project salo

Shelagh Salo
age: 56
sport: endurance running
stats - best marathon - 4:12 Phoenix, static hang - 10 sec, push ups from toes - 1, 500 m row - 2:12 (35 s/m), squat - 25-30 deg above parallel, vertical jump - 9 inches
goals - 4:10 October Victoria Marathon (Boston qualification), 30 sec static hang, 10 push ups, 2:10 row (30s/m), squat - parallel, vertical jump - 10 inches

Shelagh and i decided after years of conversation (more of me saying "running is only one component of fitness - cardio endurance") that we needed to create some measurable fitness goals OUTSIDE of just benchmarks in running to keep her accountable to her LONG TERM fitness as well as her running prowess...she has run Boston and a BUNCH of other races (30 since 1999)...we have always had some good chats about running vs. true fitness and this sill be one of many examples where improving all OTHER aspects of fitness like power, speed, flexibility, balance, co-ordination, strength...etc...and less of ones that you are good at (cardio only) will help the ones you are already good at...and to make things better, you'll live longer! how about that!

by the way, she is only running on Thursdays (400's, 800's and time trials) and pace runs on Sunday, and training OPT style 3x/week (bodyweight, strength training) as well as her own skill training on flexibility on 3 other days...

we will update on her progress as we go as well as provide before and after squat photos and stats AFTER the Victoria Marathon...she'll be a glowing example of what you can do when you INCLUDE ALL aspects of fitness in your training.

G

WOD:
AMR in 9 min;
5 HSPU
10 pistols
15 sit ups
score: 9 rds + 5 HSPU and 6 pistols, wanted 10 (video to come)
+
chest to bar running clock chest to bar chin ups practice - 15 rds easy
+
10 sets of 15 walking lunges - 10 sec b/t sets

last wod at cabin, beautiful setting today, all outside in mild temp's with just bodyweight, lotsa fun...first wod was great breathing practice for Mary...chest to bar chin ups will make that lady MUCH harder in the future, will definitely have to mentally get prepped for that one....

working on the feeding as well pre wod's up here...as usual, making the gut almost completely empty (i.e. no eating 4-5 hours before) ensures a high powr output workout for me...again another shot against science, as is usually prescribed by the aerobic based university science to have "complex and slow releasing carbohydrates 2-2.5 hours before THEN some carbs up to 30 g pre exercise"...if i did that, which i have done in the past, i canot survive on high intensity exercise...so over time i changed it and tested it more and more...that is, got further away from the workout time...i remember my PB's like Murph with vest at 31 min and change, i did not eat 6 hours prior...this week i played with some PFC balancing and some little fuel about 2 hours prior and STILL no change, funny how things remain the same...last few WOD's (thurs and fri) were much BETTER feeling de to nothing in gut...problem with this is that it is tough for those willing to try it to ensure you get enough in your gut after without over tipping the insulin response...so i have found that ensuring your first meal is higher in protein and carbs (more carbs to protein if met con dominant and more protein to carbs if weight training dominant) and then within the next hour to 90 minutes following get another meal that is more PFC balanced (lower on carbs if you're training for weight loss)....then follow on as usual works well
when not done correctly...as in waiting for the gut to empty, then training, then eating big, then waiting another few hours is that you'll eat your face off for the rest of the day...
if it's early am training as i have done many times it works fine...if mid am or noon as it was here this week then big AM meal - 5 blocks of prot/carb and 12-15 blocks fat, then waiting 5 hours ensures high output....works for me as well as others...give it a try, it'll take some time to get used to but it works....
remember "food is ONLY fuel"!!!!!!!

MW

WOD - "Chloe"
for time;
30 DU's
10 Dead Lift - 290#
30 DU's
8 Dead Lift - 290#
30 DU's
6 Dead Lift - 290#
30 DU's
4 Dead Lift - 290#
30 DU's
2 Dead Lift - 290#
time-4:35

most wod's are named after females based on storms that are painful to get in and get out of...Chloe is in honour of our newest development to the Fitz clan...maybe she'll have a sweet grip as mine was basically shot after the 8 Dead Lifts...i expected to go through most of them easily...this quickly turned into fractioning in the 3rd double under round....so i guess it was a tough storm as i did not expect that (note to self, heavy dead lifts and double unders go together as well as back extensions and kipping chin ups)... (will add video when i get home)

looking back (if anyone wants to add a story of this nature go ahead and log in under comments), the most painful storm/female CF workout i have even been through in my memory was Linda when i did her for the first time at OPT (it is 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 rep rds for time of 1.5x BWT DL, 1 x BWT bench press, 0.75 x BWT clean); funny thing is that i did power cleans instead of squat cleans....i was good at DL's so i flew through them, and when i got to rep 8 our of 10 on the bench press and started to fail, i knew i was in trouble, then trying to clean WITH HORRIBLE form 3 years ago made my back light up....i can remember completing it in 30 minutes i think (PB to date is 13:01 with squat cleans and BWT-163) and laying on the carpet from 5 am when i had finished it till 5:45 am (i kid you not) looking at the ceiling fan spinning around and around, i think it was the only thing keeping me from reaching for "the light", i was grey, and had my vision "closing in" on me for hours after, i think i must have eaten 5000 kcal that day....
anyhow, as Geoff would say - "good times!"
what's your favourite story of your own female storm (that you can remember that is)?

WMG

WOD:
W - PC/PP/SJ - 135,155,165,179,189,195,195(x)
2nd last set at 195 was not smooth so tried again and rack was not good for PP on last set so shut it down there; rack position and heel drive much more efficient this year than same time last year when Greg introduced me to my faults..so a little more practice on the O-lifts and i'll have it..
then practiced with 135# - PC/PP/PJ/SJ x 4 sets, wanted it to feel smooth and easy and did
then FS - 135# - practicing 3 reps x 3 sets for depth
+
5 rounds for time:
M - 300 m row (damper 5.5, foot pad 3)
G - 30 push ups
time-9:33

avg'd 1:40/500m for each 300 m split, happy with that, push ups fractioned on last 3 sets slowed things a little..rowing and push ups are always a good mix...i prescribe row and upper body pushing often - and with the right prescription can really get the blood flowing (what do i man by this??)...well MANY crossfit programs i see written are using sustainable energy as the energy system and if not prescribed correctly can end up basically being a 30 minute light weight aerobic session - and furthermore no different than any other "class" at a globo gym....when the correct prescription and mix of movements are done so that a high lactate point and fatigue without compromising form is reached - a HUGE hormonal shift occurs which is FAR MORE effective than work done over 30 minutes with a sustained HR...let me give you an example of some workouts i've seen designed consistently:
7 rounds for time:
400 m run
30 push up burpees
30 thrusters
30 chin ups
30 sit ups
...now based on energy systems, let's say a faster human does the 400m in 1:30, and the 30's in 6-7 min..times that by 7 IF and only IF all rounds are 8 min long equals 56 min of effort...so it IS a crossfit workout because it is varied and functional, but it is not the right INTENSITY, they would by the 2nd round be fractoning everything and turning it into a strength workout, with short rest periods as opposed to a high intensity workout sessions....if we took a normal joe/jane and had them do instead:
for time:
sprint 400m, 15 burpees, 15 thrusters, 15 jumping chin ups and 30 sit ups and it took them 4:20 to do all this (and they were coached to do it all out!), they actually will get a better recovery of cortisol and GH/a higher IGF 1 release/a higher lactate threshold and a "gassed" feeling as opposed to a completely "wiped" feeling....so if by chance you are creating programs, ensure you vary the energy systems for sure, BUT please ensure that the INTENSITY is not just there but there correctly...
there are times for big ones and some benchmarks, lots of time best done as groups and MAYBE 1x/month, not every day or even 1-2x/week, this will not make folks stronger...only at the aerobics/sustained work system and not the short wave or "ugly" waves of energy...
more to come on this one..

MG

if you did not have the chance to see the finishing kick of the men's triathlon at the Olympics last night, i'll give you a recap...."GUTS"...there it is; it explains everything as that is what it took our Canadian hopeful Simon Whitfield on the last 600m to the finish...very inspiring....he was in a pack of 4 out in front for the last 5K, then he backed off a little before the last 1K and everyone including his former coach thought he was done...that is until he threw off his hat like a cowboy ready to get dirty and caught up to the other 3, passed them with speed with 600m to go...if you have ever been in races like this (i have and know the pain)...you are in immense pain for a long while, then to kick at the end is a BIG RISK, he put it all on the line, came up in 2nd as a younger German with a little more spunk caught him and passed him like he was walking on the last 100m, but kudos to Simon, i tip you my hat...that takes balls - big ones, i've been in the same position at the first CF games and tried the same thing and got passed on the last 100 m as well; and you learn from it but it took everything i had to do that, everything...well done Simon..well done!

today's WOD - "Nicole-ish" - AMR in 20 min: 400m run, max chest to bar pull ups
107 total pull ups; 9 rounds + 100m (20/15/12/10/10/10/10/11/9)

first 20 min workout in a long while; add heat, CTB pull ups and POSE running to that and you've got a man with sore calves, a torn hand and visions of carbohydrates running in his head

sidenote: speaking of carbs, watched and laughed at a commercial today for a certain female diet program (hint - rhymes with "many leg"); this movie star was selling this program b/c she had lost 20lbs and can still eat "fun things like ravioli and meat balls and pizza and whatever else she wanted"...i'd love to know when foods became so emotional to folks, and why do most feel the need to eat based on points and not on how it makes you feel - there should be a point system based on foods that give you muscle and help improve performance, that would really shake things up...i got it, a new food program - the "opt in nutrition program"

testimony 1:
"i've gained 5 lbs in 4 weeks, i wake up and feel like working out, my butt is bigger from lunges, my arms are more muscular, i can dead lift more than my husband (actually i CAN dead lift my husband) and i eat all kinds of fatty foods like avocadoe, full fat milk, all kinds of nuts and my wasteline is slimming down every day....and add to that my workouts last only 8 min on average"

...err..wait now, that won't sell

W

just b/c wheelbarrows made me think of it...if you find it hard to eat when out or at others places...it's just changing the "rules of the game" that determine your success when out
so many folks say they do not want to "dissapoint" the host when they offer nachos pre bread and pasta dinner with wine...
if you are truly serious about creating discipline around clean food choices there are a few things you have to first recognize..
1st > are you TRULY ready to make the change to bring your own foods or fight the fight, how serious are you REALLY or are you just talking
2nd > if you are serious, you are being played...therefore in order to create change you have to change the rules...stick to your guns for the first little while (you'll have to put up with a little pain of course - just like your workouts) but after a while those around you will start MAKING foods and choices for you...as when i go to others houses, they ensure they make meat and veggies as they know i'll bring my own if its not there....some may think that is irrigant (sp?), we at OPT call it discipline....
example:
host: "you're not having any of my white pasta and sugar and white non nutritionallly valued foods that i worked hours to make"
you: "no thanks, i find that when i eat that kind of food, i cannot perform my best as a parent, friend and when i work out; i get lazy, make poor decisions, and feel deflated and ghostly"
host: "oh"
you: "but i'll take some of that broccoli and meat you made there"

it's that easy...it goes back to the change we have to create in society in relation to expectations of food choices and gatherings...do not succumb, make your officer pals order veggies and jerky and cheese and nuts instead of pastries and cookies...make your friends grill veggies and meat instead of pizzas, make your kids fruit and yogurt smoothies instead of cakes...make the change - cause you can't sell low level foods here!

WOD - we're calling this one "HOT" as it was performed in the sun in 30deg Celcius
OHS - 5x5 at 80% - 133,143,153,163,168
Sn bal - 3x3 @ 70% - 89,111,111
hang squat clean/split jerk - 50%
3.3/4.4/5.5/6.6/7.7
..then new grip thruster practice - 95# x 5 x 5 - felt better, more powerful

M

are you searching for something? ask yourself this question, whether it be searching or running, are you truly "aware"? being aware is the ultimate goal, of your physical and emotional state...and i believe is the true path to higher orders of consciousness....find things in your life that create peace for you...i have found mine, and i post these 2 b/c of that...it always brings me back to center...helps me realize what is important...do you have something that does that?
are you truly aware? if not, even realizing that you are not is the first step and an immediate graduation to controlling the very thing you are searching for or running from...if you are aware, there are many more paths to even higher orders...fitness being the 1st place to start.

today's WOD - lonely M - for time:
1K Row,100 double unders,750m row, 75 double unders, 500 m row, 50 double unders, 250 m row, 25 double unders - 15:03, done at cabin, it was HOT, sweat more than i have in a long while...off now for 7 straight days, first time in years....next week will be a great training week up here, always is...

WG

W-300+ lb tire, G-Handstand Push Ups - nasty combo

WOD - 15,12,9,6,3 rep rounds for time - tire flips/HSPU: 9:01 (video)

L-sit/GHD sit up/K2E practice after - goals for them are 90 sec L-sit, "Michael" with GHD sit ups under 18 min and 50 kipping knees to elbows straight through...will come

"The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital". -Joe Paterno

MWG

tried out a new toy today...POSE running (see www.crossfitendurance.com or www.posetech.com for more info)...calves still fired up from weekend so could not tell how powerful it MIGHT be...did feel more efficient on 400's on OPT 400 track, would like to test it on outdoor track soon, goal is to build to 4:59 1 mile run HERE at OPT before winter, might be head to head with my bro...last miler here was 5:25 @ 95%, so can be done with more power and more efficiency in running, will take a few weeks to get it down...today's WOD;

400m @ 90% x 3, 3 min b/t sets, 1:16,1:14,1:14 (tired on last one, 3 was enough for CNS)

7 min rest

7 rounds for time; 10 push press-75#/10 chest to bar chin ups on fat bar-5:30

was going to do 10 rounds but hand ripped on last set of 10 chin ups so stopped there, felt good, video attached

WM

students @ OPT...whenever you think you've stopped learning, it's all over; remember that!

WOD - 3 pos power clean (high, knee, floor) - 161 x 2 sets, 181 x 2 sets, 195 x 2 sets, much better this time on 2nd pull and staying on heels +
4 x 500m row @ 1:42-1:44/500m, 3 min rest b/t sets (did 1:43.5, 1:43.4, 1:41.4, 1:42) - getting more comforatble with this pace, have to be able to hold 1:40 fresh for 6 min 40 sec to get 2K in that time, thsi will happen
good day, had lots in the tank, will go hard for next few...

post WOD - spent time walking with HAnnah in Edworthy Park, did a little dip in the Bow, played in the park, and i gotta tell ya, i don't get out much...but it is my goal to have MORE of a far reaching affect on enabling this society to get fit, and finding a better way of reaching more.
if it has to happen through some sort of dictatorship, law, forcing it into the open, i will find a way...as what i see happening every time i step out of my little box is not that good (and so I will change my statement) so as to not attach myself to it or attract that to me - the fact that i will accept responsibility to make some changes...one step at a time...OPT clients ARE making an impact...and they ARE telling others, but it is NOT happening fast enough for the rate of what is REALLY happening...just throwing it out there to ensure the universe sees it that i'm coming...look out