F.T.S.-Elite Living

Managing Your Way To Mediocrity

An article you should all benefit from.

Made available by Jon Gilson at Again Faster.

Patrick and I went to the track last week to blast through a quartet of four hundred meter sprints.  He blasted, and I ran like a prosthetic-free amputee.

There was a brutal headwind, inexplicably extending three-quarters of the way around the track.  It was an interesting twist, but I don’t think it caused my paint drying, grass growing slowness.  That honor belongs to my ever-so-awesome habit of managing my way through daily workouts.

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Trigger Point Seminar

Hamstrung

Hamstrung by Keith Wittenstein Crossfit Virtuosity

"Probably the most common condition that hinders athletic performance is tight hamstrings. Short tight hamstrings impede athletic performance in one simple but important way: they restrict the closing of the hip joint, i.e. they limit the anterior tilt of the pelvis. This restriction on the movement of the pelvis results in the muscles of the lower back taking up the slack. The negative impact is twofold: 1) the range of motion of the hips is restricted which reduces the power that can be produced by the hips; and 2) the lower back is put into flexion and thus susceptible to injury." 

Read the rest here: http://crossfitvirtuosity.com/blogs/articles/244-hamstrung

Heather, Juan, and Amanda.

99 Ways To Die

"You are going to die.  One day, you will be buried, cremated, or otherwise disposed of, returned to the carbon cycle from which you came.  Hopefully, someone will cry, and you'll leave the world with fond memories of your brief existence.

Odds are, your parting will not be the result of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis.  This occurrence, in which the rapid breakdown of muscle fibers overwhelms your kidneys with renegade proteins, is rarely fatal.  It is painful, but it will not send your loved ones coffin shopping.

You're far more likely, epidemiologically speaking, to die of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or one of myriad other ailments impacting our sedentary, insulin-insensitive population.  The trip from the couch to the crash cart occurs far more often than the trip from the platform to the emergency room..."

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This article was written by Jon Gilson At Again Faster. Thanks Jon!

The Chief

"The Chief"
Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
135 pound Power cleans, 3 reps
6 Push-ups
9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.

Post rounds completed for each of the 5 cycles.

Enlarge image

Each year in the United States Navy, a highly qualified and elite cadre of Sailors are selected and promoted to the join the ranks of Chief Petty Officer. Since 1893, "The Chiefs" have been relied upon by subordinates and superiors alike for their personal example, technical expertise and above all, their unique leadership capabilities. As the induction process for newly selected Chief Petty Officers is now underway throughout the US Navy, we thought it appropriate to inaugurate "The Chief" in honor and recognition of all past and present CPOs. Thanks to them and their families for their self-sacrifice, ability to adapt, tireless dedication to mission and devotion to country.

The Creative Habit

The Creative Habit by Keith Wittenstein

A couple of years ago my now-fiancée, Erin, told me I should read this book, "The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharp. Tharp is one of the most prolific and acclaimed choreographers of all time. I thought the book sounded interesting and I would eventually get around to reading it. Well I finally did get around to reading it and it is amazing. I wish I had read it a couple of years ago when Erin first told me about it.

There is a lot of information in this book that appeals to me as a former musician and a current writer/blogger. However, there is also a lot of information that appeals to me as an athlete and coach. Being creative, according to Tharp, is about forming good habits and rituals. Being creative is about work and consistency and skill. These traits are no less important for athletes and coaches, in my opinion.

To read more go here:
http://crossfitvirtuosity.com/blogs/articles/227-the-creative-habit

23 seconds

Here is an article by Jon Gilson at Again Faster.

Three weeks ago, I decided I was going to do a sub-3:00 "Fran".  Given my previous best of 3:22, a solid effort that included coherent talking afterward, I didn't think this would be a big deal.

I was wrong.

Things went off the tracks during the middle of the 15 set, when I lost my balance and pressed out the eighth thruster.   The workout never got better, and I finished my last pull-up at 3:52, a full fifty three seconds shy of my goal.  Unfortunately, missing my personal record was not the worst thing that happened to me that day, as I spent the next four hours lying on the bathroom floor making sounds like a wounded kitten while my head pounded out the baseline to "Thunderstruck".

You can find the article here: http://www.againfaster.com/articles/twenty-three-seconds.html