One month of Streetparking

Last spring I was talking to one of my TA's and I found out that she did CrossFit, I promptly asked her if it is true that CrossFit tries to take over your life.  Now, one month into Streetparking, I am well into the stereotype that I am always thinking CrossFit.

What is CrossFit? The definition comes from Greg Glassman, the founder:

CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.

In their definition of fitness, CrossFit recognizes that there are 10 broad areas of fitness (What is Fitness?). They are cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.  The theory is based on the need to exercise three metabolic pathways: two anaerobic (Phophagen, Glycolytic) and one aerobic (Oxidative), with a bias towards the anaerobic under the theory that aerobic can be taken care through interval training (maintain effort over time)

And the exercises they use to get there are taken from gymnastics, power and olympic lifting, and endurance sports.  Because of the skills and raw strength required for power and olympic lifting, CrossFit gets grouped with the weight training sports (the others are bodybuilding and physique).  And like power and olympic lifting, the weight training is focused on few exercises working multiple joint large muscles, with the stabilizer muscles being taken care of using other exercises (gymnastic type exercises with weights in the case of CrossFit).

So, some thoughts on the first month of following Streetparking (Instagram) programming.

1. I like workouts where I have to learn technical skills. But that is basically true of every other aspect of my life.  By this I mean that I like having to learn how to do the basic power lifts (deadlift, squat, and press) and olympic lifts (clean, snatch) and that these are not straight strength moves.  (which is why exercise machines bore me)  I also like having to learn the various bodyweight/weighted gymnastics moves.  While this would normally require a coach or trainer, the Streetparking videos on Instagram/Facebook and tutorial videos do the job reasonably well.  (their tutorials are not just the normal howtos you see on YouTube, they talk through the finer points/common errors of the movements and substitutions).  And CrossFit has lots of movements to learn. (and then you have the fact that the Streetparking coaches create movement combinations, that elicit a "did that say what I think it said" reaction.)
2. The focus is on movements, not muscles. The goal of CrossFit is capability, not strength (but you need strength to be capable, just like you also need endurance, power, stamina, . . .) So every workout has options that are easier, either based on strength (lighter weight) or easier movements where they are chosen so that you are building strength, power, flexibility, . . . so that you will get to the goal movement.
3. Programming matters.  As I remind my students, programming is the sequencing of activities for a goal. CrossFit gets knocked for being random programming. But it is not.  It is varied programming that makes sure that you get a range of fitness (see 10 broad areas of fitness and three metabolic pathways).
4. There are benchmarks.  In one month, I saw two of the standard CrossFit benchmarks (two of "the girls" Fran and Jackie).  There have also been 3~4 other workouts that were repeats (allowing for performance comparisons).  And I also have done two other named ("hero") workouts. This is in addition to a mile run, which I expect will show up again someday. The benchmarks mean that the improvements are measurable in the course of the standard programming.
5. Working out at home is great.  The Streetparking programming is designed to be done at home. Which means I can work out when my schedule allows it. And this can range from first thing in the morning to around midnight (which makes going to a trainer at a gym out of the question). It is also programmed for a range of free weight based equipment sets, from minimal (dumbbells/kettlebells + pullup bar/rings/suspension bands) to a full barbell rack.  And since I'm not going to spend $1000s on weight equipment, this works for me (the standard CrossFit equipment set begins with a powerrack with barbell and a pullup bar. But this is on the same order in cost as the more well known home gym machines)
6. It is time efficient.  Compared to running in my marathon days or my strength based workouts from earlier this summer, the base CrossFit workout in 20-30 minutes is more challenging than an hour workout of either endurance or strength exercises, and it challenges both strength and conditioning in that time.  What that means in practice is that if I block off an hour, I will stretch, practice TKD, then do the CrossFit workout.  And I will finish the workout wiped.  As the founder of CrossFit comments when faced with questions on if one should do multiple workouts of the day, if that thought comes up, you probably were not doing the workout intensely enough.  That was not true when I was running or doing strength training (well, unless my run was > 3 hours)  When I did trainer sessions at the YMCA earlier this summer (which was a mix of freeweights, bodyweight, and machines) an hour workout would tire me out, but I would be recovered in a few hours rest.
7. It is a good counterpoint to TKD.  I use TKD (martial arts) as my warmup into CrossFit.  The TKD becomes the skills session, while CrossFit challenges my strength and conditioning.  And the CrossFit folks make a point of saying that CrossFit is intended to make you capable of something else, not as an end in itself, so it fits together.
8. The online Streetparking community is great.  While they use an app (Wodify) that is in use in gyms for recording progress, they have a strong presence on Facebook and Instagram. I basically have an Instagram account I use only for fitness stuff (to spare my Facebook friends from experiencing the friend who can only talk CrossFit).  And the Streetparking coaches and other members are believers in that you cheer people on who are at the limits of their ability, whatever that may mean.  Not just the stars or those who look good, but anyone who works out hard enough to struggle.  The marks of a good workout seems to be the sweat stains on the floor and how close you came to failure by the end of the workout, not the pounds on the bar. And this encouragement is enough for me to push my workouts. And I freely admit to looking forward to seeing likes and comments on my posts from real people on my Instagram account (all the marketing accounts hitting my posts are merely amusing).  There are a few people that I actually interact with regularly (enough that I know something of their history), some of whom are highly competitive. And that kind of interaction is pretty cool.  Especially for an old guy (by fitness standards)
9. The emphasis on capability over looks. There is a lot in social media focused on looks. And in fitness, this shows up in all the marketing accounts that have found me that are into fitness, bodybuilding, physique. This contrasts even with lifting accounts.  But the CrossFit focused people are all about growing in capability, being able to do something rather than looks, or weight.  There are references to looks (bikini bod, gains (muscle)) but these are secondary (even though they are acknowledged as human motivations). The goals are long term, not short.  And the runner's slogan of "no short cuts" definitely applies.  I like that type of attitude, that we reach our goals through hard work over time, not special equipment, techniques, or programs.  

Parenting Month 92: Let's Exercise

We are getting the full value of our ever more equipped gym in the basement.  My daughter in particular has exercising as her go-to activity when bored (ok, it probably loses to watching videos, but exercising in the basement makes a pretty good run when daddy is home).  Some fun things:

1. She joined me in watching the Crossfit games.  Since I've been learning many of the standard and Olympic lifts (on dumbbells) and she recognizes the gymnastic moves from our fitness cards, she would regularly see something and ask "do you do that?"  Having your daughter ask if you are like a world class athlete is a real big ego boost.
2. She has been joining me in CrossFit workouts at home.

The original idea was to do the #streetparking 073018 workout, but my daughter had other thoughts. 3 rounds 10x jumping jacks, 10x bear hug squats, 10x weighted pushups, 30 sec planks. Weighted step ups 10x each side. Solo: 2rounds 8x renegade rows with pushups, 20 dumbbell hopovers. 50 kettlebell swings. #garagegym #dadworkout

A post shared by Louis L (@lluang70) on Aug 9, 2018 at 6:15pm PDT

3. She joined me in a visit to a Crossfit gym for a fundraiser workout.  This was public friendly, so it was mostly moves that she recognized from our fitness cards, and things that she has seen (she knows to use a light ball in the place of dumbbells or kettlebells and I can give her subs for things she cannot do).

Went with A (dd4) to @cfironcity for the #22istoomany veteran suicides WOD fundraiser for @activeheroes. A was a champ. Several new movement for me. Calorie rows, atomic sit-ups, and DB snatches were brand new for me, and I’m still working on getting a good feel for wall balls. This was a very good first visit to a #CrossFit box for me. And A did very well as we figured out a version of each exercise for her. #daddydaughterworkout #firsttimeinabox

A post shared by Louis L (@lluang70) on Aug 19, 2018 at 1:11pm PDT

4.  And she now joins me in full on Crossfit workouts (http://streetparking.com) workouts at home

We did Julian’s benchmark from #streetparking from Friday. And my daughter really wanted to exercise. 5 rounds of 8 jumpovers, 20 front rack lunges, 20 hang snatches. (Green on whiteboard are my daughters scaling). I used 27 lb DB. In the middle of round 3 I cried uncle and my front rack lunges became goblet lunges. 15:25. And my best #sweatangel so far. My daughter made it about 1 1/2 rounds before she decided that this was too much exercise and she just watched. Afterwards, she got her second wind and we did TKD form and @stack52 cards. @streetparkingmembers #homegym #garagegym #familyfitness

A post shared by Louis L (@lluang70) on Sep 1, 2018 at 5:53pm PDT

We'll see how things go when school goes in earnest.  My weekday workouts tend to be late at night, so she does not get to see them.  But it is fun to take a session in the weekend and throw down some exercise cards.

In other news, we had another visit with a cousin.  They did the usual Science Center and museum visits, robot camp, and the LEGO exhibit "The Art of the Brick"

Pairs activity at "The Art of the Brick"

My daughter refers to this as older brother's cousin, to contrast to the cousins in China who are girls and younger.

My son is becoming more aware of the difference between summer and the school year.  While mommy and daddy school is not a cakewalk, there is a difference between that and the hours spent at school during the year, followed by tedious homework (and he can tell the difference there as well).  so another year is on the way, and while it is not dread, it is not excitement either.