Bry Bry

I have been wanting to write this post for awhile, but honestly, today is the best possible day that I could have found time to actually write it. I want to tell all y'all about one of the newer members to the CrossFit community: Bryan De Cuir. 

Bryan came to CrossFit Music City 45 days ago. He had never even heard of CrossFit. He walked into my 6 am class, after stopping in and talking to our gym manager, Bill, a few days prior. Bryan was exuberant from day one, excited to try this new fangled workout routine. He asked me how if I could, would I please watch his form because he really wanted to do things right. Umm excuse me? Make sure you're doing things correctly? Not, "Get me skinny." Not, "Scaled? No - I can totally handle a 315 deadlift for reps." Not, "Well I can't do pullups because I'm sore from my cardio kickboxing class." OMG!!! I should have known right then and there that he was one of us! This man didn't have a clue about CrossFit, but there would be no giving him the Kool-Aid, it was already coursing through his veins. He was a coach's dream come true. No ego. No pretense. No excuses. (Does it sound like I was twitterpated? Yah, maybe I was a bit twitterpated....but honestly, how many of you early morning coaches get that complete trust bright and early? OF COURSE I was twitterpated).

On top of his great attitude, Bryan came in at the perfect time - when we were starting the next Paleo Challenge. And he jumped all in. He devoured the packet of information (sorry the DOCUMENT - people think that 16 pages is too long...these people have not read The Paleo Solution or watched Robb Wolf's videos on paleo - message me if you're interested in the super condensed 16 pages of information). He was meticulous with his points. And at the end of a month - what other result he could he possibly get than SUCCESS!!! I'm so proud of him. He got in the sleep, he got in the post-wod protein, he was honest with himself about cheats, and never gave up. The result - most improved performance on the wod. The benchmark WOD was simple:

10 minutes on the clock:
Perform 50 burpees
In the remaining time:
AMRAP - 10 Front Squats @ 75% BW, 250 m row.

No hiding from something most hate - brupees. Test of strength - could you do the rx weight? Would you be able to at the end if the weight is down and you've gotten stronger? Test of work capacity. Could you power through the burpees and still have it in you to do the heavy front squat (let me tell you - the first time I tested this workout I flew through the burpees to spend 30 seconds looking at the weight thinking frick!! Ok weight squats turned into FRICKIN SQUATS!!). Bryan improved his burpee time by OVER 1 minute. A whole minute. He went Rx on the weight. He did it with great form (which is partly due to the fact that he's sooooo a Kool-Aid in his veins CrossFitter that he attends our twice weekly Olympic Lifting course (brought to you by Dickey Blaze because who else is going to yell out "POCKETS!!!" everytime you're a millimeter off hitting that trigger position in your snatch?) AND Mr. De Cuir did more rounds.

Proud? You bet I am!

But our story doesn't end there folks. This isn't about a simple Paleo Challenge Success (that won him $100 btw). Oh No. Read the conversation that transpired shortly thereafter:

• Bryan C. De Cuir

  • I am seriously thinking of signing up for the CrossFit Talon Easter Throwdown, but before I do I was wondering if you would be my trainer. If I sign up today, it gives you a month to train me. I'd love for you to whip me into shape. I also think this is a perfect thing to keep me occupied for the next 30 days since the Paleo challenge has ended... If you'll train me, I'll sign up immediately (before I talk myself out of it...)
• 

  March 6

  Opal Hammer

  • Sign up
  • 
• 

  March 6

  Bryan C. De Cuir

  • Done

Awww......YES!!! More competition virgins to sacrific! ::Evil laugh:: Not really. But I am SUPER excited. He's been doing additional skill work each day, been diligent in his lifts, never misses a WOD. Has done the ENTIRE CrossFit Open. All to culminate this past Friday with Open WOD 12.5 The man had NEVER heard of CrossFit, and 45 days into his life as a CrossFitters he does.....wait for it.....

His FIRST Chest-to-Bar Pullup! Are you kidding me? I got my first unassisted pullups in May and didn't get chest-to-bar until January of this year! WTF! But that's the beauty of drive, determination, and relentless pursuit of fitness. AMAZING things happen people. Bryan is proof of that....and I can't wait to report on how he does at the Talon Easter Throwdown. Which btw is NEXT Saturday, April 7. For a mere $25 you too can experience the awesomeness of a CrossFit competition here in Nashville, TN. And as Bryan (and others from my 6 am class who have signed up) can attest - if he can do it, you SHOULD do it. ;)
This would have been the end of this post....BUT........

Then Bryan shared with me another smidgebit of information. Some of you may be thinking, well he comes from an athletic background. He used to be a fitness figure competitor. Jealous excuses for your own failure to drive as hard as you could is what I have to say to that....BECAUSE...Here are Bryan's pictures from a year ago to NOW (I don't say after, because HELLO!!! He's a CROSSFITTER - not a Johnny come lately, there is no AFTER) Pishhh! Shame on you for thinking after.)

03.26.2012 Training

Oh Mondays!  How I love getting back onto the weekly training regime.  I just wish I could start my week with training instead of have to hit the gym after dealing with the initial hit of Monday work stress.  Yes, I am one of those odd birds that loves a run at dawn, throwing around heavy weights before the rest of the world wakes up, and pouring sweat before the coffee starts to drip.

And today at work was definitely one of THOSE Mondays.  The Monday that only Ron Livingston (or as I know him - Berger...yes even watching Office Space, I picture him leaving THE post-it) can understand.  But I got through it, every minute of it, and arrived at the gym, big gulp coffee in hand by 7 pm ready to get a week of training started.

I picture all of these post-its saying "I'm Sorry.  I can't.  Don't hate me."  You only understand this if you are a woman, a man who owns sparkly eyeliner, or have a gf who has made you watch this episode of Sex & The City so many times to prove a point about the proper way to break up with someone.

Warm-Up:  Once again - The Dickey Blaze "Damn Girl - You's Retarded" Shoulder Blaster

Skill:
-Frog Planche: 7x8 sec. hold, 60 sec. rest
-OH Squat: 4x3 (45#), 90 sec. rest

::Little school girl cry of glee:: - completed ALL frog planche sets for the full 8 sec. (Come on - it's the little victories!).  The OH squat is rebuildling that shoulder stabilization and all of them felt pretty good.  Josh Everett said at Oly Cert the other weekend that you really shouldn't snatch anything you can't OH Squat.  So I'm building my confidence back up with being really secure in that uncomfortable bottom position.  

Strength:
 -Snatch pull
Warm Up: 2x45 - 2x55 - 2x65
Work Sets:  2-2-2-2-2-2 reps @ RPE (rating of perceived exertion, select weight accordingly) of 8-8.5

So 8-8.5 RPE IS NOT the same as 80-85% of your 1RM.  No siry Bob.  As in my max is 85#.  But that 85 on just a pull felt like maybe a 5-6 on RPE.  So I kept adding weight.  Pretty sure I should have done all my sets at 105 or maybe even gone up to 110 [2x85 - 2x85 - 2x95 - 2x95 - 2x105 - 2x105].

-Strict OH press X 40 lbs. X 15 reps X 2 sets, 90 sec. rest period


Metcon:
Sprint intervals, 20 sec rest in between each interval
2x200m
4x100m
8x50m

I needed to do more mobilization in my legs before this one.  Took too long in between my strength and metcon to hit the 200 sets like I wanted.  Know I wasn't going full force until the half-way through the 100m.  But I'll take it.

Now for the good stuff.....DINNER...


Made Salisbury Steak w/Mushrooms and sauteed spinach.  I forgot to take a picture of the final product, but this is comparable:

But instead of potatoes there was no potatoes.  And instead of peas - spinach.  Delicious way to end the night.  :)

03.24.2012 Training

What? Training didn't go as planned?  How did this happen?  How did I let the rest of my life ever interfere with my training?  Easy...  If I can let the Open get in the way of my training, sometimes I must accept that other things will too.  Luckily, this interference wasn't disastrous.

Basically, I ran out of time on Friday and had to split Friday's work into Friday and Saturday work.

Friday

"Opal's Shoulder is a Disaster Warm Up"

Skill :

-Pendlay’s ladder drill:  2x10 (75#), 2 min rest

-Frogstand planche: 7x8 sec hold, 60 sec rest

-L-Sit on Parallettes:  7x8 sec hold, 60 sec rest

Then it was on to delicious dinner and a movie.  (Probably not the best excuse to split up training, but definitely an enjoyable one.)

Saturday morning

Strength:

- 2 Clean Pull, 1 Hang Squat Clean (knee)

Warm-Up: 2x55 – 2x75

Work Set: [1-1-1-1-1] @ 80% 1RM full squat clean  Did this at 85#.  This was actually a bit on the dramatic side.  Dickey Blaze was correcting my form during my warm up, and thoroughly aggravating him I just sat down.  Not out of protest, but because I really shouldn’t work out in the morning before breakfast.  Completely blacked out and my body had the amazing sense to sit itself down to recover before continuing.  Didn’t hear a word he said.   Whoops…

-Strict OH Press: 2x15 (35#), 90 sec break

Metcon:

5 rounds:

Sled-push sprint down turf and back (100 ft) w/140#

20 Russian KB Swings, 40 lbs

Rest 3 min.

Wasn’t thrilled with my performance on this one, but guess I have to be realistic given the dizziness and body revolting desirous for food (Trust me I made up for it when I got home and gobbled up some AWESOME leftovers)

Score: 1:08, 1:20, 1:15, 1:20, 1:16 (reallyOpal?)

Why yes!  That is a delicious glass of Colome 2008 Torrontes next to my spaghetti squash w/asparagus, shrimp, sweet peppers, and chilis.  Jealous?  You should be ;)

03.21.2012 Training

Warm Up:
Same "miracle shoulder cure" warmup as yesterday (I'm calling it this to try and instill the hope that if i stick to this my shoulder will actually improve).

Skill:
-Split Jerk Ladder: 10x2 (75#), 2 min rest Pendlay's Ladder
-L-sit on parallettes:  7x8 sec., 60 sec. rest  Oh how different the parallettes are from doing it between two boxes.  In my defense, 8 sec. is no where near my max, but apparently that's the point while my shoulder is in recovery.

Strength: Front Squat
-Warm Up: 5x45 - 4x75 - 3x95
-Work Set: 3x3 @ 85% 1 RM, 2 min rest This was SUPPOSED to be done at 115.  But as with most investment bankers, my math skills are seriously laughing without an excel spreadsheet.  So I did this at 105, which did not occur to me until I got to the next lift.  Awesomeness.  

Strength: Zercher Squat
-2x3 @ 75% 1RM Front Squat, 2 min. rest Did this at 100#.  Figured that the front squats were enough warm up.  But apparently, I was wrong and was supposed to do some warm up sets to feel that proper upper back position.

Strength: Strict Press
-2x15 (35#), 2 min rest

Metcon:
5 rounds
10 Deadlifts @ 60% 1RM
15 GHD situps
30 Double Unders

Yay sexy metcon!  Loves it.  But after a loooong day with work and more hours than I'd like to admit at the gym (some hanging out, some coaching, some actually doing work) I was mentally beat before starting this WOD.  I told Stacey, that 5 rounds in 10 minutes was NOT happening.  I had no drive, no intensity, and my body was begging for my bed.  But nothing gets you mentally geared up to go like a sexy metcon.  The only thing that messed with me is that I am now restricted to using mixed grip on heavy heavy deadlifts (shoulder imbalances - the devil that just keeps on giving).  155 should have been unbroken every set.  Instead it was more like 5-3-2 trying to teach my hands to do double overhand grip.  Oh well....finished in 10:41