My First Muscle-Up

This was my first muscle-up! Completing a muscle-up is exciting. The only thing I can compare the since of accomplishment to is when I would run a fast and relatively mistake free 400 hurdles in college. Just like in the hurdles its easier when you do it right. The failures are hard the successes feel awesome.

Crossfit Games

2009 Crossfit Games winner Mikko Salo in white shirt and runner up Tommy Hackenbruck in Red competing in second workout of day two.

Split Jerk Day

This is one of the few areas in which Jon's technique is better than Rosanna's. Notice how low Jon gets compared to Rosanna. She could get under the bar she could get at least 10-15lbs more.

Jon's Hop

Jon lets the bar get away from his body. Look for the hop. Looking on is coach Rosanna.

Hang Snatch 7/7/09

Rosanna doing the Crossfit FTF WOD, Hang Snatch 4-4-4-4-4.

My Five Fingers

Earlier this year at the National Convention for the National Strength and Conditioning Association I saw a guy walking around in shoes that looked like gloves.  I didn't get the chance to ask about them, so when I got home I looked them up on the internet.

The shoes are made by Vibram.  They are called Five Fingers.  They were originally created for water sports, but they now promote them for many outdoor activities including running.  I bought mine so I could do sprints in the grass without worrying about stepping on sprinkler heads or dog crap.

Running in the Vibram Five Fingers is like running barefoot.  There are many advantages to running barefoot.  Running barefoot forces runners to correct certain technical errors.  Landing in front of the body is one such error; landing in front of the body is called breaking or over striding.  This is hard on your body because every time your feet strike the body (heels, knees, hips, back) absorbs the shock.  If you land closer to under the hip and on the ball of the foot (heel low to the ground to the ground to keep the achilles tight) your muscles and tendons will absorb the shock or energy.  Muscles and tendons are elastic so they are much better shock absorbers.  Barefoot running is also good for balance,  and body control.  Taking away the shoes forces the foot to actively react to the ground strengthening all the muscles that support the foot and ankle.

UCLA Tempo Runs

When I was in college my coach would have us run UCLA Tempo Runs in the fall.  I believe that these workouts were created by coach John Smith of UCLA.  This type of tempo is different than what distance runners are used to.  Like the distance version the UCLA tempo run should be done at a consistent pace but the run is broken into reps and sets of short runs.  The reps are separated by 50 meter jogs and the sets are separated by 100m walks.  The workout is harder than you would think, it's only 2200m.

Here's UCLA Tempo A:

100-100-100+

100-200-100-100+

100-100-200-200+

100-200-100-100+

100-100-100

- is the 50m jog

+is the 100m walk

The workout is usually done on the field inside a track, the 100s on the grass and the 200-400s are on the track.  The 50m jog is done by jogging across the field.  The pace is determined by your fitness.  If you're doing it for the first time I suggest holding back a little at the start, by the time your half way through you'll know if your going the right pace or if your going to burn.  I usually try to hit 20 seconds for each 100 and I go very slow on the jogs.

Tempo A is the easiest version, they go up to Tempo F.  Right now tempo A is a good workout for me, when I am in shape I like Tempo C.

Tempo C:

100-100-100+

100-300-200-100+

100-300-400-200+

100-200-300-100+

100-300-200-100