Rest Day

Well today is supposed to be a rest day , but I couldn't really sit still . So I I practiced the kipping pull-up . At first I had some trouble finding my groove , but after some practicing I managed to 'get it' . It's going to take a while before I can crank em out as fast as Josh and Greg in 'Fran' though .

3rd Workout

How many rounds can you complete in 20 minutes of :
24" Box jump x 25 reps / 5 Muscle ups ?

Wasn't able to do the muscle ups so substituted those for 5 dips and 5 pull-ups . I managed 3 rounds and the countdown timer reached 12 minutes when the appartement representative came up to complain about the noise I was making with the box jumps . She also added that this wasn't the first time she heard me making dropping stuff . So I proceeded to get some tires out of the garage (which is too small for any overhead lifting) to make sure she didn't have anything more to say when doing deadlifts .
Now I'm left with the need to find a solution to those box jumps . I used to replace the running in crossfit by rope jumping but this also seems to upset my downstair neighbours (I live on the 3rd floor) so I'll have to fix that . I'm thinking about getting a 1x1m judo mat , but they're quite pricy(130$+10$ shipping).I was also looking into some type of 'puzzel mats' as seen here . Anybody know if they have an anti-slip coating ? Any other ideas ?

2nd Workout

Run 5K for time

I am not going to run 5K just yet , don't feel up to it . I think that's something I'll start doing when about 1 month into crossfit .

So here's what I did :

30 mins of jump rope alternated with 21 swings (santa cruz style) with a 1.5 pood kettlebell . I did this to get familiar with the crossfit-style swing , as it is more taxing than the 'conventional' swing to eye level.
I really felt a pump in my forearms afterwards . Did about 5 sets of swings alternated with jumping rope . Warmed up and cooled down with the 1 pood . This workout left me sweating bullets , but I still feel good . Did some stretching this evening which seemed to alleviate the soreness in my hamstrings and glutes . Tomorrow I'll be in for something even more challenging . Can't wait ...

First workout

From now on for about 16 days , I will be following a crossfit 'introduction' routine outlined in the CF journal March 2004 Issue.
Here's the first one I did today :

5 rounds for time of :
Deadlift 185 pounds 15 reps / 10 Handstand push-ups

In reality , however , things look a bit different .
Prior to the 'main workout' I did 4 sets of 3 weighted pull-ups with 54 pounds .After that I did some samson stretches but used a bar overhead to get a bit more of a stretch . Then right before I started the workout I warmed up my lower back and hamstrings with some kettlebell swings (santa cruz style).

I only used 155 pounds for the deadlifts and did partial handstand push-ups (HSPU).
How do I feel ? Well I was quite pleased to be able to finish it , as my tired body was really asking me to call it quits on the 3rd round . But hey , what's 2 more rounds ? I ended finishing the whole thing in 18:49 . I'm not really thrilled with that time , because I know I could have done better had my grip not been a problem . I guess I have plenty of time to work on that with similar Crossfit WOD's . What's next ? Well later today I'm going to do some stretching . In the past I have seen great differences in recovery time and muscle soreness when stretching . If anybody is interesting in reading up on stretching ,please read this interesting roundtable discussion .
After that I'll do some TVA isometric contractions to improve my posture.
To summarize all of the above once more I'd have to say : I feel great and am excited to see my fitness improve while following the Crossfit WOD's .

Well , this is it . I'm starting crossfit ...

Well , this is it . I'm starting crossfit . First let me introduce myself :

Hi , my name is David . I'm 19 yrs old and live in Belgium . I have been actively working out for 1 year now and just got a barbell set of plates about 3 months ago . Here are some of my stats :

Height : 6'
Weight : 150 pounds
BF % : +/- 12 %
Bench Press 1RM (Repetition Maximum) : 140 pounds
Deadlift 1 RM : 242 pounds
Full Squat 1 RM : 150 pounds
Weighted Pull-up 1 RM : Bodyweight + 70 pounds
Max Bodyweight pull-ups : 6

For a description of these exercises please look here .

I have chosen to start crossfit because I believe it has no peer when talking about exercise intensity, variety and functionality .In essence crossfit will make you a world class athlete without having to train 4+ hours a day .

Here are my goals for this blog :

1) Show others how long it takes to go from deconditioned individual , to above average condition using the crossfit principles.
2) Show others that you can dramitically improve your strength , strength-endurance and endurance , without practicing them specifically (only once in a while).

So I'm starting my journey , I'm really excited to see where it will take me.

WARNING : The activities , physical and otherwise , decribed in this blog for informational purposes , may be too strenous or dangerous for some people and the reader should consult a physician before engaging in them .