Checking In

2006-11-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

I have been rather busy lately with family visiting and other things so I have been negligent in posting on my blog. That doesn't mean we haven't had some good training going on here. Guys are learning the Olympic lifts, deadlift technique and rings. It's such a great hobby. I have been concentrating on a couple of lifting goals as well as the WOD. I will record the results and, if they are good, I will write a little article on the blog. If not, back to the drawing board.

A thought I had recently listening to people talk about equipment, facilities....:
All you need to workout is a) a few basic exercises b) desire to work hard. Guys in prison do handstand pushups, burpees, chins, squats and pushups in their tiny cells. We have no excuse for not getting it done. Try this: Go stand in the middle of a field. Start your watch and for the next 20 minutes see how good a workout you can get. You'll be amazed what you can come up with. You'll discover you can get a good workout anywhere, anytime. That said, I definitely agree it is fun to dream up your ultimate CrossFit facility...just don't wait for that to start working out!!! Later

Gratuitous Photo

2006-10-31T13:24:00.000-08:00

I have nothing further to add, other than to give a shout out to CrossFit SurfCity die hards. We need to get a good one soon!

Show Me the Money!!!

2006-10-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

TRAINING IS NO LONGER FREE AT CROSSFIT SURFCITY!!! Ok relax, it is but here is a thought that originated with one of our athletes (MK): He asked me, "If you are not willing to accept any payment, is there a charity I can donate to on your behalf?" What a great idea! So I thought about it and did a little research and here is the charity: The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation (www.mc-lef.org). Basically this charity provides help to the children of fallen soldiers and federal law enforcement officers. Check out the site.

So here is the deal: If you are happy with the training and want to donate a little cash every once in a while, send it to the above charity. Do it in your name so you get the tax deduction. If you would rather just give me the money, you have my word it will get to the charity. Whatever you prefer. And this is totally voluntary. Just thought it would be a good way to give back. Let me know what you guys think.

Before I leave, I just want to give BB a shout out for his awesome session on the O-lifts today. This guy is looking good and has had just a few sessions. He'll be cranking some weight in no time. Real fun to coach. Nice work!!!

November Calendar is up...just in time.

2006-10-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

I have posted the days I will be able to coach in November. Please note the change: If you want to come to the park to workout and want me there, e-mail me to let me know you are coming. Then we can set-up a time that will work best for you (around 6am or around 5 or 6 pm). This seems better than me showing up at the park and waiting for...no one! So basically all sessions are on request. I have a couple guys doing this now and it works fine.

About the guys learning the Olympic lifts. These guys are doing great. Both have been quick learners and one has good enough technique to demonstrate to others! I have had a lot of fun coaching these guys. I hope they are having as much fun as me and are happy with what they are learning!!!

Who's Idea Was This?

2006-10-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

CrossFit SurfCity crew members (the abridged group) got together on Tuesday night at 8 PM. The workout got going at about 9 PM. First up, a Coach Reeve and Coach Everett favorite: The 10 Minute Drill. Here, you do a power clean/hang clean/power clean combo every thirty seconds for 10 minutes. 60 total reps. Speed on the bar and attacking the weights each time. Coach Reeve, a wrestling All-American uses this drill with many sports but loves it for wrestlers. His guideline is for the wrestler/grappler to put his weight class on the bar and do this drill. Try it!!! Good technique is a must. Arm pulling will be seriously punished.

Next we hit a small circuit: 50m tire flip (jumping into and out of tire on each flip)/30 KB swings (2 pood)/100 yard run with 175 lb sandbag. Good stuff. A very satisfying workout that left us excited for the next one. Workout with your boys like this and you know they got your back. That is what CrossFit is all about.

Note: please don't send comments about the elbows not going through. Only video does this drill justice. Trust me, the elbows were flying but we were banging out reps pretty fast and didn't post for pretty pictures. If you want to see this drill live, come visit us.

Workout Partner

2006-10-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to my workout partner. She is a CrossFitting stud. She cleans and snatches with great form (thx Coach B), slings KB's and hammers out pullups. She is also a great coach. Any female athletes looking for a role model need look no further!!! I'm proud of you.

CrossFit Hits The High Seas

2006-10-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

I just returned from my first cruise (no I'm not in the Navy...this was one of those wimpy Love Boat excursions.). It was a 7 day trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas aboard the Diamond Princess. Now that's a big boat.

We dropped our luggage off in our room and headed straight to the "Fitness Center" to check out the facilities: a jogging track (approx. 160m), a basketball court, and weight room with a bunch of Cybex machines and dumbbells up to 50 lbs. And an 8 foot high ceiling. I had to improvise a bit. I used the DB's in the gym (and on deck occasionally) and did my bodyweight exercises on deck. I did pullups from any piping I found overhead. I ran on the track and even used the machines once (yuck). I did one workout in the early afternoon and one at about 2am everyday.

Day 1:
Workout #1: Fran: 21-15-9 Thrusters (45lb DB's)/Pullups from piping overhead.
Workout #2: 160 m walking lunges with 25 pushups/25 squats every 20 strides

Day 2:
#1: 3 rounds: 15 squats with 50 lb DB's/1 Arm Bench and Row x15 with 50lb DB's
#2: 5x10 pullups/7x3 handstand pushups

Day 3:
#1: DB Squat Clean with 45 lb DB's x 10/10 pushups. Did 10 sets in 18:10.
#2: Tabata bike

Day 4:
#1: 5 rounds: 5+5 One Leg Squat/1 Arm DB Press (50lb)/Lat Pulldown x 10
#2: Max Pullups x 2/ Max Pushups x 1

Day 5:
#1: Machine Circuit, 10 reps at each machine. Really reminded me how bad machines suck. I will never sell out!!!
#2: 400m run/50 pushups/400m run/50 squats/400m run/50 situps/400m run/50 pullups

Day 6:
#1: 1 mile swim
#2: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 reps with 50 lb DB's on Hang Squat Clean/RDL/Military Press. Exercises done one right after the other with no rest. Minimal rest between sets. This was my wife's invention...very cool (Thx LR!!!)

Day 7:
#1: Angie (100 reps of pullups/pushups/squats/situps)
#2: 3 x 800m + 50 pullups.

I had a great time putting these workouts together and making the most of the situation. Like Coach B (and FDR) says, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” But I'm glad to be back on firm ground in my garage. Pictures to be posted soon (thx JG).

Just One of Those Days

2006-09-26T23:08:00.001-07:00

This was one of those days when everything came together just right. It reinforced to me what it is that I love so much about coaching, CrossFit and working out with your buddies. I am going to sleep the sleep of a contented man tonight.

At 6am, I met a new CrossFit SurfCity member for an early morning workout. We opted to go through my Olympic lifting teaching progression instead of jumping into the 3 Bars of Death. This guy is a solid athlete and picked up on each of the movements with no problem. A natural. I had a great time coaching him. We are going to get another session in tomorrow morning before we both have some vacation time. He'll be cleaning and snatching in no time. So welcome to the club!!!

Then, at 5PM, the crew hit the park once again for a dose of Frelen. Unfortunately, Frelen was not in a good mood today an she took it out on us. She's actually kind of a b!%ch. 5 torturous rounds of: 800m run/15 95lb Thrusters/15 pullups. Although he definitely wasn't invited, Pukie came by and killed some grass.

As I was suffering along with my boys, I couldn't help but swell up with pride. As tired as we were, everyone was burying the squats on the Thrusters nice and deep. Heck, guys had grass stains on there shorts they were sitting so low. Pullups were being hammered out and there was no rest before starting the Bataan 800m. Aside from the occasional encouraging word, hard breathing and effort was all that could be heard. As the sun set on this group in the park, we all crossed the finish line. Frelen was done and we kicked her back to the curb where she belongs.

Exhausted, we drank water and recovered....and took over the babysitting duties because now it was the Moms' turn. Picture perfect, deep Thrusters and an impressive display of mental toughness was the result. Very cool watching tough hotties smack Frelen a couple in the chops.

To cut a long story short (yeah, I know...too late) we went out to eat meat and celebrate another great workout for CrossFit SurfCity.

The only blot on the day was the absence of one of our studs, a loyal CrossFit SurfCity member and just the guy to put Frelen in her place. He will be taking on this nasty chick tonight, alone. Good luck brother and see you at the next one. Goodnight and see you at the park.

Times:
DJ-43:23
SR-32:34
JC-34:00
Sgt: 23:09....what? Yeah you heard me. Freak. Nice work, cyborg. Hey who's the chick on the back of your bike? Oh, its Frelen. Out.

October Calendar Posted

2006-09-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Training dates have been posted for October (see Workout Calendar link in right margin of blog). I am off work the first week and that will be family time, so no organized workouts.

Please note, the time posted is when I will be at the park. If you can't make it at 5pm, e-mail me and let me know and I'll accommodate you. Also, if you want to do morning workouts, e-mail me and let me know.

CrossFit SurfCity is small right now and just looking for a chance to grow. I will be very flexible with workout times, and coaching topics. Bring your friends and family members. Become charter members and we can grow this thing fast!!!!

E-mail me your questions and suggestions. I'll respond to all feedback!!

CrossFit SurfCity Afflicted with Rare Skin Disease

2006-09-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

In what has been described as the "strangest of all phenomenons", all CrossFit SurfCity members who participated in yesterday's Fight Gone Bad have been infected with a rare and troubling condition. The symptoms include soreness in the traps, low back, legs and calves, as well as a red abrasion on the back of the neck. No treatment exists for this affliction. At last word, the SurfCity crew was said to be at home in their respective beds, sound asleep, sucking their thumbs. We can only hope the shock of tomorrow's WOD (9-13-06) won't aggravate the conditon. Yeah right. It's on.

Laying the Foundation: My original post

2006-09-13T03:18:00.000-07:00

Just to remind visitors what CrossFit SurfCity is about, I thought I'd reprint my original post here at the top (for you people who never make it to the bottom!!!) Please check out all the posts to see what we are REALLY about. And feel free to make any comments!!

"The original CrossFit started with some forward-thinking people tossing their awesome workouts out into cyberspace hoping someone might be interested in seeing what this crew was up to. Sort of a modern day message in a bottle. We all know what happened after that (check out crossfit.com if you stumbled into my blog by mistake.)Physical fitness is a passion of mine so I thought I might borrow from the CrossFit model. For now, I have a park, and some equipment I've collected over the years. And this blog where, if I can figure it out, I'll post my random thoughts for anyone or no one to see.

The Plan: I have an irregular schedule with my work. So, around the middle of the month, I will be posting my workout days for the following month. You will find me at the park on those days at the time listed. I'll train early in the AM or in the early evening. The workout will be the CrossFit WOD as written or with substitutions based on equipment. I also plan on teaching at these workouts. What is taught will depend on who shows up and what they want to learn.

What do I have to offer? I did practicum hours in the weight room at Ohio University and was able to learn from one of the greatest strength coaches around, Ethan Reeve. I then worked as a strength and conditioning coach at UCLA with non other than CrossFit Superstar Josh Everett and Stephanie Tracey. Both are currently D1 strength coaches and former coaches under Ethan Reeve. While at UCLA, I began learning from and competing for Coach Burgener...America's Olympic Lifting master. Later, I coached at Indiana University. Along the way my little brain was a sponge. I have volumes of notes, books, workouts and thoughts I gained from these incredible coaches and from working with some of the top athletes in the nation. O-lifts, kettlebells, speed and agility, basic strength....whatever your goals, I'd love to share what I've learned with you. As Dan John says, all you have to do is show up. See you at the park.

What Do I Charge?

2006-09-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

There are no fees posted on my site. I don't list an hourly rate, group rate or monthly membership fee. Why? There is no charge. My goal is to open a CrossFit facility similar to CrossFit San Diego (Eddie Lugo is a genius). The first step in my plan is to develop a strong base of CrossFitters who enjoy training with me, find my coaching style motivating and want to become part of my vision. For now, I train at a park with the equipment I have. And there is NO charge. However, free training does not mean the quality will be compromised. I will give you the best I got and share what I have learned from some of the best coaches ever.

Of course, when the facility opens (and trust me I'm looking for warehouse space to keep costs down with no money spent on chrome and fern), fees will have to be paid. However, one of my top goals is to make CrossFit accessible to all. I will strive to keep costs low and pass the savings on to my members.

Coach Mike Burgener trained me for years, let me stay at his home, fed and watered me (with beer) and never once took a single penny in payment. Whenever I visit, he opens his home to my family and once again shows his incredible generosity. He told me just to pay him back by sharing with others what he taught me. And that begins now. So come train with me, learn good stuff and leave your wallet at home.

Fight Gone Bad...oh so bad

2006-09-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

The CrossFit SurfCity Crew got together again today and took a swing at Fight Gone Bad. And FGB hit back hard. Some newbies combined with the regulars. Pukie visted one, everyone suffered some pain but great performances were turned in. A very satisfying workout at the park. We finished with some muscle ups and it was inspiring to see new members hit a muscle up on their first attempt. Nice work Crew!!! Pictures will follow shortly. And remember, all CrossFitters are welcome to join us at the park. See you soon.

P.S. Shout out to our leader, The Sgt., who couldn't be here. You'll do your FGB in full BDU's with a vest upon your return.

Josh Everett's Times Questioned on CrossFit

2006-09-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine mentioned Josh Everett's "Diane" time of 3:56 was challenged by someone. Fair enough. It is always good to ask questions. We can learn from the exceptional performances of others. I perused the posts and saw this individual actually challenged Josh's integrity. (Insert dumfounded moment of silence here.)
Well, numbnuts, whoever you are, here is my advice: Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Josh's feats are legend in the CrossFit community. In my 2 years working with him at UCLA and UCR, the weight room staff just shook their heads and muttered "freak" at most of the stuff he pulled off. 500lb back squat, 500+ Deadlift, Kettlebells for hours, and all this before breakfast....I got stronger just watching his workouts. AND Josh is the most honest guy I know. He has untarnished integrity. He is a loyal, hardworking, scrupulous and devoted friend. You can never doubt the numbers he puts up.
Guys like Josh and Greg set the standards we try to follow. Attacking them is attacking CrossFit. I was pleased to see several posts supporting Josh. The CrossFit attitutde is epitomized by cheering someone on to a better time than yours. There is no room for petty, unsubstantiated jealousy.
Josh is a member of CrossFit SurfCity and will be making appearances as his time permits. We will do our best to have Josh available for special teaching events so we can all learn from his vast knowledge. At these events, anyone who wants to challenge Josh's Fran time can. But you gotta put your money where your mouth is: $100 bones in the pot. See if you can walk away with the cash. (Hey, Josh we'll talk later about how we're going to split up all our cash...)
Thanks for letting me vent a little in support of a great CrossFitter and even better friend. Wait this is my blog-I can write whatever I want. Well then, I did "Diane" in 3:55....What? Why are you guys all laughing? Bastards :) I'm out.

New Gear!!!

2006-09-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

CrossFit SurfCity Crew sporting new CrossFit tees. It's what the sweating, panting, puking man is wearing this fall. Whether you want to lift kegs, kettlebells or barbells, run, jump or climb, come join us for some fun!!!

No it's not tapped!!

2006-09-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

After "Daniel," a little impromptu keg lifting...

Honoring a Hero

2006-09-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

The CrossFit SurfCity crew got together for another workout. We were in the mood for a butt kicker and the gauntlet was thrown down: Daniel. Named after a true American hero, a soldier who made the ultimate sacifice, this workout seeks out weakness with a vengeance. We attacked it at the park and paid the price. Another beautiful day in a CrossFit world.

CrossFit at the Park

2006-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

CrossFit superstars hammer out another WOD. These aren't before/after picutres....just father and son giving all of us a lesson.

Another Solid Workout

2006-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

A CrossFit WOD and some muscle up practice for the CrossFit SurfCity crew. Now, where we gonna eat?

A CrossFit SurfCity Workout

2006-08-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

CrossFit SurfCity hits some Olympic lift technique work and Hammers out "Helen" at the park. Good times.

September Workout Dates Posted

2006-08-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

I have posted the days when I know I will be at the park working out. (Hit the Workout Calendar link to see the Google Calendar of which I am most proud.) The other days are work days and I fit my workout in as I can, wherever I can.

Basically the workouts will be at 6:00 am and 5:00 pm. Come before work or after. Show up late and jump right in...no problem. Stay for the teaching and ask questions for your specific goals. Most of all, enjoy the workouts and meeting new people...I hope. (You'll meet me at the very least!)

Consult the calendar regularly for updates or changes!!!! I'll try not to change things up too much.

See you at the park.

Day 1: Laying the Foundation

2006-08-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

The original CrossFit started with some forward-thinking people tossing their awesome workouts out into cyberspace hoping someone might be interested in seeing what this crew was up to. Sort of a modern day message in a bottle. We all know what happened after that (check out crossfit.com if you stumbled into my blog by mistake.)

Physical fitness is a passion of mine so I thought I might borrow from the CrossFit model. For now, I have a park, and some equipment I've collected over the years. And this blog where, if I can figure it out, I'll post my random thoughts for anyone or no one to see.

The Plan: I have an irregular schedule with my work. So, around the middle of the month, I will be posting my workout days for the following month. You will find me at the park on those days at the time listed. I'll train early in the AM or in the early evening. The workout will be the CrossFit WOD as written or with substitutions based on equipment. I also plan on teaching at these workouts. What is taught will depend on who shows up and what they want to learn.

What do I have to offer? I did practicum hours in the weight room at Ohio University and was able to learn from one of the greatest strength coaches around, Ethan Reeve. I then worked as a strength and conditioning coach at UCLA with non other than CrossFit Superstar Josh Everett and Stephanie Tracey. Both are currently D1 strength coaches and former coaches under Ethan Reeve. While at UCLA, I began learning from and competing for Coach Burgener...America's Olympic Lifting master. Later, I coached at Indiana University. Along the way my little brain was a sponge. I have volumes of notes, books, workouts and thoughts I gained from these incredible coaches and from working with some of the top athletes in the nation. O-lifts, kettlebells, speed and agility, basic strength....whatever your goals, I'd love to share what I've learned with you. As Dan John says, all you have to do is show up.

See you at the park.