3

I wrote a post today on my other blog called "What time is it?". Basically I talked about how if someone asked me when I was in the best shape of my life my response would be:

"What time is it?"

In other words I am in the best shape of my life RIGHT NOW. Read the post here: http://yourbestfitnesscoach.com .

A couple of pieces of evidence for that.

Yesterday I decided my body was too wrecked to workout so I took the day off.

Well... not really. I did decide to throw some weight on the bar and hit my best ever for a back squat: 250 lbs. Not bad for a 41 year old who weights 165 and has back problems.

Today I did 3 strait muscle ups and then threw down 30 strait pull-ups.

This was after my workout:

7 minute AMRAP: 3-6-9-12 etc 135 clean and jerk / toes to bar. SCORE: 43

Don't under estimate how hard it was to do 24 clean and jerks at 135 lbs. Remember... that is 80% of my body weight.

Of course I also ran almost 3 miles this morning. I am feeling freaking strong.

I have really struggled with the 6pm workouts. After being at the gym (which is basically outside) 2-3 hours trying workout in the 90+ degree heat has been hard for me. On Wednesday night however I had a great workout. I blasted through a routine with push-ups, squats, dips and lunge walks with ease. The last set had 50 sit-ups and 50 box jumps.

The sit-ups were excruciating because I have a little bit of "sit-up butt". Let's just say it involves some missing skin and some pain. I crushed the box jumps.

Whatever, right. Suck it up buttercup.

I couldn't be happier with the way that the workouts are going. I am getting stronger everyday. My body is adapting to the different workouts and I am developing fitness that I have never had.

I no longer fear what I can't do. Once I conquer double-unders and hand stand push-ups the CrossFit masters better watch out.

I am coming after you....

I weighed in at 169 lbs today. I am 5'10" so I still need to either add strength or add weight.

It's really a double edge sword. The heavier I am the more I have to carry around.

The goal for next week is a 300 lb dead lift. Let's hope I don't break the bar....

After being out of Post Workout Recovery we finally got some in today. THANK GOD. I vow NEVER to run out again. This is my training partner for sure....

If you haven't tried Post Workout Recovery I suggest that you do. If you are already with Advocare go get yourself some. If you have never tried AdvoCare Teresa and I would be glad to help you out. You can get it here: https://www.advocare.com/09073310/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=P2361&id=B&size=C

One more workout today at 6pm. It's a surprise what it is so I will be ready for anything. The only thing that I know for sure is that I am going to KILL IT! 

Rock on my friends. Rock on. 

Burden

Today was a Burden. Actually is was a Burden Run.

In 2013 the CrossFit games did an event they called the "Burden Run". For whatever reason we have been doing our own burdens runs on Wednesdays. Actually it's been a lot of fun.

Today's workout:

- 5 across and back bear crawl
- 3 100m burden carries (a big rope, two 10 lb weights and a 50 lb bag)
- 3 400m burden carries (100 lb punching bag, two 20 lb med balls and 2 10 lb weights)
- 25 tire flips with a jump through. 

It actually wasn't as hot today but it was still a warm day at 11pm.

Honestly I felt awesome today. The workout really wasn't that hard. I didn't look at my watch but I don't think it took me more that 20 minutes. The hardest thing was carries the "pig" a quarter mile. It was my second time doing that and it felt SO MUCH better this time.

I really like the timed workouts and pushing till the end and gunning for a certain number. Sometimes though its fun just to work hard and sweat. Check out friend Pete flipping the tire! 

Yesterday I was pretty worried about my elbow. Today I didn't feel it one bit. Yesterday I aggravated my elbow flipping tires. Today I flipped the tire 25 times and didn't feel it.

So weird. 

I continue to be excited about my progress. I feel like a million bucks. I also know and undertake that I am always on the edge of illness and injury. 

I have no fear. None. 

If you are curious what the "10 best ab exercises" are then jump on over to my fitness blog and check it out. It's going to give you a really good education! 

30 Day Clean Eating Challenge is open for a LIMITED TIME. Details and registration:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30-day-clean-eating-challenge-august-tickets-12434448771

Please share this post if you think someone out there might be inspired! ROCK ON. 

The void is filled.

Often times it is better to give something up then to hang onto something that isn't there. The twist is this: there needs to be something to fill the void.

The void is filled.

My decision to quit something that I love is probably temporary. It's not something that can leave me.

I have decided to quite the endurance sports or running, biking and triathlete and focus my efforts 100% on CrossFit competition. I don't know how to say this but... it is such an empowering feeling to know that it is OK to quit for now.

Again, the void is filled.

I love competing in endurance sports but, to be honest, my heart just isn't there. I can't stomach the time away from Teresa and I just can't seem to get in shape or be consistent. Why put that kind of pressure on myself?

Training for the CrossFit Games is something that Teresa and I can do together and that makes me happy.

I'm not saying that I will never do another triathlon again. I'll be back. For now I am focused and absolutely FIRED UP about this new challenge in my life. I am ALL IN.

I leave behind so many top finished and accolades. It's really hard to say which are my favorite. I have to say that finished 7th place in WORLD in the sport of XTerra is pretty high up there. For now the focus is on what my current love is: FITNESS.

I didn't blog ob Saturday and on Sunday. I spend those days watching the CrossFit Games, going to a memorial service for my wife's aunt and cleaning the kids bedroom.

Of course I worked out... a lot. 14 workouts last week. It's what I need to do. If I can stay injury free and healthy the SKY IS THE LIMIT.

Saturday -

• WOD #1: 2 mile row then 125 burpee pull-ups
• WOD #2: 25 tire flips, 50 wall ball, 25 box jumps, 50 ground to overhead (GTO) w/ 35 lb DB's, 25 push-ups, 50 ball over bar (20 lbs, 9ft) 
• WOD #3: 21-15-9 w/ a 200m run over 2 dirt piles in between 21/15, 15/9 and after 9 - Weight used CINDER BLOCK: over shoulder cleans, goblet squats, GTO.

Sunday -

• WOD: 5k trail run in 21:54.

Monday -

• WOD #1: Heavy back squats (Max 235 lbs, 4 rope climbs)
• WOD #2: Heavy dead lifts (Max 255 lbs)
• WOD #3: 10 minute AMRAP - 5 push-press (115 lbs), 10 dead lifts (115 lbs), 15 box jumps. fell 3 box jumps short of 7 rounds. 

I've been busy. Do you think I felt like getting up at 6am to do the extra lifting workout? Nope. I did it anyway because I am committed and need a lot of work. 

Here are some pictures random pictures from the workouts: 

Gotta love the 3rd workout of the day out in the dirt lot next door. When they build the house there I am going to show my new neighbor how I threw a cinder block over my should a bunch of times....in his living room. 

I feel great today. I had a little trouble sleeping last nigh so I napped after I did other blog this morning. 

It's good to have the freedom to day that.

Awesome. I caught you up on my workouts. Now for something REALLY cool.

My wife and I are launching the August edition of the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge. If you are interested in learning what that is you can check out this blog post: http://yourbestfitnesscoach.blogspot.com/2014/06/30-day-clean-eating-challenge.html

Here is the link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30-day-clean-eating-challenge-august-tickets-12434448771

This is really an amazing program that Teresa put together. It really is awesome. Let me know if you have any questions: 352-989-6795 / rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com 

Leasons

I am always learning lessons. Going into this big new challenge I NEED to be able to learn as I go and learn quick. It is vital.

So I learned 2 lesson last night during the workout.

After the Burden Run yesterday I figured I'd do the 6pm workout at the gym. Usually the workout is something that I can hammer through and not have to think to much.

It ended up being a TOUGH 25 minute AMRAP.

- 200 yard sprint
- 5 bar facing burpees
- 15 over head press (I used 85 lbs)
- 20 box jumps (24 inches)

On paper this doesn't seem hard but a combination of the weight for the overheads (nobody else was using more that 25 lbs) and the heat (it has been 90+ all day and this was my second workout) made it a killer.

Two lessons.

Lesson number one for me was learning to "lose" gracefully. I know, it's not a race. The challenge for me is to see someone doing more reps in an AMRAP workout. I don't do humble very well. The lesson for me is that I need to use this as a positive. The person ahead of me was using 25 lbs when I was using 85 lbs. I was also doing bar facing burpees which are a lot harder then regulars.

It's not an excuse. I need to use times like that to push myself in my mind.

"That dude is in from of me. I need to suck it up and catch him."

That is a good lesson for all of us.

Lesson number two was about the real reason I am doing this.

I was doing one of my 200m sprints. It's an out and back down the road. From the loading dock at the gym you can see the whole route. I turned around at the sign and walked a few meters. I looked up and saw Teresa watching me walk.

Not acceptable. I am doing this to inspire others. The number one person that I am doing it for is Teresa. She caught me walking. I felt for a moment like I was letter her down. Not cool.

Everybody is watching and supporting me. I can't let anyone down. I must fight for every rep and every minute. Others are fighting harder right now. I need to up my game.

Today's workouts were challenging but fun. We started with a CrossFit standard called Fight Gone Bad.

5 exercsies done for one minute each. You rest one minute then do again. You do a total of three rounds.

- Rowing (calories)
- SDHP (75 lb barbell)
- Wall ball
- Box jump
- Shoulder to overhead (75 lb barbell)

My scores for each round were: 110 - 100- 96. TOTAL of 304. I guess they did this in 2009 at the CrossFit Games and dudes scored up near 475. Crap that's a lot of work.

I'm happy with 304. Got my Muscle Fuel in so that helped BIG TIME.

After our workout we did a quick little burn workout that looked like this: 10 squats | 10 knee to elbow | 20 sit-ups | 10 wall ball | 30 squats | 10 slam ball | 40 sit-ups | 10 box jumps | 50 squats.

There was supposed to be 1000m row as well but I skipped it because we only have 2 rowers and there were 10 people in class so I didn't want to take up space.

Now I rest... until tomorrow.

I've done all the workouts that I wanted to do and I still have 3 days left in the week. Not sure what I will do. I'm sure I will figure something out.....

I wrote a really powerful blog today at www.yourbestfitnesscoach.com . It's called "YOUR dream life". Will you jump over and check it out?

More and more people are ready this blog everyday. Can you help out and give it a quick share? THANK YOU!

Rock on my friends!

Rick Copley

352-989-6795

rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com

Instagram: @rickcopley

Facebook: rickcopley 

The task at hand

On a daily basis I am working on the task at hand.


I need to get stronger. I need to get more fit. I need to learn how to do certain movements. I need to avoid injury. I need to recovery. I need to get up again tomorrow and do it all over again.

I am going to succeed at the CrossFit Games in 2015 for 3 reasons.

1. I have the talent.
2. I will out work everyone else.
3. I have the right fuel in my body with the Advocare supplements. If they work for Rich Froning they will work for me.

Rich Froning is the 3X CrossFit Games CHAMPION and Advocare endorser. 

CLICK HERE to see what products Rich uses.

Check out what Rich says about Advocare. Makes me feed pretty good about what I put into my body.

I got one and three in the bag. Number two is tough because I also need to recovery. Recovery is challenging when you are working out all the time.

Today I ran a little under 3 miles SLOW at about 7am. Not a problem.

At 9am I worked on some cleans. We established a max yesterday and this is something I am NOT used to doing so so I felt a little flat doing my cleans today. I was practicing form at 135 lbs.

At 9:15am I did Open Workout 12.5. This was a 7 minute AMRAP 3-6-9-12 etc. thrusters (100lbs) and chest to bar pull-ups. My score was 85.

This score would have put me 934/1895 in the Southeast Region in 2012. This is overall because there was no 40-45 age group that year like there is now. I would have been 25/93 in the 45-49.

I'm not 45 yet so that last stat doesn't matter. I like to compare my score now so that as I get stronger I can see the numbers come down or go up. It drives me. I do not accept being "top half". I am a warrior and a champion. I don't do well as top half. Fight on I must....

I think I could have had about 10 more reps today if we had chalk at the gym. The lest set of pull-ups (15) I got timed out at 10. I was doing singles because my grip strength was gone from sweating so bad.

I'm not even going to talk about how I do these workouts in a garage like gym with not one bit of AC. It was over 90 today.

The other workout that I did was 5 rounds of TABATA. Each TABATA had 2 exercises. (Exercise#1 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest then exercise#2 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest for 4 minutes) Here are the exercise pairs:

1. Pull-ups / push-ups
2. Golblet squats (50 lbs - This is the heaviest kettlebell we have) / wall ball
3. Sit-ups / low plank
4. Overhead press (35 lb DB's) / swings
5. Row / double unders

My body is a little achy. My shoulders and back are sore. My nap today helped but I am still tired.

The feeling makes it all worth it becasue in one year I will see the fruits of my labor bear at the CrossFit Games. I got this.

Thanks for joining me on my journey. Tomorrow is a burden run. Still trying to figure out how I am going to get a 100 lbs punching bag on my back.

My fitness blog today is about "Action". It's really powerful. Please jump on over and check it out if you get a chance.  http://yourbestfitnesscoach.blogspot.com/2014/07/action.html

As I right this I'm thinking I need to do some squats or something at the gym tonight.... hmmmm.

If you want to be part of what we do then you could join our team Just shoot me a quick email and ask me how: rick@yourbestfitnesscoach.com