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Showing posts from 2012

New Year's Resolution: To be boring

My New Year's Resolution can be summed up by three words: to be boring . I want to be boring ... ... on my facebook / instagram activity ... in what I eat ... in my workout schedule ... in my morning routine ... in what I read By developing habits, my efforts will be more focused. And I will actually get things done. While eating the same breakfast / lunch sounds boring, it will be easier to dial in my body for peak performance. We are all different. For some, it is easier to develop a plan and stick to it. Others like to "go with the flow". I fall in the latter category to a fault. It is easy for me to keep changing things, but much harder to stick with one thing long enough to carry it to fruition. For that, I need clarity of vision and the discipline to patiently continue. To not stray from the right nor the left, but to walk in the way.

Lifestyle Goals for 2013

Financial Daily track expenses Weekly financial check-up and savings evaluation (Friday) Diet "Paleo" --> CKD/IF - Avoid: rice, noodles, bread, processed sugar, etc. - Include: meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds - Exceptions allowed: lentils / legumes, post-workout whey, 1 cheat day (Saturday) Alcohol - No beer; no more than 1 glass of scotch or wine per week Caffeine - No more than 1 cup of coffee per day Meal planning for the week - Sunday afternoon Physical fitness At least 2 rest days per week (Thurs, Sun) Be more effective in the gym (be ready to work hard, idle less) Social network Limit Facebook to twice / day (<10 div="div" mins="mins" total="total"> Personal e-mail to twice / day (<10 div="div" mins="mins" total="total"> Morning routine Exercise + shower Bible reading & prayer Audio Bible Evening routine Family devotions Read bo

CrossFit Goals for 2013

Goals to achieve by May 2013 (current)                                Josh                       Jireh Deadlift 10 x 405 lbs (1 x 405 lbs) 1 x 450 lbs (1 x 365 lbs) Back squat 1 x 315 lbs (1 x 285 lbs) 1 x 405 lbs (1 x 375 lbs) Front squat 1 x 250 lbs (1 x 225 lbs) 1 x 315 lbs (1 x 295 lbs) Shoulder Press 1 x 175 lbs (1 x 145 lbs) 1 x 200 lbs (1 x 175 lbs) Bench Press 5 x 185 lbs (5 x 155 lbs) 1 x 225 lbs (1 x 205 lbs) Clean 1 x 225 lbs (1 x 205 lbs) 1 x 300 lbs (1 x 265 lbs) Snatch 1 x 185 lbs (1 x 155 lbs) 1 x 200 lbs (1 x 180 lbs) Jerk 1 x 225 lbs (1 x 195 lbs) 1 x 275 lbs (1 x 225 lbs) Pull-ups (kipping) 50 (21) 40 (21) Fran sub 4:30 (5:45) sub 3:30 (4:34) 2 k row sub 7:00 (7:18) -

WOD 2012.12.22 - The Sower Revisited

Revisiting the Parable of the Sower I'm in Luke now (audio Bible) and got the chance to hear Jesus tell the parable of the sower through Luke's account. Luke 8:14 stuck out to me, where Jesus explains about the seed that falls among thorns. And as for what fell among thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature . At times, it hits me I haven't matured much in some areas. Still the same, or settling for much less. Not willing to take responsibility nor leadership. Not wanting to commit nor bear burdens. One of the causes is a lack of focus. I'm "choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life". I get distracted too easily and do not remain. What's the cure? Jesus explains in the next verse. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience . Wow

WOD 2012.12.20 - Good soil

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Good soil In the opening of Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower to a large crowd. In his explanation to his disciples later, Jesus explains: The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground : the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away . And others are the ones sown among thorns . They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful . But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” --Mark 4:14-20 I w

WOD 2012.12.18 - Prayerful vigilance

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Jesus at Gethsemane "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.' And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.' And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, 'So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ' Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving t

WOD 2012.12.16 - First CF comp

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Awesome Verse(s) of the Day But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins .” --Matthew 1:20-21 Workout(s) of the Day Today was my first competition! It was a fundraiser for a friend going to Uganda with Raising the Village . While my brother came first and beat me in both workouts, I had a lot of fun and felt good about each workout. Here's what went down today. WOD 1 3 Rounds for Time 9 Shoulder to overhead (135 lbs) 12 KB swings (55 lbs) 15 Wall ball shots (20 lbs / 10 ft) Time: 7:21 WOD 2 30 DU (double unders) 25 Box jumps (30") 30 DU 20 Pull-ups 30 DU 15 Front squats 30 DU 10 Wall climbs (these were nasty ) 30 DU 5 Handstand push-ups Time: ... forgot :p After the compe

WOD 2012.12.14 - The Centurion

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The Centurion Today I started the New Testament on my audio Bible. I'm so excited~! Check out this passage from Matthew 8:5-13. Super cool! When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons

WOD 2012.12.11 - Unafraid

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Deezed At the gym today, I saw Psalm 56:4 tattooed on a friend's shoulder. Here's what it says: "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" Deezed. Reminds me of a picture I saw on tumblr . Repentance On the drive home, a passage from Joel 2 stuck out: "'Yet even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments .' Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.  Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?" --Joel 2:12-14 WOD Today's workout looked something like this: Push Press 5 x 95 lbs, 5 x 135 lbs, 4 x 155 lbs, 1 x 175 lbs (lost grip) 5 x 95 lbs, 3 x 125 lbs, 3 x

WOD 2012.12.10 - Steadfastness

Steadfastness "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." --James 1:2-4 WOD Warm-up 2 rounds (with 45# bar) 8 snatch balance 8 Sotts press Clean and Jerk 1 x 95 lbs, 1 x 145 lbs, 1 x 175 lbs, 1 x 195 lbs (PR!) 1 x 205 lbs (fail*), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**) *failed the clean **failed the jerk (i.e. clean PR!) Skill work Kipping HSPU (deficit) Butterfly pull-ups 4 x 500 m run (not for time) 7 mins max burpees (106 reps)

WOD 2012.12.09 - No accident

Rest day Today is a rest day, and what an awesome rest day it has been! My caffeine today came only from green tea (no coffee for the first time in a while). I also resisted multiple urges to workout. My body needs the rest. Accidental sin At church today, we heard about how Adam and Eve sinned. One of the things that struck me was the progression of sin. For Eve, she saw, she wanted, and she took (in simple terms). James 1:14-15 says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." In my own life, I find I don't so much "fall" into sin as I "walk" into sin. In sin, there are no accidents. Accidental holiness In the same way, there are no accidents in our pursuit of holiness. We don't just "stumble" into holiness. We need to toil and strive to be better each day. And to be never satisfied, since

WOD 2012.12.09 - Holy discontentment

"What If" by Nichole Nordeman ( YouTube ). A powerful song. Team Workout at Harvest Bible Chapel ( team blog ). Quads sore. Those frog jumps. Haven't felt like this in a while. Holy discontentment . Philippians 3:12-15. Pressing on to obtain the prize. Toiling and striving. Never satisfied. Comparing my life with the holiness of Christ. Falling short. Always. 

WOD 2012.12.04 - Abide

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Spiritual WOD: Abide - John 15 v2 "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." Getting "pruned" isn't always fun, but I definitely need it so that I can bear more fruit. v5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Abide. I need to be in Christ and let Him rule in me. The fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) -- is something I cannot produce of my own strength. I truly need Him. I am deficient, he is sufficient . v7 "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." "...and my words abide in you". Treasuring (and memorizing) His Word, which is of indescribable value. I long to long for more. P

WOD 2012.11.24 - Favorite Sermon

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Here is my favorite sermon, bar none. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not your life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles s

WOD 2012.11.23 - Contentment

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"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord" Everlasting God , by Christ Tomlin Content yet pressing on These verses were shared from a friend in my men's group. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." -- Jeremiah 29:13 "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.  Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.  When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hands.  Wait for the Lord and keep His way." -- Psalm 37:4-5, 7, 23-24, 34 Learning to wait upon the Lord in all things, and that He alone is sufficient. "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." -- Philippians 3:12 Content in t

WOD 2012.11.20 - Courage

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Thought for the day - Courage What a powerful quote permeating every area of my life. Whether it is in the middle of a tough workout, or when I'm fighting for joy. "Quiet and steady dignity." What a perspective in midst of adversity! 6 a.m. WOD @ CFM Fran 21-15-9 Thrusters (95 lbs) Pull-ups Time: 5:45 (16 s PR) 7:30 p.m. WOD @ Outlaw North Warm-up 2 min skipping 20 lunges 10 beat back 10 v-ups 10 pushups 2 min skipping Strength 5 x 2 Back Squat @ 85% 1 RM Warmup: 45#, 135#, 225# 5 x 2 @ 245# EMOM For time: 200 m run 9 HSPU 9 Power snatch (115#, 135# was rx) 200 m run 7 HSPU 7 Power snatch 200 m run 5 HSPU 5 Power snatch 200 m run

WOD 2012.11.19 - Forgiveness

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This song is on repeat. Forgiveness "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans 8:37-39 Morning WOD @ random hotel in random city Random exercises on cable machine 10 Rounds (not) for time: Swim 1 length (~15 ft) 10 push-ups Evening WOD @ CrossFit Markham CrossFit Totals 1 RM Shoulder Press (145 lbs, PR!) 1 RM Deadlift (405 lbs, PR!) 1 RM Back Squat (285 lbs, PR!) link to previous scores

WOD 2012.11.18 - Discernment

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Thought of the Day - Discernment "Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right." -- C.H. Spurgeon I need wisdom and discernment desperately.  "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed." --Proverbs 3:13-20 Wisdom is invaluable. I would drive (/ run/ explore/ hike/ etc.) for hours just to get these precious jewels. WOD Rest Day. For real this time :) Today, I'm thankful for forgiveness.

WOD 2012.11.17 - One Passion

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"Give me one pure and holy passion Give me one magnificent obsession Give me glorious ambition for my life To know and follow hard after you" One Passion: to know Jesus "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith -- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." --Philippians 3:7-11 WOD w/ The Repenters @ HBCYR For time: 25 jump squats 1 suicide 20 burpees 1 suicide 15 push-ups 1 suicide 10 knees-t

WOD 2012.11.15 - Protect this house

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Protect this house "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 Though of the day Integrity. Aligning what you say with what you do. Now go get some! WOD @ random hotel in random city 21-15-9 Push-ups V-ups (1:53) - then - 100 burpees for time (6:46) ~ 1 min improvement from last year . WOD @ CFM Chipper. ~20 mins. Not tough but tiring. Good to be back home :)

WOD 2012.11.12 - Healthy eating

WOD Rest day Then ... (haha yea, .... need to be better at rest) did this a few times in my hotel room. 21-15-9 Push-ups V-ups Time: 3:31, 2:49, 2:21 Thought of the day - Healthy eating I've been trying to eat healthy. Lots of greens. Cutting caffeine. No processed stuff. And so on. Travelling makes everything harder. Fast food is the norm. Entire pizzas become a regular dinner. No joke. No, I didn't suddenly turn fat. But I can slowly feel it. Parts of my body only I notice slowly packing on small layers of fat. Someone once said you are the sum of the small things you do. The little decisions each day. I know I need to eat healthy. For my body, no question. It also helps my mind and soul when my body is well-nourished. I find that eating healthy one of the easier disciplines. It's harder to always choose "healthy foods" for the heart, mind and soul. It's easy to fill it with junk or shallow things. However, it's the deeper things tha

WOD 2012.11.11 - Angst

Physical WOD 7:15 a.m. in random driveway (post devos) For time: 21-15-9 KB Swings (55#) DB Thrusters (25# DB's) Burpees (Time - 9:49) 1:30 p.m. in the same random driveway (Rak Chazak) 20 min AMRAP (Team WOD) V-ups 30 double unders Spiritual WOD 6 a.m. in house of random driveway Proverbs 11 Psalm 63 Philippians 3:1-9 11 a.m. @ Harvest Bible Chapel in random city Excited! =) So, today, the pastor preached a message from Galatians 4:12-20 on "Directions, Detours and Destinations" from the series "Grace Filled Living". In short, our direction should be a gospel-centred freedom -- to pursue Christ, and not spend too much time in less important things.  We should avoid detours, or temptations that lead us astray. And our destination? For Christ to be formed in us. Are we thirsting for God more? Are we growing in love? Do we grieve over sin? Are we quick to forgive? Do we delight in the body of Christ? Sensitive to His prsence? Yearn fo

WOD 2012.11.10 - Funerals

Physical WOD 7 a.m. @ HBCYR w/ The Repenters 20 mins Burpees 5-10-15-20-... (1 suicide in between each set of burpees) Score: 36/40, 176 burpees (prev score: 40/40, 180 burpees) The weather was a bit chillier than 4 weeks ago, and the ground was especially cold. Nevertheless, we were blessed with wonderful weather. Spiritual WOD Victor then shared from James 1:22-25 about being more than just hearers of the word. We often forget who we are and get caught up in the day-to-day routine. I know sometimes I get convicted to change my diet or lifestyle after hearing a talk, then the next day, any remaining conviction vaporized. Thought of the Day - Funerals Yesterday (Nov 10) was my grandmother's funeral. She was one of the most beautiful women I've ever known and loved God so much. During the funeral, there were two conflicting emotions. An emotion of intense sadness and loss. And an emotion of inexpressible joy that my grandmother is now with Jesus. While I ma

WOD 2012.11.09 - Knowing Christ

Workout of the Day - 6 p.m. @ CFM Back squat Warm-up: 2 x 45#, 2 x 135#, 2x185#, 2x225# Working set: 8 x 2 x 255# - then - Skill work: Muscle-up progressions and dips Thought for the day - Knowing Christ "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."  - Philippians 3:8a Paul counted everything as loss. Everything. All the things he worked so hard for his entire life. For me, "everything" would include my career, family, friends, church and CrossFit. This would also include all the "good" I've done in my life. All of it. Rubbish. Not bad in and of themselves. But compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Him. What does it mean to know Christ? It's beyond just getting through the day with a checklist of tasks (do devotions, eat, work, workout, pray, go to church). Rather, the "tasks" we engage in should center around knowing Him more. And if I engage in a task that takes away my affec

WOD 2012.11.08

9 a . m . @ Caveman Strong Overhead squats (3 reps, pause at bottom) 45#, 65#, 85#, 105#, 115#, 125#, 135#, 135# (failed) ( Wrists were starting to hurt ... need to work on these more ) - then - For time: Row 800 m 50 KB swings (eye-level, used 2 pood) Row 400 m (Time: 6:56) - then - 12 mins of ... 3 strict pull-ups 3 pistols (3 each leg) ( Weakness : pull-ups for sure !) 12 p . m . @ Seaway Valley CrossFit 3 rounds of... 10 different exercises for 30 s each 5 mins / round; 1 min rest in between 6 p . m . @ CrossFit Markham Skill work: HSPU - then - 5 rounds for time: 10 hang power clean and push jerk (135#) 1 rope climb (legless... only did this for the first round) (~30 mins... pretty heavy, though my body was probably weary from the travel, poor sleep / nutrition and the other work puts earlier in the day. Still a fun workout) - then - Off to Harvest Bible Chapel for Young Adults :) Matt Chandler preached from Philippians 3:1-9. CrAzy stuff!

WOD 2012.11.05

Yes, I missed my last class. And yes, it was due to work. But! The silver lining is .... I made it back home in time for the last CrossFit class. Sanity restored. I should be ready for the long drive tonight. Here's what went down: Clean and jerk 1 x 135 lbs, 1 x 155 lbs, 1 x 185 lbs (not clean, but a PR) 1 x 135 lbs, 1 x 155 lbs, 1 x 175 lbs - Then - Squats 3 x 225 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs, 3 x 250 lbs, 3 x 255 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs 3 x 245 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs, 3 x 245 lbs While my legs will probably be a bit sore, at least I got my squat fix for the week.  The massive veggie shake (~50 g protein) should help too.

For those midnight drives

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You are oxygen, on a late night drive, to clear my head when hope has passed me by ... WOD (2012.02.11) Shoulder Press 5 x 65 lbs, 5 x 95 lbs, 5 x 105 lbs, 5 x 115 lbs Push Press 3 x 125 lbs, 3 x 135 lbs, 3 x 135 lbs 12 min AMRAP 3 squat cleans 6 SDHP 9 thrusters (95 lbs barbell. 7 rounds)

10,000 Reasons

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I don't quite have 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord, but I definitely have quite a few!

Surviving long commutes

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My commute to work is generally 1-1.5 hours. Sometimes longer (~2 hrs) when there are accidents or snow storms. Sometimes shorter (~40 mins) when I leave at 4 a.m. in the morning.   I took the 407 this week for the first time. It was as if I left at 4 a.m. with an extra two hours of sleep! After resisting for a year, I finally caved. My commute has been, dare I say, enjoyable!     I also travel for work, driving for several hours at a time. After doing a hard workout, the last thing you want to be doing is sitting still for that long. Even if you didn't workout, sitting for long stretches at a time is not good for you.   I picked up a pair of Skins (compression gear) for my CrossFit workouts. I use these on occasion when I know my legs might die. I've recently started wearing them on long drives and for long days at work on the field. Incredible.     The last but most important part of my commute has been the time I've had in relationships. I get

WOD Oct 29-30

Tuesday Snatch: skill work and work on 1 RM ( PR : 145 lbs ) 3 Rounds for Time 10 deadlifts (275 lbs) 50 double unders ( Time : ~10 mins ) Monday Front squat (work towards a 5 RM) 5 x 135 lbs, 5 x 185 lbs, 5 x 195 lbs 5 x 205 lbs, 5 x 215 lbs, 2 x 225 lbs ( 5 rep max : 215 lbs ) Skill work: HSPU, snatch

WOD Oct 22-29

Sunday Rest Day Saturday  @ CrossFit Markham Tabatas 1. Burpees / Rowing 2. Jump squat: With 45 lbs bar / without bar 3. Competition style push-ups / Russian twists (35 lbs) 4. Tuck jumps / knees to elbows 5. Ring rows / V-ups 8 rounds each, alternating between exercises e.g. Round 1: 20 s burpee, 10 s rest; Round 2: 20 s row, 10 s rest; Round 3: 20 s burpee, etc... PR - Got my first bar muscle-up! @ HBCYR w/ The Repenters Tabatas 1. Jump squats 2. Mountain climber push-ups 3. Jumping lunges 4. Sprints Friday @ Western Pines w/ Jireh 3 Rounds (max reps) 1 min HSPU 1 min burpee thrusters (25 lbs dumbbells) 1 min KB snatch (55 lbs) 1 min break Thursday Rest day Wednesday @ CF Sarnia Squat snatch: 5 x 2 @ 95 lbs (1 rep = squat snatch from mid thigh + one from floor) Drop snatch: 2 x 65 lbs, 2 x 85 lbs, 2 x 95 lbs, 2 x 95 lbs, 2 x 95 lbs Snatch pulls: 5 x 2 @ 135 lbs Tuesday @ Fit 4 Less w/ Joe  Leg press: 3 x 10 Front squat: 5 x 5 Deadli

WOD 2012.10.11

CFM @ 7 p.m. Skill warm-up 3 rounds not for time 5 wall climbs 10 overhead squats (45#) (wall climbs get tiring!) For time: 70 burpees 60 sit-ups 50 kettlebell swings (55 lbs) 40 wall balls (20 lbs) 500 m run (Time: 15:06) Back squat 5 x 185 lbs, 5 x 205 lbs 5 x 5 x 225 lbs Thrive Diet - Day 3 Reflections Today, I didn't even have a cup of Teecino! I kept reusing my teabag from Starbucks this morning (Vanilla Roobios tea). Having lots of fruit on hand helps a lot with the coffee cravings. I also bought lunch at the cafe since they made curry. I had the vegetarian curry, and opted not to have the tandoori chicken (I know .. typing this pains me). Shortly after lunch, I went for a swim. I know - maybe it wasn't the wisest idea. Nevertheless, I felt great after the swim. Lunch workouts do a great job at resetting my day. I came back recharged and ready to work some more. One thing I noticed is that I'm a lot more regular. I also have higher overall en

WOD 2012.10.10

Paleo Challenge Part II: A Date with Fran Today's workout was Fran: 21-15-9 of thrusters (95#) and pull-ups. I almost tied my previous score with 6:02 (missed it by a second!). Going in, I decided to pace myself. From what I recall before, I would go hard on the thrusters, and then die. I made sure to keep a consistent pace and breathe. Here was how I broke it down (the latter part not by choice!): 21 thrusters: unbroken 21 pull-ups: 11-10 15 thrusters: 7-8 15 pull-ups: 5-5-5 9 thrusters: 6-3 9 pull-ups: 7-2 As relaxed as I looked (that's what my coach said), I was in pain, lungs burning, and forearms numb. To improve, I need stronger squats, better pull-ups / grip, and improve cardio capacity. My goal for the re-test is to maintain the same pace but to go through all movements unbroken. Thrive Diet - Day 2 Reflections Breakfast was a Vega One shake along with some warm soup (cauliflower / ginger) courtesy of my mom :) I ate my lunch (quinoa, eggplant, caulifl

WOD 2012.09.10

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Paleo Challenge - CrossFit Totals Today marks Day 1 of the "Paleo" Challenge. For this challenge, my partner and I are doing the Thrive Diet and doing the benchmark tests before and after this 6-week challenge. Here are my scores (1 rep max): Back squat: 255 lbs Shoulder press: 125 lbs Deadlift: 365 lbs Here is a link to my previous scores.  Thrive Diet - Day 1 Reflections No coffee. No meat. Those would have to be the toughest things. Yet here I am, 9 p.m., and have been caffeine-free :) I had some help from Teecino , an herbal coffee, for the 2 p.m. energy drop. It's hard to stay full on a vegan diet. Or rather, I need to get used to a different kind of fullness. I'm used to the wonderful bloated feeling of eating a good slice of meat. I got really hungry in the afternoon and grabbed a Larabar. I wanted to eat another, but then forced myself to wait. Dinner, after CrossFit as usual, was delicious, compliments of my mom :) I think I co

WOD 2012.10.08

Rest Day Energy Management Yes, it's yet another rest day. This is - in part - to make up for the missed rest day last Thursday. The main reason, however, is energy management. I have a fixed amount of energy and need to choose my activities wisely. I will not do a hard workout if I have a tough work week ahead and am still sick. I will work on more creative activities in the morning, and more mechanical tasks later in the afternoon. Energy management is about knowing when and how to pace,  when to go hard, and when to say no. "Paleo" Challenge Our gym is holding a 6-week Paleo Challenge. The Paleo diet is based on foods available to cavemen during the Paleolithic Era (meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds). The Paleo Challenge will be done in teams of 2 with prizes given to teams with overall improvement in fitness, measured by body fat % loss, improvement in strength, and improvement in cardiovascular fitness. My partner and I did this challenge last time

WOD 2012.07.10

Sunday, October 7, 2012 Rest Day 9 a.m. @ HBCYR "Good News", Romans 1:8-17 Expressing Thanksgiving (v. 8-10) Filled with passion (v. 11-13) Under obligation (v. 14) Bold for the Gospel (v. 15-17) Saturday, October 6, 2012 11 a.m. @ CFM w/ Victor 3 Rounds for Time Run 800 m 20 Box Jumps (20") 20 SDHP (75 lbs) Friday, October 5, 2012 6 p.m. @ CFM Shoulder Press 3 x 95 lbs, 3 x 115 lbs, 3 x 95 lbs, 3 x 95 lbs, 6 x 95 lbs "Annie" 50-40-30-20-10 Double unders Sit-ups (I forgot my time, but sit-ups were definitely a limiting factor. My double-unders are getting better) 8 p.m. @ Home - with Victor, a good friend of mine :) 20 min AMRAP 10 DB snatch each arm (30 lbs) 20 SDHP (75 lbs KB) 30 Squat jumps

WOD 2012.10.04

Rest Day "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 -- Update: "Rest Day" ended up looking like this 1 RM clean (got up to 185 lbs, failed at 205 lbs) - Then - 3 Rounds for Time 12 OHS @ 95 lbs 21 Push-ups 400 m run (Time: 15 mins) Push-ups definitely the limiting factor.

WOD 2012.03.10

2012-10-03 @ CFM Skill warm-up 3 Rounds 10 pistol squats (each leg) 10 strict pull-ups 7 mins 1 Hang Power Clean @ 145 lbs 1 Toe-to-bar 2-2, 3-3, ...(got up to 7 rounds) 15 mins to accumulate up to 5 min L-sit (rings) (got a bit over 3 mins) 2012-10-02 @ CFM Warm-up 1 mile run GHD sit-ups / raises 4 x 9 squats @ 135 lbs 3 Power Snatch EMOM for 10 min @ 95 lbs (did a few at 105 lbs, but poor form) "Nate" 2 muscle-ups (scaled to 6 dips) 4 HSPU (kipping) 8 KB swings @ 72 lbs (~5 rounds? wasn't keeping count) Then .... got my first post-pneumonia muscle-up!

WOD 2012.09.23

7 a.m. @ Home Warm-up Row 500 m 1. Row 4 x 500  Titus:  1:57.2,  2:00.4,  1:59.3,  1:55.9 Josh:  2:01.2,  1:42.2,  1:48.7,  1:44.8  Definitely slacked on the first round. Thanks Titus for the push! And congrats on the PR on that last set! 2. Tabata  (8 rounds / exercise; 20 s on / 10 s off; 1 min break between exercises) Push-ups Burpees Squat Jumps Titus: 45 (push-ups), 24 (burpees), 50 (squat jumps) Josh: 55 (push-ups), 42 (burpees), 109 (squat jumps)

Sight vs. Vision

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Today at HBCYR , our pastor preached from 2 Kings 6:8-23. The story talks about the faith of 4 different people: Elisha, the prophet; Ben-Hadad, the King of Syria; Jehoram, the King of Israel; and Elisha's servant. At one point, the Syrian army was sent to Dothan to capture Elisha. Upon seeing the army coming, Elisha's servant was afraid. Elisha's response? "Then Elisha prayed"  (v. 17) Prayer is often the last thing that comes to mind when I face adversity. I think it's because I lack vision. It is easy for me to be short-sighted, seeing the immediate and losing eternal perspective. When Elisha prayed, his servant's eyes were opened to see an army full of horses and chariots of fire . When I saw "chariots of fire" , a strong desire to run swelled within me. My run later in the evening was short-lived but good. It wasn't much. It wasn't fast. But it was something. Our pastor also said something about conviction: "with clarity

WOD 2012.09.01

CrossFit Markham @ 11 a.m. First WOD in a month. Thanks pneumonia for the month off :)  "Little Evil"  3 Rounds  Run 800 m  30 Pull-ups  30 Burpees  Time: 43:03 ... I finished :) The time off CrossFit has been good. I really like CrossFit and would spend a lot of after work at the gym.  My last CrossFit workout was August 1st . While I was initially disheartened by this forced rest, I've found a new kind of energy. It's that kind of energy when you awaken to a deeper realization of purpose and meaning. With CrossFit temporarily gone, I've been able to focus on my spiritual growth and on honoring  God at work. CrossFit used to consume a big part of my life and would eat into those other areas. As I continue to recover, I look forward to giving God glory in my everything. "for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."  1 Timothy 4:8

WOD 2012.08.01

CrossFit Markham @ 7 p.m. Deadlifts 135 lbs x 5, 225 lbs x 5, 275 lbs x 5 325 lbs x 3 x (3 sets) 4 Rounds for Time 400 m run 10 hang power cleans 15 toes to bar (25 min time cap, DNF - just finished the last 400 m run) Technically, I shouldn't be working out with bronchitis. I should be in my bed and recovering. Nevertheless, I was itching to workout. My intensity was kept low enough so that I did not require much breathing (or else I would start coughing uncontrollably). The meds haven't kicked in yet, but I'm drinking honey lemon tea right now. While I also took some cough suppressants, I should stop taking those, since it's been over a week now (i.e. more than the 5 day maximum). I definitely have a new appreciation for the ability to breathe, especially during a workout :)

Mindblowing

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo .

Transportation is cool :)

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I went to school for transportation and currently work in the field. If you're thinking about pursuing a career in transportation, or want to know more about the field, here's a cool video I found that shows why I enjoy working in transportation.

Food for thought

I seem to make the same mistakes again and again, especially when it comes to food. Breakfast this morning was 3 eggs and some fruit. So far so good. I got into work, downed a coffee and bought a banana muffin. I didn't really need the muffin, but enjoyed it anyways (a little oily though). I had little to eat after and lots to do. I find I'm more productive in a semi-fasted state. Then .... lunch came. I ate my lunch I brought from home. So far so good. Then a couple hours later I bought lunch from the caf: stuffed turkey breast, potatoes, vegetables, bread pudding, and pop. Two big mistakes: - The second lunch: I definitely didn't need the extra calories. - The processed sugar (bread pudding and pop): Big sugar spike = huge drop in mental clarity. Small goals: - Eat less, and skip meals / low-cal snacking--especially when I'm just sitting at the desk all day - Avoid processed food: let's start with the pop, juice, and desserts (noooo!)

Not Afraid

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Reflections on Research   Last .... last week, I took part in a research conference. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed academia; and gave me a refreshing perspective on the challenges of modelling travel behaviour. I had the week "off", which meant that I bounced between work and the conference, enjoying the best of both worlds. The only downside is the lack of sleep leading to my trip to Montreal that weekend, with the dragonboat team. Dragonboat @ Montreal Montreal was a lot of fun! Smoked meat, camraderie, the excitement of dragonboating, and good laughs. And I had a chance to experience some of Montreal's exciting night life. I even entertained the thought of moving there. Even scarier, I even thought about paddling in the upcoming year. I know, crazy, eh? Battling Bronchitis The past week I've been fighting a cough. It would hinder my running, and any other physical activity. I thought I just had a bad cough, so I got some cold/flu meds and

WOD 2012.07.16

Sunday Reflections This past Sunday, our pastor preached from Psalm 119:121-128. Here are a few things that stood out to me: 1. The weight of God's promises--you can take it to the bank 2. His mercies are new every  morning 3. You know how well you are doing as a servant when you are treated like one--boom 4. We need to love His Word, and hate sin--the reverse seems easier IATBR I gave a presentation today at a conference in Toronto. While the presentation generally went well, I know I definitely need to work on public speaking--Toastmasters? WOD I wasn't able to complete the entire workout, and ended up doing some random stuff. As I was hanging in the gym, it suddenly hit me that I have an attitude problem--yes, took long enough, I know. This arrogance. Sense of entitlement. Quick temper. Things that irritate me when I see in others. Painfully obvious in my life. I need to replace these with humility, patience, and perseverance. 4 x 3 Hang Squat Snatch @ 105 l

Your Great Name

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This song speaks of the greatness of God's name, and how His name alone has great power. As I was listening to this song on my way to work, I thought about why I still do the things I should stop, and why I don't do the things I should do. Just thinking about the greatness of God's name seemed to bring clarity to all this ... even if just for a temporary moment in time.

Spartan Beast Ottawa

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Adventure in Lac Ste-Marie How did you celebrate the Canada Day long weekend? My brothers and I decided to go skiing at Mont Ste-Marie ... without skis. More precisely, we spent our Saturday climbing up and down ski hills as part of the Spartan Beast Ottawa , which was in Lac Ste-Marie, about an hour north of Ottawa. Pre-Race Excitement As we finished checking in, we arrived on the patio of the chalet and were greeted by epic music, among them being the song by Vangelis, "1492: Conquest of Paradise", which we thought was super epic because of this clip . We were just minutes from the start, excited and nervous about this run. While the race was advertised as a 20 km course, the announcer surprised us by informing us the course was at least 25 km. My brothers look ahead, undaunted by the hill. Little did we know that we would climb all the way to the top ... and back down ... 6 times. And the top wasn't even in sight. Nevertheless, we were energetic

Slow Fade

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I heard this song on the radio and it definitely struck a chord within me. Small decisions made over the course of time can lead to seemingly unthinkable results. The song talks about how little choices, such as a fleeting glance or lustful thought, snowballed into relational disaster. "People never crumble in a day. Daddys never crumble in a day. Families never crumble in a day." As disheartening as this may be, there is hope in this truth: seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome by making small choices in the same direction over a long period of time. So even if you someone who's crumbled through making poor decisions, you can also rebuild ... one brick at a time.