Well things have been turing out great down here Crossfit wise. I’ve recently got in touch with the guys from Crossfit Sydney and have started working out on an almost daily basis with Andrew Cattermole and just recently met Don Stevenson. Andy and I had a great session Sunday morning, with me on 3 hours sleep and afterwards went out to Don’s place for more fun. Don’s got a pretty good garage gym he’s slowly building up and has some really cool toys to play with. Seeing his set up has me thinking about my eventual garage gym. Having someone else to workout with, specifically Crossfit style workouts is a blast. I’ve never had a training partner before and I have been missing out all these years. It’s amazing how much more intense the workout of the day can be by having someone yelling at you while your pushing yourself to the limit. Pretty much every workout ends with lying on the ground gasping for breath trying to keep your shit together. Plus the whole social aspect of it is great. Having someone else to talk fitness to beyond the basic bodybuilding crap is great, the amount that I’m learning through him is invaluable and even only after a week I can as if my fitness level has gone up. To top it off having someone else to Crossfit with doesn’t make you look completely insane and have people treat you like an outcast. Andy’s also introduced my to the C2 Rower, an amazing piece of equipment that some day I must own. We did two 2500m rows with a 4 minute rest between and I just about passed out after the last 2500m. Later that night what I call “The Truck Effect” set in and I was trying to figure out the license plate of the truck that hit me. On top of the great workouts that I’ve been having I’ve been swimming lots lately and have been improving quite nicely. I’m still a terrible swimmer but I’m really enjoying it and making ground. I totally thought with all the great restaurants I’d be blowing my money at that I’d get fat but with the intensity, post WOD work that I do with Andy, the extra swimming and workouts I do on my own, I’m finding that I need to pound down the food to keep going.Being exposed to Andrew and Don has left me thinking that I really need a sport and goal to reach with that sport. I’m thinking that swimming might be just that sport and that my goal to be to attain the highest level of swimming that I can get to and even become certified to be a life guard. I have no intentions to be a life guard, career wise but view it as a goal to get to, something to think about for when I get home or even play around with while down here.Finally, my knee is feeling great. I did Candy with her 300 squats with no pain and then did ME squats and deadlifts the next day, finishing it all off with some 55kg farmers walks Jee, my physiotherapist, says I should be doing some lunges and running coming up this week but I say screw running when you have a C2.

08/01/06
Regis Apartment gym, Sydney NSW
1-1/2 hour stretch/joint mobility/handstand work session. Spent most of the time playing around with handstands and HSPU, it was great. Wish I could spend this much time on handstands everyday. Just simply going to the gym and pissing around like that is good fun.
30 laps in 26:29
Solid swim and getting better, 30 laps was a benchmark, now 500m which is about 34 laps is my next goal.

07/31/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
1/2 hour stretching and handstand work
10 laps for time 6:20
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
WU: Row 500m
2:04.1 @25RPM
"Elizabeth"
21-15-9 reps of:
Clean 135 pounds
Ring dips
Time 8:17
CD
Row 1000m = 4:32.7 @21RPM
1 min rest
Row 1000m = 4:37.1 @25RPM
Comments:
Used 50kg for the cleans and did regular dips instead of ring dips.

07/30/06
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
WU: Row 500m, 1 min rest
2:12, 2:10.5@23, 2:07.3@23, 2:04.6@25
DL, Bench Press & Squat:
3-2-2-1-1-1-1
DL: 100-3/120-2/120-2/125-1/125-1/130-1/135-1
BP: 60-3/60-2/65-2/65-1/65-1/70-1/70-1A
Squat: 60-3/70-2/80-2/85-1/90-1/95-1/100-1A
Don's Place:
25m Farmers Walk, 55kg/hand
40sec
31.1sec
Comments:
BW 68.9kg. Did this all on 3 hours sleep and am rather pleased with the results. I was fearing that my maxes had dropped hardcore and were in the shitter but I did much better than I thought, especially when it comes to the DL and BP. Went over to Don's place and met him and checked out his setup, pretty sweet. Knee felt great with the squats, DL and farmers walk.

07/29/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
WU:
Pull ups 9-6-3
Push ups 12-9-6
30kg Swings 15-12-9
Squat 18-15-12
Time 5:13
"Candy"
Five rounds for time of:
20 Pull-ups
40 Push-ups
60 Squats
Time 25:25
R1 3:39
R2 4:03
R3 5:25
R4 5:33
R5 6:00
Laps in 15 minutes:
17
Comments:
Knee felt good, used a wider stance and only went to parrellel but had no pain, all good. Push-ups held me back.

07/28/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
30 laps for time:
32:10

07/27/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Stretch
20 laps in 18:15
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
WU:
Row 250m - 1:03.5@21
1min rest
Row 500 - 2:00.3@23
WOD:
Row 2500m - 11:01.7@17
4min rest
Row 2500m - 11:19.5@19
Comments:
WOD called for 10k run bet Andrew and I did this instead, nearly killed me. Rowing is amazing.

07/26/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
26laps
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
Row 500m - 2:04.8
Row 1000m - 4:13.9
Row 500m - 2:00.1
Pull-ups on the minute
Total 15 +12

07/25/06
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
Row 500m 2:20@23
Row 500m 2:08@22
Row 500m 2:06@21
Row 500m 2:04@22
Push Press 3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1
40-3/45-2/50-2/55-F/50-2/55-1/55-1/55-1/60-f/55-1/50-1

07/24/06
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
For time:
Row 500 meters
Body weight Bench press, 30 reps
Row 1000 meters
Body weight Bench press, 20 reps
Row 2000 meters
Body weight Bench press, 10 reps
Time 22:00 w/45kg

07/23/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
30 laps

07/22/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Rounds in 20min:
10 Sumo DL, 30kg
10 Weighted pull-ups, 7kg
Rounds 8

07/21/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Handstand work
20 laps
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
5 rounds of:
5 Snatches, 25kg
15 PushPress, 35kg
Time 22:02

07/20/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Rounds in 20min:
5 Pull-ups
10 Swings, 15kg
15 Sit-ups
Total 16
26 laps

07/19/06
Cook and Philip Aquatic Center, Sydney NSW
7-6-5-4-3-2-1
DL, 100kg
BP, 65kg
Weighted Pull-ups, 15kg
Time 19:and change
Comments:
First WOD with Andrew. Used more weight on the last couple sets but don't remember how much.

07/18/06
Regis Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Hour Handstand work
30 laps

Things have been progressing along nicely. I'm pretty much all settled into my place now and have been having some great workouts with the dumbbells that I've managed to get my hands on. I don't have tons of weight, only 23.5kg (52lbs) per DB but it's amazing how even with the most minimum of equipment you can still have a great WOD that can turn you into a pile of pulp. And some people spend $3000 on a bowflex. Unfortunately my knee has still been giving me problems but I'm going to get it check out and get it done and done. No more screwing around. Yeah some day's it's alright but other day's I'm hobbling around like a gimp. This last week or so I've been doing skill work and a good amount of stretching before each WOD plus I've been working on swimming laps in my pool. I'm a terrible swimmer but I'm rather enjoying it and I'm getting better. The pool is only around 15 meters long so the total laps that I'm doing aren't really that much. I'll also add that I think I'm getting fat or at least it's in my mind. I guess I am compared to before I left home, could flex my abs and see a six pack but alas, it's all in good food. Since I dont drink or smoke I need to spend my money on something so I've been going out to nice restaurants every day. The food is pretty lean and clean (not fast food) and all of the asian variety thus far, Thai, Japanesse and today Korean. I've avoided the rice as much as I could but have nibbled on it a bit. Kimchee, stir-fry's and Sashimi are godness. Very good.

07/17/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
L-sit work 20min. approx.
50 Deadlifts, 23.5kg dumbells
50 Pull-ups
50 Deadlifts, 23.5kg dumbells
50 Push-ups
50 Deadlifts, 23.5kg dumbells
50 Sit-ups
50 Deadlifts, 23.5kg dumbells
Time 22:55
10 Laps

07/16/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
3 Rounds for time of:
200m Farmers walk, 20kg
30 SDHP, 20kg
15 Dips
Time 17:55

07/15/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Handstand work - 1/2h approx.
21-15-9
Swings, 23.5kg
Pull-ups
Push-ups
Time 6:37
20 laps

07/14/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
L-sit work
14 laps

07/13/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
Handstand work
5X3 DB Jerk
5X3 DB Push Press
5X3 DB Shoulder Press
Jerk 15kg X 5, 17.5kg X 5, 18.5kg X 4, 17.5 X 5
Push Press 15kg X 5, 17.5kg X 5, 18.5 X 5
Shoulder Press 15kg X 5, 16kg X 4, 15kg X 5, 15kg X 5
12 laps

07/12/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
4 Rounds for time of:
50 SDHP
30GMs
15 Jumpstretch Sit-ups
Time 23:00
Comments:
The sit-ups were unanhored with me holding onto one end of my JS band behind my head and the other end hooked around something. Finished off with 11 laps.

07/11/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
21-15-9
C&J, 15kg DB
Pull-ups
Time 11:00

Well my knee is still bothering me but I’m able to work with it after a good stretch and warm up. Things like running, squats, thrusters and all that don’t seem to bother it that much, it’s just simply walking around that gives me pain, sometimes lots, sometimes none. I’m looking to go see a physiotherapist or sports doctor ASAP and in the meantime I think I just need to walk slower, keep away from movements that require lots of bending of it and stick to rowing instead of running. I got my hands on a couple dumbbells so as far as I’m concerned I’m now set with a decent gym. Yeah a full bumper plate set and Olympic lifting platform, kettlebells, rower, ring station, back ext. station and a hundreds of other kick ass equipment would be rad but I can, have and will continue to make do with what I have. I was thinking about making a medicine ball for some wall ball shots but I don’t think my apartment would like my smashing it up against the wall too much, plus I don’t think they’re concrete walls but I might take another look and maybe even resort to doing them outside. Anyways, things are getting setup nicely in Sydney and although I can’t make it to a Suffer in Sydney due to my work schedule, which hardcore sucks, I will make it out there sometime. Other then that I’ve been pretty diligent on skill work, putting in up to a half an hour on handstands and L-hold before each WOD. I’m giving skill work a try before the WOD but I’m thinking that it’s going to bite into my WOD capacity and would be better off doing it afterwards. The only problem with doing it after though is that I often say screw it and shove off. I’ve also been trying to get some swimming in and have been doing some laps after the WOD. Only like 8 laps in a 15m pool but since I’m the worst swimmer ever it seems like a mile. I don’t dare do it for time but just for the cardio workout, practice and experience in the water if anything.

07/09/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
“JT”
21-15-9 for time of:
Handstand push-ups
Ring Dips
Push-ups
Time 17:00
Comments:
The handstands were done assisted but with very little incline. The ring dips held me back a fair bit and I’m sure all the upper body stuff I’ve been doing didn’t help my time. My previous time was way back in the fledgling beginning of my travels, when I was still young, naïve and lean at the West’s farm on 11/30/06. I remember doing the HSPU on a ladder with a pretty steep incline so they were more like inclined push-ups. My time then was 11:25.

07/08/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.
Total Rounds 14 + 14 extra
Comments:
Could have, should have, would have had 15 total rounds but alas. I’m sure this is close to a PR also but I can’t remember when I last did it.

07/07/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
3 Rounds for a time of:
Row 500m
Bench Press Bodyweight, 21 reps
Time 17:50
Comments:
Major subs on this one; for the rows I used my jumpstretch band doing SDHP and did 60 per round in compensation. As for the bench press, I used the crappy machine bench press they have at my flat’s gym using 70kg, which is a little over my bodyweight. I handled the weight pretty easily and should have probably used 75kg or even 80kg to make up for using a shitty machine.

07/05/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
5 Rounds for a time of:
Run 400m
15 Jumpstretch Overhead Squats
15 Burpees
Time 25:55
Comments:
My knee was feeling alright again so I gave it a go with some running. I had no problems running or doing the squats during the WOD but it wasn’t until afterwards that I had major pain and discomfort.

07/04/06
Regis’ Apartment Gym, Sydney NSW
“30 Muscle Ups”
or
120 Pulls ups and 120 Dips
Time 20:15
Comments:
Did the 120 pull/dip sub, solid effort on this one and I think a PR too.

07/01/06
Bradfield Park (the park under the harbour bridge), Sydney, NSW
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 for time of:
Overhead Rock Tosses
Jumping Pull-ups
Time 13:00
Comments:
Used the little rock that I found for the tosses. Wanted to do one arm tosses but I couldn’t grip the rock with just one hand.

06/30/06
Mike’s Apartment, Milsons’ Point, Sydney, NSW
20 to 1 of:
Burpees
Jumpstretch Thrusters
Time 39:56
Comments:
My knee was feeling alright so I took at shot at some lower body movements. How it works is you do 20 Burpees to 1 Thrusters, 19 Burpees to 2 Thrusters, and 18 Burpees to 3 Thrusters and so on until you get to 1 Burpees to 20 Thrusters. Took me a lot longer than I anticipated for sure but a solid effort none the less.