General

I have to say that this form of exercise is the by far the best I’ve tried. The wellroundedness of the movements and the fact that one is pushed very hard when it is applied results in fantastic conditioning and strength. I think I shall have to remove myself from speaking of it with others as my opinion now is completely biased. However, I doubt this will happen as I am moving into an evangelistic phase. I think the right balance in this case is speaking factually and intending good. Although, that’s applicable to many facets of life.

My results with muscle development have been most exciting to me. I deviated from my paleo diet due to the amount of food I needed to eat in order to maintain the “block” requirements from the zone diet that is part of Crossfit (although, I will be moving into a paleo-zone diet shortly). My weight was 152lbs when I started in April 09 and it has increased to 160lbs while I have maintained low body fat. That’s 8lbs of lean tissue. This is in 3 months. I should state that my weight can fluctuate a few pounds depending on water intake and days of rest.

I have also been training others with this methodology. Here is a quote from the wife of one who has been training with me, “[He] has lost almost all of his belly fat.” Another who has started jogging in addition to taking up Crossfit with me said, “I felt much stronger running up the hills. I am getting into condition faster.”

I could say that it’s magic and it’s easy, but it’s really not factual to say either. These exercise sessions can be very hard. Of course, they can be reduced in intensity; however, one still has to finish. The benefits I have found and others have found as well are the short durations, the confidence of performing and finishing such grueling feats and the positive comradery that is part of the community. There is a competitive aspect one can choose to engage in or not.

If you are interested, check out Crossfit.

I started CrossFit with LaLanne fitness here in SF on 9 Apr 09. I went to an all levels class and the workout of the day (WOD) was the “Filthy Fifty”. I should state that I thought I was in peak fitness before I started. I had been doing altered CF workouts for about a year (minus proper olympic lifts). Well, it was the most metabolically demanding session of physical exercise I think I have ever done. I finished dead last with a time of 47 minutes. I wasn’t pushing myself in the beginning because I knew it would be long. It took me about 3 days to recover. I realized I was fit in some areas, but weak in others. That session uncovered that very quickly.

The next session I did was a beginner and level 1 class. That was a different experience. Slower, less of demand and a quicker recovery. As I’ve done sessions since, I’ve noticed something. When I was in the middle of the “filthy fifty” doing the burpees and not seeing how I could ever finish, I was completely exhausted and wondered if I’d finish. In the WODs since, I still find myself in those places of complete exhaustion wondering if I’ll finish, but I have more to give. I have more reserve. I actually feel that is when I’m tapping into strength that is normally never even touched. I’ve never run into that before, physically. I think it is quite remarkable and gives one evidence of the untapped human physical potential.

Gyms are like a wheel in the hamster cage. In the case of an emergency and you need to carry another human, can you do it? Will doing curls and running on a treadmill prepare you to do that? You might get muscles, you might get cardiac benefit, but will you be able swim a person to safety? What are you training for? Looks or functionality? Do you want to look fit or look strong or do you want to be strong? Humans can utilize emotions through movement. Humans can use adrenaline to make extremely important things happen. Are you training with adrenaline? Do you know what crossfit is? Do you know what movnat is? If you are sedentary and you want to realize your potential, start moving. Move like animals do. OK, start in a gym if you want. But, to really get functional, you will have to leave the gym. You will have to move like animals do. Run, jump, climb, wrestle, swim, crawl, and lift and throw.

I didn’t see any tools or machines…I just saw a tree. I didn’t see a pedometer. I didn’t see a treadmill. My body didn’t do a prescribed motion. I just saw a tree. I saw branches. I wondered if I could leap to the branch. Could I get both hands on the branch? Could I get my feet on the trunk and could I get on top of the branch? I tried a couple of times and I failed. I leapt and didn’t succeed. I tried again and again until I could reach and get a hold and move my body into the tree. I got a hold and then I had to move from under the branch to above the branch…swing from left to right until I could swing around and get an arm above the branch or up onto another. I swung and then got a hold. Then I was into the tree. Around the trunk and up again. Up as far as I could go and then back down the way I came. A jump to the ground and then backup again until I could do it with just a couple movements. Then, I sprinted to the next tree. This time a vault and then a climb.

Each tree is different. Each tree is not predictable, but my body is learning how to move from tree to tree. I know what I can reach. I know what is safe. At the same time, I am getting more and more fit. I am getting healthier and my body is getting to move in natural ways. Lifting weights has its place. It’s more of a restorative place…it’s not my end game. It’s a path to rehabilitation. Being able to move through natural terrain is my end game.

I did this kind of a thing yesterday in a wetlands preserve area in Mountain View, CA. First, I scouted my route…peeking into brush…examining the most appropriate obstacles to vault over…best trees to climb. Then, I ran through the brush, jumping branches, crawling underneath, all moving very fast. I climbed trees trying not to disturb all the geese around. The people strolling looked, but I got no comments. It was only when I was sprinting out of brush after doing some fast crawls under branches that I startled a couple kissing on a bench. Oh yeah, they thought I was a freak. I felt like a kid afterward, like I had broken the rules.