Rock f'in Bottom

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life” J.K. Rowling

I stumbled on this quote just the other day.  I do not know how I have managed to miss it, but it describes my road to recovery to a t!  As I sat and thought about my moment in life at the bottom, I figured I should put it on paper.  Maybe somehow, somewhere it will reach another individual in a similar situation and they might be able to avoid this life altering/shattering moment all-together.  Who knows?  If nothing else, it might just be an entertaining morning read with a cup of coffee…or Big Red Zero and some cookies.

First let me say this: rock bottom is NOT a place that any one would or wants to be…it is quite simply…horrible.  And depending on how you deal with it can either become the end your life or a new beginning.  Months prior, I had been encouraged to seek help in dealing with past problems…aka years and years of issues that I thought would be better kept inside and covered in a thick layer of alcohol.  But being the completely hard headed and stubborn person that I am, it took one moment, at the lowest point in my life, for me to say enough is enough.  Was I surprised when it happened…absolutely not.     

My glorious day was a Saturday morning.  I had jumped in the shower to get ready for work when it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I literally felt as if the ceiling was caving in on me and I was buried underneath the rubble.  The weight of my problems was heavier than any back squat I have ever attempted for sure.  I can not pin-point exactly what was going through my head except for the phrase “how could I let it get this bad”.  I sat down in the shower and cried.  I did not even attempt to get up until the shower turned cold.  Cold showers really aren’t my thing so I managed to crawl out and text my boss a slightly abbreviated version of what was really going on.  At this point, he did know I was battling depression and was and always has been completely supportive.  There are a lot of people who do not have the luxury of that kind of support in the work place and I am beyond grateful that I did…and still do.

I made a short, fairly unproductive visit to work several hours later and decided it was best to take some time off.  I knew first hand what my body was going to go through by taking away large amounts of alcohol and would need several days to go through the detox process.  Here I will refrain from describing the process because it isn’t pretty by an means.  Although somehow, my body responded a lot better than I ever imagined and I was only in bed sick as a dog for two days.  I believe it was my body saying thank you…and finally getting the rest it actually needed.

I made plans (no one knew of these plans but me) to cut off all beer and alcohol on Monday morning…giving me three full days before I had to be back at work on Thursday.  So Sunday I took full advantage and drank myself into oblivion…like any good drunk or person with an addiction, you have to have time to say goodbye to what has carried you through the vast majority of your life.  I chugged my last beer around 2am or so and that was it.  I woke up Monday morning with my final buzz and lived up to my promise to myself.  I announced my plan to one person and to be honest neither of us believed it would last.  Beer was such a dominate figure in my life, I was even betting against myself.  I should have played the lottery that day or at least bet on a 60-1 long shot at the track.     

Rock bottom has a lot of different meaning to people with addiction. Many end up in jail, ruining their marriage, or even more devastating, keep living the life of addiction because of lack of support or will power to change it.  And somehow, through it all, my rock bottom was the best thing that ever happened to me…surprisingly with no jail time.                    

Hard Work or Enhanced?

With the CrossFit Games coming to a close yesterday, I have seen quite a few comments and posts on drug testing, performance enhancement drugs, etc.  Do they or don't they and how do they skirt the drug testing if so.  We are all well aware of illegal drugs being used in pro sports everywhere, as well as collegiate athletics, and hell, it is prominent in globo gyms.  So why not CrossFit?

This was a post on the CrossFit Masters site which I think answers the question very well.

"...I hate to be the "voice of reason," but given that my PhD is in biochemistry, I will do so once in a while on what is now my favorite Facebook web site. Regardless of your exercise flavor, there is an illegal drug (actually, many) that will help you. The solution for the IOC is random, out of season, blood tests. Even then, there can be a year (or more) to pass before they find that (recently) Tyson Gay was cheating. This has been going on since the early 1950s... really... REALLY. If any of you are arguing whether (or not) an athlete is (or is not) taking an exogenous molecule that is helpful to performance, please stop arguing. I PROMISE you that someone (more likely more than one in YOUR age group) is doing just that. The numbers of IOC tested athletes, blood-tested randomly year-round, that still come up "positive," is all the evidence you should need. If you wish to (continue to) be a Pollyanna, fine with me. Personally, I am going into CrossFit competition knowing I will have to beat one (or more) illegal competitor(s). If I lose, so be it. But if ANY of you think all the Masters Games CrossFit athletes are completely clean... well... all I can say is that the data (for younger athletes and anyone our age) indicate that you are incorrect. As I posted on another thread, given this reality, what (if anything) are "we" (whatever that means) to do about it. For me? I will do what I do, and if I lose, I lose, and if those who beat me are illegal, oh well, I am 61 years old, fitter than I have ever been before, and I can live with that. Were I "in charge?" I would adopt an IOC-like program starting yesterday, building the costs into the Open registration costs, and be as sure as possible that ALL who compete at Regionals and The Games are as "clean" as those who compete in the Olympics. Again, that is just my personal position. What the rest of you do, what CrossFit HQ does, is completely out of my hands."

For me personally, I have been accused of steroid use since I was in junior high school.  Why? Because of my natural size and build.  Back in 1986, I didn't even know what steroids were.  And to some extent I can understand the looks of wonder I get now days.  I have twice gone from being overweight, 200+lbs, to fit, lean, and kicking ass in my respective sport.  I know people out there do not believe that it can be done without some kind of "help".  And I hate to disappoint people, but it can be done simply by getting off your ass and working hard.  I am not talking about spending thirty minutes on the elliptical and burning calories that will be consumed later that day.  I am talking about sweat your ass off, lift heavy shit with some speed kind of workout.  

I don't mind people whispering behind my back or assuming there is no way I can look like this without some outside help.  But I know the truth and that is all that matters.  I have never a day in my life taken anything illegal to help me in any of my athletic pursuits.  I do have outside help though...a trainer/coach that relentlessly kicks my ass and pushes me beyond my limits. 

Do I think performance enhancement drugs are used in CrossFit?  Yes.  Do I think there are Games athletes that bust their ass day in and day out without the use of drugs?  Yes.  Do I think that performance enhancement drugs will become more prominent with the growth of CrossFit?  Yes.  Do a simple Google image search of your favorite Games athlete past and present and judge for yourself. 

Bitter Sweet

First things first...last night it was announced that Kidd Kraddick passed away at a charity golf tournament for Kidd's Kids in New Orleans. Devastating to say the least. He has done so much for the radio industry in the short time he was here. I began listening to his show in college and it got me through more than a few rough patches in my life. RIP Kidd...you will be missed.

Now for the sweeter part of the day...the North Texas Strongest Man/Woman competition. Gary, Rich and I represented the Barn Crew and Jill Mills training well. I placed first for the women while the guys placed first and third respectively in masters. The take away from the event...consistency is key. There were some great female competitors present but each one had one or two strong events. I was well prepared for all the events, thanks to Jill, and even though I only won one (I think...final scores have not been posted), I did place in the top two in all five. I had to overcome a strained back that occurred in event #2, a light farmers walk, but adrenaline did its work in the final three events. This was an excellent event put on at Kennedale H.S. by Bryan Barrett and I would highly recommend it for newbies and veteran strong men and women. God willing I will be back next year to defend my win.

Post competition, we went to the Stockyards and had a blast watching youngsters compete in a rodeo.    Now, it is time to hit the road back to San Antonio, work on getting my back healed up, and continue training for Nationals! And I am looking forward to every minute of torture at the barn!

the crew post competition

ROAD TRIP!

Ok...so it is only to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, but a road trip none the less.  With my best friend and biggest supporter by my side, the car will be packed with plenty of Big Red zero, chunky chips ahoy and cigars...oh and my lifting gear!  Last time we made a trip together, it was again to the Dallas area, but I was on my last leg of drinking and felt like shit most of the time.  This time I am in way better shape, in more ways than one, and ready to compete in the North Texas Strongest Man/Woman! 

stopping to see the new stadium on our last trip

I don't get nervous for events, I have spent my life competing in one sport or another, but I have to say I can feel a little pressure for this one, even though I have already qualified for nationals.  I can no longer claim to be a "novice" and need to get my shit together from event #1.  It will be a tough day of events without my coach in attendance, but I am thankful to have Brooke and my Barn Crew for support and plenty of laughs!  Wish us luck!  

Oh and one more thing...we are staying in road-side ghetto inn, so if you don't see a post in a few days, go ahead and start to worry. 😉

Deloading Sucks

To deload: taking time off, a week spent recovering from exercise, to give your body and mind a rest, to prevent overtraning and increase your chances for progress.

You get stronger through recovery.  One week out from competition your lifts will not get bigger by pushing your body through more training, in fact, it will hurt more than help.  And you risk going into a competition at 50% or less than what you are capable of by hitting the gym hard, or garage in my case, every day leading up to the event. 

I understand this concept 100%, but that does not mean I have to like it.  Coming from an athlete that has ADHD and is in a constant battle with depression, I more or less hate these weeks.  I use lifting, whether it be powerlifting or strongman lifting to combat these issues.  For me, it becomes a mind game of...what if I did this with light weight or maybe I need to work this one more time.  Even though I know I am more than ready for every event.

My deloading week usually looks like this:
Sunday: finishing touches on strongman lifts/working skills/events that are weak
Monday: dynamic upper lifting
Tuesday: dynamic lower lifting
Wednesday: active recovery such as mobility
Thursday: pull my hair out
Friday: try and find anything and everything that will keep me out of the garage
Saturday: game day...back to normal

Following a competition I rarely take any time off before prep begins for the next competition...that is unless I am to sore to move.  Will I be back at the barn Sunday night for strongman training?  Even if I have to train alone, I sure as hell will be there!!!

the Barn Crew

Well this blog was inevitable and with a strongman competition coming up this weekend, I figured what better time than now! 

So we train at a barn.  I know what you are thinking.  A barn?  It is a barn full of strongman equipment owned and operated by the one and only Jill Mills.  I began my sunday trips to the barn one week prior to my first strongman competition.  That day was basically a quick run through of all the up-coming events, sweated my ass off, and home I went.  Now, strongman sunday is a ritual, impending bad weather or hot as hell, the crew takes on anything and everything that Jill throws at us...sometimes literally.

The "barn crew", as we have so been named, is made up of our coach Jill, who will show off by walking with, loading, or lifting twice the weight of anyone out there.  Then there is Rich, the first person I met training at the barn, and his wife Brandy, the former fitness competitor.  And finally, Gary, who I met for the first time at a competition in Ft. Worth. 

Just like any other group of training partners, we have really productive sundays and then we have those where we spend more time laughing at each other than actually doing work.  We talk a lot of trash, make fun of each other, but in the end cheer each other on through it all and sweat our ass off.  We have only all been training together since the beginning of June, but we are a small strongman family that was born in a barn.

 

Our crew will be traveling to Kennedale, Texas this weekend to compete in the 2nd Annual North Texas Strongest Man.  I wish my training partners the best! But no matter how we come out in the rankings we will have a great time, take lots of good pics, and probably share a few pop-tarts along the way. 

 

I love my crew!...sweat, dirt, tacky and all.  

 



our last training session at the barn

before the comp this weekend

  







     

Drunk-Fit

I have been alcohol free for almost sixteen months now, 100%, no cheating, not one damn drop.  However, it is important to note, I was not your typical one drink wonder, unless a keg is considered one drink.  Nor was I just the occasional weekend or special celebration drinker.  Chances are if you met me prior to my sixteen months, I was holding an ice cold brew…maybe even two and I could almost guarantee it was not my first one of the day.  I would crack my first beer after my alarm went off.  I would drink before I left the house for the day, while I was out, and then finish getting obliterated at home before bed.  I, in fact, was a 4000 calorie per day drinker, seven days a week.  Calculate that in cans of Miller Lite.  And never mind the amount of money involved.  Guess I should have started recycling.

I did not become a drunk overnight.  My problem(s) began at the ripe old age of 11…yes 11.  However, one day I woke up and said enough is enough.  I am done.  Two weeks prior to that decision, this is how bad it had become.  Before your alarm went off, I had already consumed a six pack.  Before lunch, I was up to a twelve pack, sometimes eighteen, while you were contemplating your first cold one on your lunch break after a rough morning at work.  In the afternoon, I would consume a six pack of sixteen ounce beers.  Just before rush hour traffic, I would make a run to the gas station for an eighteen pack and several fatties, my term for 24oz beers.  On days ending in “Y”, I would usually make another beer run in the evening.  I would plan out my night so I would have several beers left for when I would wake up at 2am and 4am.  Several hours later the vicious cycle would start all over again.  Who does that…who lives like that?   Me.  I did. 

I was somehow blessed with genes that have allowed me to at least resemble an athlete even during those times that my daily exercise routine was raising my hand for the bartender.  And I was also blessed with the ability get back in shape fairly easily if so desired.  I have been a competitive Division III basketball player turned two hundred plus pound bar hopping beer enthusiast to competing in the CrossFit games in 2009 where I was in the best shape of my life.  And I did so with a cold Miller Lite in one hand and a cooler of Miller over my shoulder.           

Alcohol, especially beer and tequila, are widely used substances by crossfitters everywhere.  I am not saying that every crossfitter drinks, so don’t interpret it that way.  No matter how much diet is preached by owners and athletes alike, drinking still exists.  I haven’t personally done any kind of scientific study on this matter; but take a brief moment to count the number of competitions that serve beer … like the CrossFit Games.  Hell, the regional competition that I competed in twice offered free beer (the good old days in Fort Worth).  There are boxes that regularly have a happy hour or a girl’s night out.  And the simple fact that there are CrossFit workouts (WOD’s) that incorporate beer drinking, whether sanctioned by CrossFit HQ or not, they do exist.  I have personally participated in the Century WOD and have done a chugging Grace faster than a lot of people can complete the thirty reps alone.  I do not condone lifting a bar overheard and drinking, so again do not interpret that statement as “I dare you to go out and try this”.  Maybe I should put a disclaimer on this damn thing.  Before Reebok, when CrossFit t-shirts were cool and original, there was a St. Patty’s Day shirt that highlighted green beer and burpees with a WOD printed on the inside.  Although my problem did not begin with CrossFit, drinking was made easy and I didn’t have to explain the constant presence of Miller Lite in my hand.  In my Level 1 Certification picture, I had a beer in my hand and no one wondered or asked why.  In fact, I became well known in the local crossfitting community for being that person, the one that always had a beer in hand (or both hands) and would only be questioned when I didn’t have one, regardless of the time of day.  I have to say it sure as hell was fun to be fit as fuck and drunk all the time…kind of a former dream come true for me. 

My first CrossFit gym was in its infancy when I joined but soon became the place to be for many top athletes as well as late night partiers, and I fit right in.  I was barely into my second week of CrossFit before I showed up to a 6am class after a late night of drinking with my favorite bartenders.  In other words, I was drunk.  As the gym grew, so did the parties and party goers.  Friday classes turned into workouts to burn off the calories that would be consumed later on that night.  Saturday classes turned into a “who could sweat out the most alcohol WOD” followed by a beer run before lunch.  In each instance, I learned that I could WOD with the best of ‘em sober or drunk.  So my workouts were as follows:  Mornings = hung over and probably had a beer on the way, Noon = got a good lunchtime buzz going, Evenings = already consumed at least a 12 pack.  And at my peak, I did two WODs a day…I will leave it to the imagination to total those beers consumed. 

Competition to me was to have the best time or rounds for the day, and then out drink everyone and be the last one standing at night.  In my mind, that was success…that and being the athlete cheered for in the ’09 Games solely for wearing a tank that said “I love Beer”.  At the Games as well as Regional’s, I sure as hell wasn’t the best athlete as far as workouts go but I guarantee I was the last one standing at the end of the night.  After all, I am competitive and was determined to win at something.  After four WODs and countless beers at the ranch, there was a team celebration at the beer tent followed by dinner with ice cold tall boys.  After dinner, we returned to the ranch (with beer) to hang out on center court while the pull-up rigs were being assembled for the final day of competition, and to watch a televised fight on the jumbo-tron.  For what it is worth, this one single day in Aromas ranks near the top for “best day ever”…and somehow this drunk remembers almost every moment. 

Do I miss CrossFit…yes!  All in all it was just something that I had to walk away from in order to begin to get my life back on track and deal with drinking and depression, a combo that can have some serious consequences.  WODing drunk, coaching drunk, drinking on the way to the gym, on the way home and usually at the gym…it was all a time bomb with a fuse that was getting shorter by the day.  Anyone want to see me do a three and half minute Fran on YouTube after chugging three 24oz beers? Here is the link:

http://youtu.be/TDn5cZ9n330

The BIG List of Drunken Activities

I have done a lot of dumb...and fun things throughout my drinking career.  Yes, it was a career of twenty-seven years...for sure longer than I have held one job.  So, one day I sat down with one of my partners in crime and made a list of all the stupid things we have done.  Just to note these were all done as an "adult".  It does not include swimming in a fountain, streaking a football field on alumni weekend, drinking beer at center court with a schools mascot (and getting busted by a renta cop), wrestling in snow drifts, or riding in shopping carts.  Nor does it include taking daiquiris on high school trips, getting bombed with frats, or playing flip cup at a local dive while working basketball camps.  What this does include is just about everything we could remember from 2002 until last year when I quit drinking.  I am sure everyone has their list, some bigger and better, but this is ours and it was a blast reminiscing on the most recent drunk years.  Good times!   

• Throw up spinach on the ceiling. 
• Make a wrong turn and end up in Canada with open containers and six cases in the back.
• Get lost in a bar in New Orleans while the other person watches and laughs.
• Fall in a man-hole without spilling a draft beer.
• Hang out with the locals (a bartender, a jockey, and an old weird guy) in a trailer park in Sedona.
• Fall in the bathtub headfirst without knocking yourself out.
• Get wasted with your airplane neighbors, that you are facing, on the way to Vegas.
• Get someone to look for the train that traveled through the backyard.
• Visit a strip club Easter morning.
• Enjoy the 31^st day during the month of June.
• Earn a nickname based solely on a bet you made while drinking.
• Draw a blank on your own house alarm code, let the alarm go off and just wait for the company to call and ask for a password.
• Wake to find Whataburger all over the kitchen and fries on the floor only to ask “who had Whataburger”…and a fry fight.
• Celebrate a 40^th on a party bus and have nothing but completely inappropriate pictures to show for it.
• Get a bartender to make you a balloon toy that looks like a vagina, then proceed to carry it around with you the rest of the night.
• Stand on a bar and moon the people in the kitchen.
• Flatten a brand new tire with a 2 inch bolt in the sidewall on Cinco de Mayo.
• Make a midnight run to Eagle Pass to gamble and live to tell about it.
• Tube with crossfitters that have no idea how to limit beer and alcohol, make a random guy's girlfriend cry, and follow your friend that gets out of the river and walks a mile back to the car.
• Host a party with oysters and red jello shots, because those two things don’t make a mess.
• Have a large man appear out of nowhere the morning after the party when you thought he had gone home…or got arrested.
• Sprint across a parking lot to claim two kegs that fall off a Budweiser truck and host an impromptu party that night.
• Do 100 pull-ups while drinking 100oz of beer...and more.
• Drink into oblivion before a 6am flight and have the other drunk person do your laundry and pack.
• Get kicked out of a restaurant by lunging across the bar at another patron that is talking trash.
• Invite a friend to go start a fight with the jackass manager of Logan’s.
• Throw a handful of quarters at a bunch of parked cars after getting the boot from Babcock Bar...and forget to pay your $100 tab.
• Pee on yourself at a Fiesta festival…and Dave & Busters.
• Lock yourself out of a friend’s house on the 4^th of July then proceed with a scavenger hunt to find a spare…if there is in fact one.
• Get pulled over for expired tags and break the motor in your driver side window…and then spill your 24oz beer in the center console. 
• Take six cases of beer on a weekend trip for two and still have to buy more.
• Force someone to pull over so you can pee off the bumper only to learn there is a gas station just over the next hill.
• When all the beer is gone and the stores are closed be sure to drink every last drop of anything you can find in the house…a giant bottle of white wine, some fruity crap a friend brought….
• Walk around a bar in your sports bra for $5.
• Have a peeing competition and fill a 32oz Styrofoam cup…and then still have to pee.
• Watch a friend face plant in the driveway in another friend’s fresh pile of puke...and laugh.
• Take a random friend's car keys, preferably the nicest car you can find, and make a beer run just before midnight…be sure to mess up all the radio settings.
• Play drinking games at a gym...more than once.
• On the way to a drag show, attempt to get a tranny to jump in the cab of a truck with a wounded warrior without getting shot.
• Take a cross country road trip based solely on the location of micro-breweries.
• Extend one Vegas trip by changing your flight then the next time extend it three days...one day at a time and three different hotel rooms.
• Drink beer at the CrossFit Games...before the WOD...and Regionals.
• The morning after an all-night party, extend the party to brunch with all you can drink mimosas and bloody marys...and then until 3pm with beer.
• Play catch-up when you get off work by drinking everyone's fresh and left-over drinks at the bar.
• Have a chugging contest...with baby bottles.
• Run up a tab that creates a receipt that is literally a foot long.

 

 

 

 

Everything I Know About Lifting...

...I learned from Jill Mills. 100% true statement!

Before I start rambling, I am under the assumption that everyone knows who Jill is...a 2x World's Strongest Woman...holds more powerlifting records than I can count...and is by far the best personal trainer/strongman coach in San Antonio, shit probably the best there is in Texas.  But I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings...oh what do I care, this is my blog. She is the best there is period! 

I met Jill for the first time about ten years ago at a Silver Stars game, and will admit that I pretty much ran over some of women's college basketball premier coaches to do so. And her autograph from that day still hangs in my game room/former bar. 

Now fast forward to October of last year. After several e-mail exchanges, I met Jill again. This time seven months sober, 50lbs heavier than I am now, and wanting to learn how to powerlift. We sat down at Olympic gym to discuss goals and expectations...in the thirty minutes following this conversation I found out my lifts were shit, form was shittier, and I had a ton of work to do if I wanted to compete and/or be competitive. I left the gym that day thinking two things: 1. this was definitely the trainer for me and 2. what in the hell had I been doing since college for my lifting technique to be so bad?!

I grew up in an era where lifting for sports was a guy thing...and the school weight rooms were reserved for the football team. Lifting for team sports didn't come into practice until I was in my final years of college, and most lifting technique was self-taught (problem #1). I relied heavily on muscle magazines to learn the why, what, and how to lift. I was at least lucky enough that a professor of mine, who is now well known for coaching Olympians, introduced me to Olympic lifting.

In 2008, I found CrossFit. So, all that I had learned, or better yet, had NOT learned turned into fast paced, high repetition crap (problem #2). I squatted mostly with my quads, pressed off my toes, deadlifted with my back, and muscled my way through other lifts. At the time, it worked for me and I competed in the CrossFit Games in 2009. Then came injury after injury from poor technique.

One of the first things I told Jill is that I didn't squat, nor did I want to, because of injuries and hadn't in 2+ years.  So what is the first damn thing we do...work on squats.  Why?  Because little did I know...actually I did but didn't abide by this theory myself...that all lifting derives from the base up.  Without a squat and more power in my lower body, I would never get any better...not what I wanted.  Jill and I have spent hours of gym time changing and/or altering every little detail in all my lifts.  I am a constant work in progress...especially my squat, but have gone from struggling with 95lbs to back squatting 200lbs...from barely getting one rep of a 115 front squat to doing reps at 115.  My 225 deadlift with the worst form ever has turned into a 345 with only minor issues.

As I mentioned, I began my training with Jill in October 2012.  I entered my first bench press only powerlifting competition in December...weighing in at 192.  My second competition and first full meet came in March and I now weighed 167.  That same weekend I also competed in my first strongman competition.  It was one of those last minute decisions...jump into head first and see what happens kind of things.  Well, I fell in love with the sport.  Weight wise, I weighed in at 157 for my final powerlifting meet of the year.  I never once asked or told Jill that I wanted to lose weight...I just wanted to lift heavy.  Nor did I ever change my diet...cookies and Big Red every day.  I do not recommend that to everyone.   

In October of this year, pretty damn close to one year of training with Jill, I will be competing in my first strongwoman national competition.  I still have a shit ton of work to do before I get there and have two more contests before then.  BUT I would have never done any of this without her help.  She is like a big sister that will beat the crap out of you, then turn around help you up, dust you off, and brag about your accomplishments.  She pushes me to my limits and then adds more weight when I am not looking.  She has molded me into a more confident and well rounded athlete.  I am better because of her. 

What more could you ask for?  For me personally, take all that I have learned in the last year and put it to work at nationals.  Like we used to say in basketball...leave it all on the floor.    

my first lift in competition

   

Strongman Training 102

I hate cardio! Yes, its true...if you haven't heard me mention it before, you have now! Cardio just makes me angry.  Now, my definition of cardio is basic body weighted exercises with a specific rep count for time or so many rounds (I do NOT do treadmills, jazzercise, or anything like that).  Basically, if its not rip your arms and/or legs off heavy, it is, in my book, body weighted...ie the 65# bar I used yesterday.

My coach has started to program what she calls GPP into my weekly routine. CrossFitters know it as a WOD and I call it crap on a stick.  No matter what it is called....and how much I hate it, it is an essential part of my strongman training.

Here is the video from yesterday...with some strongman event work at the end.

Strongman Training 101

I have some great partners in crime when it comes to training strongman events.  We are so good at what we do, we even have training videos to help other aspiring strongmen/women.  Pay close attention or you just might miss some key techniques. 

Ok well maybe it won't be one of your "go to" training videos, but our strongman crew is always good for a few laughs!  Enjoy!

Inspirational Women of CrossFit

Maybe its just me but a lot of the "inspirational" videos posted by CrossFit have been less than inspirational and more "just make this shit stop".  Personally, I am not inspired by a dude with a minor knee injury or someone who failed to qualify for the Games because they tripped on their shoe string...ok maybe that didn't happen, but if it did I am sure a video would be published for the world to see and that athlete would have brand new velcro Reeboks.  

However, someone at HQ came through today with a good one...finally.  So I decided to add my three favorite inspirational women of CrossFit and videos to the mix.  Enjoy!

This is a video of my friend Therese made by her sister.  If you need help defining the word "warrior", this is the video for you.  She has done a lot of great things since this was made so be sure to check out more of her videos. 

http://youtu.be/dii0yA9M8KE

Amanda Miller.  New crossfitters will know the name because it is a hero WOD, but few know about her battle after the 2009 CrossFit Games that took her life less than a year later.  Her blog is still live at amandaredmiller.blogspot.com

http://youtu.be/vehqNpB6N9k

One of the original Nasty Girls AND the original Annie!  No your Life as Rxd t-shirt does not reference all the chicks you have slept with....it is a legendary workout!  

http://youtu.be/05KMYCcZQBw

And finally, the newest and by far the best posted by CrossFit in recent memory. 

http://youtu.be/MWwobEbaac4

The Search for a Trainer: Part 1: the Globo gym

Trainers and coaches are a dime a dozen these days, but great ones are hard to find.  Having been on both sides of the situation, I have personally seen the good, the bad, and the absolutely horrible.  I spent two years as a graduate assistant in collegiate women's basketball before landing my first and only head coaching position.  On the training side, I was one of the eighteen million CrossFit level 1 certified coaches as well as a personal trainer at a local globo gym.  And just to throw it in, I also have my master's degree in exercise science. 

Does my background make me an expert in this area?  Probably not, but it leans toward a lot of real world experience.  Was I a good coach/trainer?  Well....if you caught me on a day that I was sober, I know that I was better than a lot of the choices now days.  Actually, I was better drunk than some of the "trainers" I have seen AND worked with.  (If you haven't read any of my previous blogs, I am a recovering professional drunk...thus the reason for the occasional drunk references.)

Now, every coaching/training situation is different...from the knowledge of the trainer, to their personality, to their background in the sport, and I believe where they train or coach makes a huge difference also.  I will break this down into three categories:  Globo gyms, CrossFit gyms, and sports specific gyms/hardcore gyms; and then post on each one separately.   

The Globo Gym:  I start with this particular type of gym because I have had the worst experiences both as a trainer and training at these places.  They are the ones you see in mass all over various cities, have commercials offering you two biceps for the price of one, and offer free pizza to gym members (let it be known that if it was chocolate chip cookies, I might join).  The process for becoming a trainer in one of these gyms varies, but the basic idea is that you pay a large sum of money, take a test on-line, and you're off to start a new career.  The one thing everyone needs to know about globo gym trainers, they are high pressure salesmen.  These trainers celebrate incoming money, not necessarily new clients because more than likely you will get an introductory rate, but the clients they re-sign, when they jack up the price for your sessions.  If you sign up for a minimal amount of sessions, they are required to charge you the highest rate.  So, whether or not they can actually help you achieve your goal(s) is second to how much money you are willing to spend.  In addition, boot camps in Globo gyms are typically a joke.  Why you ask?  Because there is little money to be made and most trainers do not want to waste their time teaching them.  Personally, high pressure sales is not something I can do...I lean toward telling people the truth, not filling their head with a bunch of bullshit and stealing their hard earned money. 

I made a huge mistake once in hiring a trainer simply because he was massive.  I knew that all I wanted to do was lift big, so in my mind he was going to be great.  Long story short, my "personal" training turned into a boot camp of some sort based solely on cardio and body weighted movements.  I hate body weighted workouts and hate running even more!  I guess the heavy lifting part slipped his mind. 

Now, there are good educated trainers in globo gyms...they are just harder to find.  Most offer a free introductory workout session.  Take advantage of this process and get to know the trainer before laying down any money.  Typically, there is also a head trainer of some sort and if they care enough about their job, will be able to match you up with a trainer based on your preferred workout style.  Another thing you might consider is to ask one of the trainers how to use certain pieces of equipment.  It is free and to some extent will test the knowledge of the trainer. 

Finally, be aware that newbie trainers are usually assigned to weekend duty.  The ones I worked with usually did not want to be there and more times than not came in hung-over, still drunk or high from the night before.  Keep in mind that most are kids, usually college students, that are just looking to make a buck to fund their weekend party. 

If you are looking to join a Globo gym, in my humble opinion, stay away from the personal trainers, OR do a lot of research before you waste time and money on a bad experience like I did.  If you are an experienced lifter and have your own routine, then you have nothing to worry about...go for the Globo!        

   

Loading at Home

Holy shit work has been kicking my ass! But speaking of work...I have access to some great leftovers such as steel and pallets that anyone could easily turn into a platform for loading.  Personally, as a competitve strongwoman, this is one event that I really have to work on for nationals.  Most local competitions use light weight...nothing over 135.  So today, I brought home some pieces to get my garage platform started.  When finished, it will be made mostly of pallets with some steel to reinforce it and secured with decking materials.  It will also have two different surfaces, one with a hole for stones and one with a flat surface for kegs and sandbags.  Total cost: about five to ten bucks for the material to secure it and probably twenty to thirty for a padded mat so that I don't crack the concrete in the garage...just in case I have to park a car in it some day :)

 

And as a side note, I do make my own stones.  The molds are from Hybrid and are super easy to use...although mine did not come with any instructions, a quick Google search will bring up instructions as well as "how to" videos.  It is a messy process, especially if you choose to use coloring like I did for the one pictured below, but the end result, so far, has been perfect.  



 

Gotta love garage training!!

33 Reasons to Train Strongman | Breaking Muscle

33 Reasons to Train Strongman | Breaking Muscle

USPA Alamo Classic

A Little Bit of Everything

Before I catch myself posting about lifting, strongman, and more lifting, a little bit of background info would probably help.  First, I am a 39 year old recovering alcoholic...or as I like to say "former professional drunk".  I say that mainly because I spent most of my life drinking and was damn good at it.  For me, it was mostly a way to hide from my problems and various issues, but have just recently passed the fifteen month mark clean and sober.  I will probably post more on the alcoholic side of my life in other blogs, but for now I shall leave it at that.

I work part-time in retail, office supplies if you must know, and have worked on and off with the same company for nearly twelve years.  I am not your average salesman or customer service representative.  I work in the back of the store doing all the dirty work and heavy lifting...and am very well known around the local stores for what I do and what I can get done.  I do love my job...even though I may not be the most customer friendly person you will ever meet. 

I have a wonderful supportive family at home that includes two cats, two Boston Terriers, and my sidekick Killian, a Doberman.

I always love a good cigar, a cold Big Red Zero, and Chunky Chips Ahoy!

And finally, my passion...lifting.  I have always been a sports person and began playing at a young age.  I pursued basketball in college and am in my university's Athletic Hall of Fame.  After my basketball career and grad school, lifting was my sport...at that time it was mainly a way to stay in shape.  I found CrossFit in '08 through my personal trainer and became one of only two people in the city to ever represent as an individual competitor at the CrossFit Games in 2009.  Injuries plagued me after the Games and through drinking and sitting on my ass gained about fifty or so pounds.  In October of last year, I met with a new personal trainer, set some goals, dropped all the weight and now compete in powerlifting and strongman competitions. 

In a nutshell...that is me.  Living a whole new life and loving every minute of it!