Saturday, December 29, 2018

75 WODs of Streetparking


I made it to one of Streetparking milestone, 75 recorded WODs. And this does not include non-Streetparking WODs I have done like hero WOD or non-Streetparking events. I started CrossFit in August using an online program named StreetParking. The way CrossFit works is that the exercise programming that includes constantly varying workouts covers a range of fitness and time domains. So for StreetParking, in a day there are 2 or 3 movements(sometimes 1, but that is going to be a doozy) done in a circuit at high intensity, generally hitting different body stimuli.

The 10 fitness domains are cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. And the exercises they use to get there are taken from gymnastics, power and olympic lifting, and endurance sports.  Time domains can be short to long, where short are usually power movements, middle are less than 2 minutes, and long with more than 2 minutes on reps of a single movement.

So 75 workouts took from August 19 until December 1, 104 days or 15 weeks at about 5 StreetParking workouts per week.  In cases where I have TKD, I would normally do the SHIFT version of the workout, which is meant to be a simpler workout (i.e. less complex movements). The normal StreetParking workout is done with dumbbells.  I have two sets of handles and about 210 lbs of weight plates.  They also have a barbell version that I used to often use as an excuse to use my sandbags (I have a 50 and 65 lb) because they are so much fun. Now that I have a short power cage, I've started to use the barbell more.

Some things I've noticed (i.e. how does CrossFit keep you in)

  1. Every week or so I add in a new movement.  The way CrossFit works is that because they constantly vary the workout, there are a lot of movements drawn from powerlifting, olympic lifting, and gymnastics.  So there are two ways of scaling, or adapting a movement to be within capability, one is to lower weight, the other is to substitute a movement that is easier to perform, but still hits the same muscle groups and provides the same stimulus. But the scales are designed to prepare you to some day get closer to the actual goal movement.  So, as I do more workouts, and repeatedly scale the same movement over the months, every now and then I get to the point I can actually do the programmed movement.  This is what the video game crowd calls "Achievement unlocked", but in this case it represents a physical capability. And that is a really cool feeling.
  2. As an online source of programming, StreetParking replicates the gym experience through its Instagram and Facebook accounts, with the actual workouts being distributed through a members only website and a private Instagram account.  Members also monitor the #streetparking hashtag on Instagram on Facebook. So, one, you get a lot of likes and a few comments when you post the workout. And in the CrossFit ethos, the kudos are for doing the workout at your level of intensity, not the weight or how you look. They also have two-three motivation montages a week made up of StreetParking members. And what they highlight is the diversity in the fitness levels and stages of life of the members, some look like top calibre athletes, and others would never be mistaken as such, some have a full set of equipment in decked out garage gyms, others are improvising every which way.  But all are doing the workout with intensity (as it means at their level of fitness)  And that is cool.
  3. I've made it on some of the montage videos. It is so much fun to realize that I'm counting as a source of inspiration to others. Especially since I'm watching the montage videos and commenting to my 4 yr old daughter about how cool they are.  (she is only interested in the ones that I am in, with bonus when she is in the video with me doing the workout)
  4. I really like the fact that so many of the people posting videos are parents in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.  Not the usual gym workout population, and beyond the usual selfie types.
  5. As an online program, the community is based in Instagram and Facebook. I post most of my workouts on Instagram. While there are those that look good, in CrossFit, the real applause comes from struggling. Because, it turns out that even though people have different levels of fitness and skill, and therefore scale the workout in different ways, people doing the workout hit the pain points at around the same time.  So an honest effort followed by an honest recap of the workout gets alot of "me too", and reading everyone's recap of the workout shows a lot of similarities, down to the round that you realized that this workout is not as easy as you thought of it and when the struggling began. It makes for a shared experience, even when each of us are doing the workout alone at home.
  6. The way CrossFit works is that there are benchmarks, and because weight, scaling, and time are recorded, there is a record of progress.  I actually have not been doing this long enough to get benchmarks repeated, but I have done enough benchmark WODs that I should be having repeats, in addition to the basic lifts.
  7. When I was single, I would get in caught in the conversation of what body type I wanted (in a potential date). My reply was always, I did not care so much about what the body looked like, but I cared that that body was active, because I was a runner who liked to hang out around active people. And while that group had a range of body types, they were all quite capable, and anyone I dated had to keep up.  This usually earned me looks like I was from another planet and completely missed the point of the conversation.  But in StreetParking/CrossFit, this is clearly my kind of crowd.
  8. My daughter likes to watch CrossFit and do workouts with me.  We like it that when I watch these videos we can watch women exercising at both the elite CrossFit Games level as well as the normal people on StreetParking. I like having her grow up thinking that women can exercise and be strong. She also likes doing the workouts with me.  We have gotten pretty good at scaling the workouts and figuring out options within her capability.
  9. Having a home gym means I get my workout in wherever I can squeeze in the time. Sometimes that is 0 dark thirty in the morning. Sometimes I am squeezing in 30-40 min in the middle of the day or early evening, sometimes this is the late at night. Time and schedule does not matter, my home gym is ready for me.
  10. I made it this far with dumbbells and sandbags. And I made a pylo box, kettlebell, and purchased a short (6') power rack to go with my short (5') barbell. And I no longer look like a gym that is missing equipment.  I hope to be doing this for life, and I like having my own home gym to do it in.
  11. So far 91 Street Parking workouts.  Since August 2018, workouts have included two hero workouts (Saman and Chad), two of the girls (Fran and Running Jackie), multiple benchmark and signature workouts, qualifiers for a competition (Wodapalooza qualifiers were in StreetParking), one actual competition, (Vetwod), 




To the people who have adopted the belief that anyone can do it - and there are really no excuses. 3 months left of 2018 are going to be 🔥🔥🔥 • STREETPARKING.com • @cjdomin731 @kaymarie35 @thechubbycrossfitter @jimzagelow @anxiouscrossfitter @megmakesgains @triwellnessmom @blair_streetparkin @garagetraineddad @afisher.streetparking @brittany_danielle_fit @zengonestrong @circusneverleaves @christina_dennis @mitzycalderon @butterand_honey @amanda_ajoy @melissa_merriken @martin_sp_athlete @johnstreetparkingjourney @ovifitnessjourney @will_wod_4_donuts @redeemed_strength @hollypaigevincent @painandgaines94 @aaronyounkins @mrs.pt @themodernmombodblog @innercompass_co @lovgrenf @lluang70 @yoadrian4 @painterdpt @ashgrace21 @az.fit.girl @wodmothers @mssolina @amydrack @iamkerrit @mjcashio @mpape78 @xfitathome @j_flagg @xj_1208 @mandi28 @triciawhite2008 @Chicki103d @chuymzg @joepetri @team_runyan @mcclain_98 @cel.cf7 @marysgaragegym @hillarylv2fly @vishudayounkins @lily_g_5 • #fitnessmotivation #streetparking #fitness #homegym #garagegym
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Watch this video. Watch every clip. The extremely wide diversity in fitness levels and available equipment doing what they can to keep moving and reach their goals is freaking amazing. That is all. • STREETPARKING.com • @Donuts_n_squats @chicki103d @chaparrita_crossfitera @conscious_crossfitter @noc_rn @lisa_marie_1124 @vanbebsbarbellclub @somers_sp @circusneverleaves @lily_g_5 @jojo_finnes @melissamwauddpt @martin_sp_athlete @gorana_girl @strive4fitness5 @coffeencurves @garagetraineddad @lesliej11 @jennielynn0210 @afisher.streetparking @danielleschlegel15 @anxiouscrossfitter @texas_country_girl_strong @megan_cox_norris @cassiemgagnon @meli.aefit @srstrouse14 @jonmaxwell2121 @gypsy_heart07 @coach.wendy @zenlotus77 @barbellbeaute @squats.and.scrunchies @mandylcox @sufferwithfriends @m4iiis @crossfitpeacock @myleslifts @carbiehydrates @strongsweatymom @get.back.in.my.levis @painandgaines94 @lluang70 @pressitwristwraps @blair_street_parkin @daleyfitspiration @2fitgingersisters @johnstreetparkingjourney @oddsocksandtextbooks @__heydom @fit_girl_colleen @sq01_actual @kaci5 • #streetparking #fitness #garagegym #homegym #hotelworkout #fitnessmotivation
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‘Twas the week before Christmas - and as you can see - the dudes of Street Parking still getting after 2018!! • JOIN SP in December and have your Jan payment waived. So whatever membership you choose - you get a full month added for free! Valid on any SP membership option. • #mancrushmonday #mcm #streetparking #fitness #fitnessismadeinthewinter #homegym • @blair_street_parkin @crossfitcouch @lluang70 @martin_sp_athlete @cypressgaragedad @g_sanchez.16 @milano.fit @seb_felipe @bowmanallen @srstrouse14 @jasonmiotke @mullet_dj @teacherfitrx @mrchopsticksaka @stevenmc777 @myleslifts @lugon_01 @velezpau @redeemed_strength @dad.bod.adventures @adam_tries_fitness @titansyndicate @mcclain_98 @jennielynn0210 @afbuilder63 @jmemart44 @jays_fitness_journey @garagetraindeddad @argyle2233 @jonmaxwell2121 @velezmig @movestrongstaystrong @hecbru
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Monday, December 17, 2018

Book Review: Constructing the CrossFit Games by Dave Castro

Constructing The CrossFit GamesConstructing The CrossFit Games by Dave Castro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is Dave Castro's journal on the process of programming the 2017 CrossFit games, and it is provided as a day by day journal There are a few story lines here. First, his actual thought process of how he determines the workouts. This includes the test workouts which has some fun discussions of working with the athletes that help him test. It also includes the way he thinks of making up the workouts, how he classifies the workouts, describes the stimulus, and how he makes sure that the overall event covers a broad range of classifications and stimuli, and does this all within the time available during the weekend for all competitor categories. The stories are fun, but the discussions near the end of how he classifies workouts was something I was very interested in (I am an engineering professor)

The other big story is how he manages the CrossFit games. When I run my university department's senior capstone project class, I have a requirement that they include their weekly reports in their final report. Because I want a record to see how sausage is made. This book strikes me as being in the same spirit. The Games are a very big project with many parts. So we have day by day stories of how he is addressing one small piece of this big project, the false starts, the tests and what did or did not work, of incremental improvements, and the interactions with staff and his test athletes that lead to a final product. And at the end was a reflection, how each event went compared to how it was planned, warts and all. And so what I will most remember about this book is this reflection, and Castro's transparency and raw honesty with what worked and did not.

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Thursday, November 01, 2018

Parenting month 94: into the grind

So T has made it through two months of third grade.  And something we have noticed with other kids has come to pass, things ramp up in third grade.  T had testing for advanced classes, and now that he is in he gets to experience being way behind the other kids (which is a good thing for him). Things are not as easy as they were.

A is learning how to read. Her daycare comments that she is bright, but not exceptional the way T was (T was reading books to his classmates when he was 3). And there is a reality that A does not get the time with us going around town that T did, so we will have to consciously give her that time.

This is my second month doing Crossfit, following the StreetParking.com programming.  The StreetParking programming is intended for home gyms, with the target audience being people who are following CrossFit on their own, but are not elite athletes or have a full set of equipment (in particular, CrossFit is in part a weightlifting sport, so you would need a barbell, a power rack, and a set of appropriate weights to be fully equipped.)  Part of CrossFit is the concept of scaling.  If there is a workout planned, all movements included can be modified to make it possible for a person to do with the intended level of intensity. The goal is not to make the weight (Glassman says only 5% of people can do the workout as written), but to match the movement stimulus over the right amount of time.  And scaling can be either the weight (lower) or the movement (difficult movements have a progression of easier movements that work the same muscles in the same way).  My kids have been watching me do the workouts (it is a big ego boost when your 4 year old watches video of some elite athlete and asks if I do that). And sometimes they join in.  We have scaling for both of them on pretty much any movement that appears in the easy workout (what StreetParking calls shift).  My daughter has even figured out how to hip hinge (the movement that allows you to use your glutes and hamstrings to lift something off the ground instead of your arms) and demonstrates it with "heavy things".  And my daughter has made the StreetParking motivation montage several times by now.



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Saturday, September 22, 2018

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.  
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    Saturday, September 01, 2018

    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.

    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).

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



    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"


    Trying to give verbal instructions on how to make something
    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.
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