The Morning After (Surgery; Day 8) — Reposted

(Reposted from the official fundraising blog, Get Kyle Back on His Feet!)

Once again, I'm tired and in pain, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.


Eating is a Chore

It's extremely awkward eating while laying prone.  I've made a compromise to sit up and try and keep my leg semi-propped up (those yoga classes paid off finally).  It still hurts but it's better than letting my foot just rest comfortably on the floor in a seated position.


Logistics of Pissing (The Female Persuasion Is the Key)

It's not that bad using the restroom.  I just sit down like a woman instead of trying to keep balance on one leg and giving the toilet seat and rug a golden shower.  (Now I know why y'all get mad about keeping the lid down!)

Oh and I dunno if this it TMI, but I've also been constipated ever since I started taking the Vicodin.  I'm going to try and eat more raw salads and see if that helps.  Meh...I've never had this issue before, but my dad said the nurse warned that this could happen.


Smellin' Like the Filthy, Rank Dog That I Am

I haven't showered or bathed in 2, maybe 3 days now and I'm sure I smell like a rank, mountain man...but oh well, it's not like I'm entertaining guests in my condition.  And according to Alex, a man's rank B.O. attracts the opposite sex with his pheromones (I'm not holding my breath on that one).

When it gets so bad that I can't even stand my own odor, I'll probably have to figure out the logistics of crawling into a tub with my injured leg hanging off the edge.  (And no I don't have someone in mind to help me with this endeavor.)


Reason for the Cortisone Shot to the Bum!

The scars have mostly all but faded but there are still remnants on my upper right arm (yes, it looks like some bulbous fat thing but that's actually my arm.)  The scratches on my belly have already faded away.  I have fast healing abilities!  Let's hope that applies to the poorly vascularized Achilles tendon as well.


Keep Dat Foot Up, Son!

Whenever I have to stand up to go to the bathroom or let my foot drop down, the pain comes rushing back as the blood pools and collects in the ankle that has been operated on, so I try my best to keep it elevated above my heart at all times.  This means I'm basically an invalid at age 26.

It's a gorgeous day out and I'm stuck here looking out from my bedside perch by the window.

Free Mystic Tan (From the Knee Down)!

FYI:  My skin isn't naturally that orange-y...they covered my leg and even the toes in some reddish-orange disinfectant, probably something like iodine. It stained my skin.

So now I have a free mystic tan on my right leg (below the knee) from Faith Surgical Center! Yay! ;-p


Why the Hard Splint?

A friend just commented that he was surprised that I will need a cast put on after this hard splint is removed.  From my limited knowledge, it's because my tendon has contracted so much and they had to pull it and then sew it together.  It's really taut right now, hence the extreme PAIN.  (Someone f'n get me some codeine or oxycontin please!  LOL...I'm actually kinda serious. Vicodin is not doing it for me.)  If it wasn't held in place by a hard splint and/or a cast, then I may accidentally flex my foot back and rip apart the fragilely-held together strands that are holding my ruptured Achilles together now.  Right now, the splint is keeping my foot in the awkward position where the foot is angled down (like when a woman wears high heels), which doesn't exert pressure on the achilles tendon.  (So now I know what it feels like to pee like a woman and to wear heels...)

The hard splint was put on to allow for some swelling post-surgery.  After a week and the swelling subsides, then a hard cast can be put on and that will be left for around 2 months to let my tendon fuse together on its own.  This is slow work though since tendons and ligaments are not highly vascularized like bones and muscles (thinking back to A&P class...I think that's right?).  After the cast is removed, then I will wear a boot for a month or so.  Then I believe finally, I can start physical therapy.  Dr. Hanssen said that recovery will be 3 to 4 months and he warned of a 20% reduction in strength but I'm hoping with proper nutrition, rest, and physical therapy I can beat the odds and get it back up to 100%.

(Beastmodal told me that he has set PRs after his surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon so there's hope for me yet.  He did say that his calf muscle is weaker but he feels like his tendon is back to where it was.)


School Next Week?

I doubt I'll be leaving the house next week due to the pain and since just letting the foot drop below my heart increases the pain.  I seriously hope I don't wind up failing Organic Chemistry II because of this.  I've already failed the past 2 quizzes and then having to miss the quiz next week would not be ideal.  Then I would miss the 3 hour lab and all those hours of lecture as well.  I'm way behind in guitar class too.  Oh well.  I think I'll pop some more pills pass out and hope for the best...

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This Would Have All Been for Naught,  If Not or Y'all!

I've spent nearly the whole fund on the surgeon and anesthesiologist already (father paid for the facility fees) but I was reminded by Ted that I'll have to still pay for follow-up visits and a long physical therapy, so I'll still be accepting donations.  Thank y'all for continuing to express your generosity with your pocketbook (#PayItForward).

Updated List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alex Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):
*
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

*Vast majority of donations ranged from $20 -50, so I needed to make a judgement call and have a cut off point for this second list (right below top contributors).  Since the amount donated could be any amount you typed in, it was hard making that decision.

There were amounts such as $40 and $60, etc.  Just know that whatever amount you contributed, you definitely helped tremendously and you are greatly valued and loved.  Thank you all.  Even to those who did not contribute and helped out in non-monetary ways as well.  Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers.

I promise whatever you dole out will come back to you double or triple-fold at least.  It's an undeniable fact of life.  Those who are perceptive enough already know this.  Skeptics will discover it eventually as well...that karma is as real as electricity.  We're all connected on this Earth and every action has a reaction (e.g., the holographic universe, Indra's Net, and all that jazz ... a friendly suggestion — watch "What the Bleep Do We Know?").

Whatever we do for (or to) another, we ultimately do for (or to) ourself.

I still need to calculate the fund amount since most of it has already been spent on the surgery... I'll post that later (my mind is foggy after taking that Hydrocodone + Acetaminophen + Ibuprofen).  (Around $200- $300 has been added to the pot since then though.)

If you don't see your name on this list, know that I still greatly value your contribution and that every bit counts, even the single digit donations.  I just wanted to provide more praise and recognition to those that went above and beyond the call of duty.  I promise to include the entire list of contributors eventually.

Interesting Debate on the Effectiveness of CF (Mike Caviston)

Read it here.

"Mental Toughness is taught to BUD/S students, and it has nothing to do with the random challenges approach. 

Other criticisms of Crossfit include:
• Illogical combinations of exercises (such as pre-fatiguing exercises before heavy dead lifts)
• Prescribing the same workouts (including the same weight) for everybody regardless of personal history of training or injury
• Arbitrary goals (such as using 50 or 100 reps for multiple exercises)
• Prescription of exercises that require specialized skills and baseline conditioning and are not appropriate for beginners under high-intensity conditions (Olympic lifts, kettle bells)
• Use of exercises of questionable safety if done rapidly or while fatigued (glute-ham sit-ups, muscle ups, Turkish get-ups)
• Exclusion of useful exercises (such as leg curls or biceps curls) as being “nonfunctional”
• Formats that reward poor technique, such as shortening the ROM to get more reps in less time (despite the lip service Crossfit gives to technique, it is rarely observed in practice)
• Too many formats that blend strength and endurance activities such that the effectiveness of both are diluted (better to perform strength and endurance activities independently most of the time)

Some of the key physiological adaptations necessary for BUD/S not adequately addressed by the Crossfit methodology include endurance, eccentric conditioning, and strengthening in multiple planes. Eccentric conditioning means properly emphasizing the negative (downward) portion of movements, which is necessary for developing resistance to injury as well as the ability to control heavy weights (such as logs and boats), and is not addressed by high-speed reps or by lifting weights up and then dropping them. Strength in multiple planes requires movements that utilize hip abduction, trunk rotation, and shoulder internal/external rotation."
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The best rebuttal was posted by "more bench," a few comments down.

 "I'm a SEAL. I've worked at the center, I've done CF, I like it, I don't think it is the holy grail but GPP is what you need. Your basis on your statements is spurious at best.

[...]

what I am getting at is that CF teaches elements of being "hard". Hard is really w/o definition but when you witness it, you know it. Do not confuse it w/ being stupid, careless, or haphazard."

Achilles Tendon Injury

Update:  4 Days After the Injury

Less swelling but the bruising's more vivid

3 Days After the Acute Injury:

Swollen like an elephant's foot.

I was afraid it was a ruptured or torn achilles tendon at first but after seeing a chiropractor, I was told it was only an achilles tendon sprain.  The swelling and inflammation has gotten worse but I think this is just a sign of healing.

For those wondering how I got this injury, it was mostly due to a lack of warming-up prior to intense plyometrics and also lack of support in my Vibrams Five Fingers as well as landing on the front half of my foot rather than my entire foot.  The downward pressure driving my heel down with nothing below to support it led to a strain on the achilles tendon.  This is what I think anyways.

Epic from "Beastmodal Domains" believes there is an inherent risk in doing plyometrics at such a high volume.  He points out that the inventor of this exercise said the maximum number of reps should be 4 sets of 10.  I had done 5 rounds before I was injured, which means I had already done 75 reps of box jumps at 24" in addition to 115 lbs push presses and toes-to-bars.  (I was doing the CrossFit Games Open 12.3 WOD when I got injured.)

The Beastmodal Domains article on the association between high-rep plyometrics and rupturing of the achilles tendon can be read here.


3/14/12 Update:

I am SOOO grateful that my injury was not so severe that I needed surgery!  Thank the sweet Lord! I will never be so careless with my body again.  You only get one...

CrossFit Open — First Week, First WOD

This has been an especially trying and humbling experience doing the CrossFit Games Open for the very first time.

Jonathan gave me some very apt advice:  

"You'll go crazy if you worry about your ranking the first 3 weeks. The wods are meant to test every aspect of Crossfit. So in 2 more weeks it's gonna shake out wayyyy differently. I checked like every hour last year for the first week. It was maddening!"

And I took it but that didn't mean OTHERS weren't informing me of my current (and devastating) drop in the local rankings.

I knew on the 2nd night I was ranked 23rd with 113 burpees in 7 minutes, but that soon dropped overnight to 32 (I checked in the morning).  Then later that day, a friend informed me that I had dropped down to 35.  Friday night I found out I was ranked 75.  Then by Saturday morning I had reached all-new low...triple digits.  I'm now ranked 110 tied with about 20 other athletes.

On top of this my right wrist injury still hasn't healed.  I may just take all of next week off to let it recover.

I really wish I had not done deadlifts and back squats before the 12.1 WOD but that's only because I was expecting to be able to do it on Sunday; alas, things don't always go as planned.  Sometimes you have no choice but to accomodate for when the judges at your affiliate are free and that meant I had to go in unplanned this morning after a grueling leg workout the day before (naturally, this meant it was hell for my legs.)  I literally found out after 11 PM after work that I needed to go in the next morning to re-do the WOD...

Yep, FML.

Mikko Salo in the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games

It's crazy the curveballs life throws at you sometimes. It's about finding the opportunity in the crisis and then discovering how it ultimately gives you an edge in the long run. It's all about perspective. 

I heard that he has a knee injury this year too, so this may spell the end for Mikko's CrossFit career...
I hope it's just a false rumor.

At least he discovered after that tragic incident in the ocean, that CrossFit is not his entire life and that he has so much else going for him.

Ben Smith Post...AGAIN

I just saw this video from December of last year and was so impressed that I had to make another post on my Crossfit hero, Ben Smith.

Now I thought I was impressed with the 300# OHS in the Godzilla WOD but this 180# average-looking guy is throwing up 360# OHS!  Granted, the WOD involves multiple reps, but still...impressive!

Even more impressive is that he taught himself olympic weightlifting just by watching videos online and then practicing in his parents' basement!  In his own words:  "I've learned everything on my own from watching videos and practicing, a lot."

(Even though he doesn't get the mass media attention like Chris Spealler and Camille, he finished a very laudable 8th place in the 2010 Crossfit Games.  And get this 3rd place in the 2011 CF Reebok Games!)

MAD RESPECT.

Ben Smith doin' his thang!




For those who don't know what the Godzilla WOD is, here is the short, edited clip:



Here's the long version:

Garage Gym Hero — Ben Smith

Continuing on the theme of athletes whom I admire...
I had to make a post concerning an elite CrossFit athlete.

Now most people would point of Chris Spealler, Mikko Salo, Rich Froning (for males) or Kristin Clever, Annie Thorisdottor, or Camille Le Blanc-Bazinet (for females).  However, I actually like the little known Ben Smith since he looks like your average joe but he's a phenomenal athlete, who doesn't even work out at an affiliate and his trainer seems to just be his buddy from high school.

He does most of his WODs and PRs at his parents' basement and I believe he's only 21 yrs old.  He occasionally does his WODs at a globogym where the bystanders clearly have no idea wtf this guy is doing.

For such a seemingly small fellow, he lifts tremendous weight efficiently.

This is one of my favorite WOD videos because it incorporates tough gymnastics moves (anyone who has done HSPU and toes-to-bars knows how much it takes out of you) but also requires lots of strength to squat snatch 185# that many times, quickly in a WOD for time.

Here, Ben PRs with a 270# snatch and he does it with beautiful form.  Most guys sacrifice form when they aim for PRs but not this guy.

(This is where I want to be...the last time I tried for a PR for the snatch I got 155#; granted it was my first time trying for a PR but I was still rather disappointed.  I'm sure now that I've refined my form I can do better next time though.  I'm sure I can at least hit the 185#.)

Enough is Enough!

I think that putting this out in the blogosphere will hold me more accountable (crossposted in FB).

This week has been a wake-up call. Time to cut the B.S. and stop the whining!

My vows for a better 2012 (in random order):

1) Stop being a lazy fuckwit! (Have less & shorter naps; go to bed earlier.)

2) Limit procrastination on online media (FB, YT, Gchat).

3) Ctrl my road rage (work on being Zen, leave the house earlier).

4) Be more patient (ctrl the RAGE).

5) Read the ORGO textbook (not just my notes).

6) Do the OWL hmk (pref. the day before or earlier).

7) Eat like a beast (pref. clean).

8) Relax about my cf stats. (It is what it is.)

9) Take more rest days (don't overtrain).

10) Work on flexibility and ROM (more yoga).

11) Practice the guitar daily (chords & notes).

12) Stop being my own worst critic. (Stop being a type A perfectionist.)

Bottom Up Set-up For Oly Lifts

I've always done the top down set-up for lifts but this seems interesting and Diane had amazing form for the snatch.  I want to try this bottom up set-up as suggested by K-Star since he says it keeps your back straight throughout.

"BREATHE" + "The LIFT" (CrossFit-Inspired Videos)

"BREATHE" from Paul Schneider on Vimeo.



The LIFT. from Paul Schneider on Vimeo.

Crash Course on the Split Jerk

I took the 2nd half of an Olympic Weightlifting Seminar today with Brista Mayfield at Crossfit .380 and it was very informative.  I've never been taught formally the split jerk, so I was just going off my own observations before this seminar.  I'd always just done the regular jerk since I wasn't sure how to do the split jerk.

Now I'm thirsty for all the information about the clean and split jerk since I don't have the movement completely down.  Brista said that I wasn't getting under the bar quickly enough so it was translating into a push press.  Also, Jonathan was telling me that I shouldn't have the bar on my fingertips like in a front squat because I'm preparing to push it up into the jerk (even though that hurt my right wrist).

Here's a crash course YouTube video that I think summarizes really well the foot placement (hardest part) for a split jerk:

Without knowing the proper foot placement and getting it down to second nature you will always feel uneasy and unstable as your base is not solid.  I learned this firsthand as a split jerk felt a lot more foreign to me than a regular jerk position with two feet planted solidly on the ground, especially with the heels dug in.  Jonathan told me that the split jerk is better though since you can get a lot more weight up in the air than with a conventional cnj, which is why I want to master this movement.

Also, remember on the recovery that the front foot takes a half step back and then the back foot takes a stutter step forward to meet it.  Brista said moving the front foot first helps with balance.

Video from the weightlifting technique king himself, Burgener:
Left jerkers (get your mind out of the gutter!), like me, should land at 11 and 5:30.

 See it in action with some heavy loads to put it all together:

GOMAD Experiment [Day 6]

Has it already been 6 days?  Actually, what am I saying...when is this going to end?

So my Accu-Measure Caliper arrived in the post and the first time I used it without really reading the instructions and thought I had 3.5% bodyfat LOL.  I thought that can't be right, so today I read it word by word carefully and realized that I had to pinch 2 - 3 inches of skinfold (I initially only pinched around 1 inch at the suprailiac region).  So now I'm confident that I have a bodyfat percentage of 8.5%.

That's not too bad after nearly a week of GOMAD!

It's about right since I was told I had around 10.7% bodyfat a few months ago, but I knew it should be less than that because she thought I was shorter than I actually was.

Also, good news!  I'm 170.0 lbs exactly now after 6 days of GOMAD!  That means I've gained 3 lbs over 6 days.  Not bad, I guess, since I'll be committing to this for at least a full month.  At this rate, I should expect to gain around 24 lbs by the end of January.  My goal is 30 lbs though, so I may go 1 - 2 months of GOMAD since I'm not sure I can eat/drink much more than this haha.

OK I have to admit that for the past 3 days I have not done the full GOMAD.  At night, I was sick of drinking that much milk so I left around 2 pints left in the container.  So for the past 3 days, I have only been drinking 2/3 to 3/4 of GOMAD.  I hope to end that today though.  Time to man up and choke that shit down!  All in the name of getting BIG.

I know I said I was going to take photos by around day 5, but it's honestly kind of degrading and I'm not sure I'm going to keep up with it.

GOMAD [Day 6] (1/6/2012) Measurements:
170.0 lbs
Waist:  82.5 cm/ a little more than 32 in
Neck: 15 in
Chest:  39 in
Leg circumference (around right thigh): 22.5 in
Arm circumference (around right bicep, flexed): 14.5 in
Shoulder Span:  18.5 - 19 in


GOMAD [Day 1] (1/2/2012) Measurements:
167.0 lbs
Waist: 32 in/82 cm
Neck:  15 in
Chest: 39 in
Arm Circumf. (around r. bicep, flexed):  14.5 in
Leg Circumf. (around r. thigh):  22.5 in
Shoulder span: 18 in


Results:

So no dramatic changes really.  My shoulder span also increased a tad, depending on how I measured it.  If I let the tape go across my shoulder girdle, it was a solid 19 inches, but if it I took it directly on the very top of my shoulders over my cervical vertebrae then it was around 18.5 inches.  So I had a 1/2 - 1 inch increase in my shoulder span.  I'm still pleased!

My waist also increased a tiny bit but that's to be expected on GOMAD and it was less than 1/2 an inch (let's hope that trend doesn't continue all month though haha).  Everything else seems to have stayed the same.

So with my 3 lbs increase, I also saw an increase in my measurements, which is good news.  I'm hoping that it's mostly muscle mass increase and with an 8.5% bodyfat (if my caliper readings are accurate) then things are going well so far.

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Secret to GOMAD:

This OTC product has made this obscene ritual of chugging a gallon of milk a day that much more bearable!  It's more effective than just lactase enzymes since it also has probiotics in it.  I saw it at Wally World and it was less than $8 dollars for I believe a month's worth, so I gave it a shot and I'm glad I did.

Paleo Fried "Rice!"

So I'm definitely not a follower of Paleo / Ancestral diet but I've never been a fan of RICE (the only rice I like is wild rice and that's not even legitimately "rice;" it's actually a type of grass, which probably explains why I like it), so I decided to give this cauliflower fried "rice" version a shot!  (Thanks, Nomnompaleo!  I got the idea from her, check out her blog!)

So this was my first time trying this and I don't normally cook, so it might not be that pretty but I must say it turned out well!  Quite tasty, indeed.

Nomnompaleo used a food processor, but I'm ghetto and used a butcher's cleaver haha!  It got the job done anyways.

I also don't ever measure out quantities, so my "recipe" was whatever was available in the fridge and I played it by ear.

Ingredients:

1/2 of a white onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
1/2 of a ginger root, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 head of cabbage, diced
1 cauliflower bunch, diced
3 eggs, beaten
1 chicken breast

Condiments:
Lots of black sesame oil (the cooking oil, probably not 'Paleo' but I like the taste)
Two dashes of rice vinegar
A few splashes of aged soy sauce
Freshly grated black pepper to taste
Some dried parsley leaves for garnish
Lots of green scallions and cilantro for garnish

(Lots of bio-available, high-quality, 'whole' protein too from the chicken and eggs, it's 'Paleo' after all.)

Check out the photos of the cooking process:

Starting Material. (My mom cut up the cauliflower into florets last night; I did all the rest today.)

After dicing the cauliflower using a butcher's cleaver (ghetto style).

Some of the other cooking materials.

I'm Taiwanese after all, so I used a shitload of garlic and ginger!

Still cooking...

Just about done!  Just need to add some aged soy sauce and freshly grated black pepper!

Taken with the flash.

In the serving bowl.

Tire Flippin'!

So I was never formally coached on how to tire flip, so I just did it by instinct.  Namely, I tire flipped using only my leg, back, and arm strength and it worked well enough but I could tell that it put a lot of strain on the lower back when I bent over to flip it.

This video shows that you can dramatically reduce that strain by transferring the load to your powerful legs.  I never knew about the stutter step and the kick with the knee of the dominant leg!  That's brilliant!

Orlando also shares the secret that if the tire is exceedingly heavy, then you can just incrementally ratchet it up while resting the tire at an angle from your hip crease, stomach, chest, etc. until you can tip it over completely.

He also makes a good point in the beginning that this is NOT a deadlift maneuver where you go straight up.  Rather, you are moving at a 45 degree angle, not up and not forward but diagonally.  Also, that your head isn't going back when you are coming up but forward to maintain that forward drive and momentum.

This free video is only a tidbit but I think it's sufficient and I learned ample technique from it, more than any I've picked up from an actual box, I must say.  I love Crossfit HQ videos.  A wealth of knowledge.

GOMAD [Day 3]; Murph Hero WOD; Raw Milk Supply

It's not even 1 PM and a lot has already happened. I decided to wake up early and go to the crossfit box this morning. I was sore and drowsy but I'm glad I went. Somehow I made it on the white board at .380! Only the best times at the box make it up there, so I'm honored and surprised. Especially since I wasn't expecting to do well as it was my first time doing "Murph!"

Proof!

Murph:
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run

(Murph is a 'Hero WOD' dedicated to fallen Naval lieutenant, Michael Murphy; read more about him here.)

I broke up the pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats as such, 10 rounds of:  10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups, and 30 air squats.

 I marked each round with chalk on the ground to keep track. I went through these fairly quickly as I did butterfly pull-ups. However, when it came to running the mile, I got lazy as hell. My only competition at 10 AM was the ginger, Jonathan. Even though he's huge, he's a fast mofo! So he was nowhere in sight and nobody was close on my heels so I got f'n lazy and started to shuffle at first and finally I was like "fuck it!" and ended up walking a bit. When I made it around the bend, the owner was looking at his watch and said you know your first lap took you 2:30?! I was like awwww shiieet! So then I finally started to legitimately jog/run. I finally finished with 36:35, which was one of the best times though not nearly as good as I should have gotten. The 100 butterfly pull-ups left some torn skin on my left palm and I'm walking weird because my calves are sore as hell from running in my fuckin' Vibrams Five Fingers as well as those brutal OH lunges from last night.
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 So I found out that the local dairy farmer finally had some raw milk in stock again. I decided to splurge and buy two gallons of it at the steep price of $8 a gallon. I know it's hella expensive but it taste so rich and creamy. It's not even white like pasteurized milk, it has so much cream in it that it has a pale yellow tint to it and it pours out thick like half and half. This stuff makes whole, pasteurized milk from the grocery store taste like 2%! Thank you, Lavon Farms!

The warning label makes it seem like some dangerous, illegal contraband but it's perfectly safe haha.

OH Squats

The overhead squats is one of my FAVORITE lifts and since we did a variation of them today in the WOD—OH lunges, which I find to be more difficult than just OH squats since you have to walk forward with the weight held overhead and you are balancing precariously on just one leg at a time—I thought it was apt to post this video today.

The video also introduces a very interesting stretch using a standard PVC pipe.  I've also done the stretch starting from the front but like he says, starting from the back is more challenging.  It looks wild!  I'm going to have to try that stretch out!

(I also like the song playing in this video, does anyone know the artist and song name?)

GOMAD [Day 2] Update & Rope Climbing Technique Video

UPDATE 8:30 PM:

I just finished my crossfit wod and I have to say day 2 of the GOMAD experiment is going sooo much better than day 1!

No more loose stools driving me mad and I'm chugging this milk down a lot more easily!  I've learned to space out the milk sessions better, with most of my consumption during lunch and post-workout.  I drink about 3 pints each time.  If I manage to wake up earlier I'm hoping I can space out the milk chugging even more and reduce digestive discomfort.  I can definitely keep this up though.  Day 1 just had my scurrred a bit.

Today's WOD was brutal though.  Check out my horrible results here.
I met the owner of .380 today, Dave Masi.  He was totally riding my ass.  Everytime I dropped the barbell he would be right next to me shouting for me to stop resting.  He even said, "5 second rest and then go!" He proceeded to start COUNTING aloud, he was like 5 deep breaths:  "One! Two!..."  Yeah fuckin' hell.

By round 2, my wrists were hurting so much from the OH lunges the most and also partly from the handstand walking.  We did this on uneven bumpy ground so it was difficult to maneuver.  The 70 lb KB high pull and steps were also wreckin' havoc on my lower back.

Afterwards I worked on my handstand pushups/walking and rope climbs.  Speaking of, I'm going to go watch a rope climbing technique video now since, I'm not good at coming down the rope, just going up.

This video is presents 2 very simple, effective techniques.  I've only tried the leg wrap but I'm going to try the fast technique tomorrow when I head to the box.  I also need to try out how he came down.

(Tip:  Drag the cursor to 1:30 to skip all the useless jabber in the beginning.)

GOMAD Experiment [Day 1]

I've drunk half a gallon of conventional, pasteurized (but non-homogenized and no rBST added) whole milk @ $3.69 a pop already! I'm off to a good start. I'm also starting up Crossfit again, after a 2-3 month hiatus, at a new box in McKinney called Crossfit .380 (I don't know what that dot means, so don't ask me).

My friend told me to document this and since I'm not an exhibitionist, I'm going to do that here on this blog that virtually nobody reads instead of Facebook, which is everyone's whore.

I was too embarrassed to ask someone to take a candid photo of me shirtless, so I went to the guest bedroom, where there's a large mirror. The lighting is horrible and I couldn't use flash because of the glare from the mirror, so this is the image that will have to do for now. I'll probably post an update with a photo every 5 days or every week, since daily would probably be pointless. Nobody's body grows that quickly. Hopefully GOMAD doesn't just result in me becoming an amorphous blubbery blob with diabetes mellitus.

1/2/2012, 4:30 PM:

Measurements:
167 lbs
Waist: 32 in/82 cm
Chest: 39 in/99 cm
Bicep: 13 in/32 cm
Thigh: 22.5 in/56.5 cm

Around 10% body fat

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UPDATE 9 PM:  I just got home from my workout and I feel great. I had plenty of energy after the WOD, so I ended up dicking around on the rings—doing muscle-ups and trying to do the 'iron cross' but failing miserably. Chris and I also did a bunch of toes-to-bars and butterfly pull-ups.

So far so good, I was worried at first because my anus wasn't feeling fantastic from chugging all that milk all of a sudden, TMI? I'm sure my body will adapt soon enough, I hope. I just had to vacate my bowels before the WOD and right after...ugh. I'm sticking this through though.

Chris is doing his weight gainer thing with no adverse effects so far and I'm still doing my ridiculous GOMAD experiment and hoping my body will start to pump out more lactase enzyme!

Oh and Chris let me try on his 30 lb weight vest...that's how much I intend to put on in muscle mass over the span of a month! I have to admit 30 lbs feels a LOT heavier than I'd previously imagined...

Ben & Owen Franks

Part II:

Proper Bench Press Technique

It's the most common weightlifting press done but it's also the one most commonly done incorrectly.

Finally, a solid video detailing how to do bench press with proper technique.

Some things I learned:
-squeeze shoulder blades together to start
-keep feet planted far apart on the floor and press into the ground for leverage
-on the way up, try and break the bar; on the way down try and spread the bar apart




This video from Westside Barbell discusses narrow, medium, and wide grip for the bench press:


This video from Crossfit Football is good because it also explains how to properly spot someone during a bench press:

 

Another Crossfit Football Bench Press Technique Video: