Joshua Wang

Last month, I was in Cornwall for Family Day and dropped into one of my favorite gyms, Caveman Strong ( post ). While I was there, Coach Tyler said something that struck me, "Think long term". It sounds simple, but it made an impression on me. Case in point: My current back squat is 305 lb. I want to keep improving and one day hit 400 lbs! But, will I still be squatting 400 lbs when I'm 70? How much is too much? If you have a 400 lb squat with good mechanics and structural integrity, great! But if you don't have the proper mechanics and the anatomical foundation, strength your weaknesses. Stretch more. Improve mobility. Develop gymnastic skills. Learn how to breathe. Move in unfamiliar environments. Recently, I came across Canadian Sports for Life's LTAD Training Model (Long Term Athletic Development). The basic idea is that long term health and wellness is key, whether you are a recreational athlete or elite competitor. Long term athletic development is i

First, I do not work for Google :) I recently came across an article from the New York Times on How to Get a Job at Google . While working for Google may seem beyond the grasp of many (including myself), there are several lessons I found that I can apply to my work and life today. 1. Your ability to learn (general cognitive ability) is more important than what you already know. 2. Leadership is not defined by a title but by your capacity to respond to various situations, and knowing when to step up and when to step back. 3. You don't have to be an entrepreneur to take ownership for your work. 4. Remain humble. You need a big ego and a small ego. 5. "Expertise" can be taught. Talent is not enough. 6. Don't rest on your laurels, including your education or past experiences. Keep educating yourself and creating new experiences. Your degree is not a proxy for your ability to do any job. The world only cares about — and pays off on — what you can do with wh

7 p.m. @ CrossFit Ark Front Squat 5 x 135 lb, 3 x 185 lb, 1 x 235 lb, 1 x 255 lb (PR!), 0 x 265 lb (2 attempts) - then - 10 min AMRAP 5 strict pull-ups 10 burpees 15 air squats (217 reps) - then - Ankle mobility seminar with Dr. Keith Tse! If you're in the Aurora area, check him out at Meridian Wellness ! Notes: - golf ball / lacross ball along arch (which connects to your calves too!) - barbell to smash / roll Achilles' tendon and calves - massage tibialis posterior (thumb pressure down and up), and flex/extend or rotating ankle - open ankle joint capsule (manual stretch and distraction using strength band) - stretch gastrocnemius and soleus

So today, I forgot my cell phone at home. I found out only after boarding the GO train. I started to worry. After taking a step back to think, I calmed down. When I got downtown, I went to a payphone to let Carmelina know I don't have a phone for the day. I sent an e-mail later to my supervisor. Then I started to get to work. And wow, I just dialed in. There were several moments where I wanted to grab my phone to pass time. But then I took a breath, and just enjoyed the surroundings or explored my thoughts. It is so easy to get distracted. Removing that distraction was freeing. I was disconnected. And for that temporary time, I felt connected. More connected to people around me. More connected to my work. And most importantly, more connected to my purpose and who I am.

Today was the first day I dropped into Reebok CrossFit East Woodbridge with Carmelina! We made it out for the 7 a.m. class and WOW! So much fun! I've included the workouts I did this morning, along with workouts from Friday and Saturday. Monday March 10 Open WOD 14.2 Attempt 3: 79 Unfortunately, my progress on this workout was nonlinear :P My shoulders and hands were definitely taxed from the weekend. Oh well :) I gave my best. 79 reps was my best this morning. 10 min AMRAP 5 squat cleans (135 lb) 12 burpee over bar (5 Rounds) With about a minute left in my last round, Coach Ben came by to watch the last few minutes. That unlocked beastmode! haha! Definitely a pace I can't maintain yet for the full 10 minutes. Sunday March 9 Rest Day Saturday March 8 Open WOD 14.2 For as long as possible: From 0:00-3:00   2 rounds of:   10 overhead squats, 95 / 65 lb.   10 chest-to-bar pull-ups From 3:00-6:00   2 rounds of:   12 overhead squats, 95 / 65 lb.   12 c

The March 6 Rest Day. "No rest, no recovery. No recovery, no intensity." Chris Spealler Wed March 5 8 p.m. @ CrossFit Markham Warm-up 2x: 10 man makers, 10 box step ups, 2 laps - Squat cleans: 5x95#, 5x115#, 5x145#, 5x165# - 5 min AMRAP 500 m airdyne 10 burpee over box (24") 20 KB swings (24 kg) 30 hand release push ups 40 double understand (Got to 25 DUs) 2 min rest 7 min AMRAP 500 m airdyne 10 burpee over box (24") 20 KB swings (24 kg) 30 hand release push ups 40 double understand (Got to 70 m on airdyne) Weakness: push-ups Tue March 4 8 p.m. @ CrossFit Markham Warm-up 6 min alt tabata: mermaid rocks, hollow body rocks, kipping swings - 6 min AMRAP 10 T2B 10 burpee to target 1 min rest 50 thrusters for time (135 lb) (Rounds: 4, Time incl AMRAP: 15:40) Mon March 3  6 a.m. @ CrossFit Markham Open WOD 14.1 10 min AMRAP 30 double unders 10 snatches at 75 lb (Score: 258) 8 p.m. @ CrossFit Markham Front squats: 4 x 1

Adapt what is  useful , reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own. --Bruce Lee I saw this quote yesterday and it got me thinking about what works and what doesn't work in my life. I often wonder why I still do things that "don't work" and don't keep doing things that "do work". Today, I was thinking about what is useful in terms if food/drink consumption. I am trying to be consistent with paleo/zone and then add extra things as needed and see the effects of each variable. Being a coffee lover, I'm also trying to discover how my body best takes coffee and when it truly needs it. - paleo/zone - this is a good base to start, but only keep what is useful to YOU (measurable, repeatable, precise) - when do I feel amazing eating protein / carbs / fat? when does my body best respond to fruit / sugar? - coffee - does it promote energy or am I just drinking it when I'm stressed or need energy? Food log + energy levels  [th

This morning, I redid 14.1 as part of the CrossFit Open . Some say you should only do the workout once. In general, I agree. This time, both Carm and I decided to do it a second time. Here is a record of my scores for 14.1 (10 min of 30 double unders and 15 snatches @ 75 lb) Last year, Feb 4, 2013 : 180 reps Last Saturday, Mar 1, 2014: 215 reps This morning, Mar 3, 2014: 258 reps I was pretty happy with my improvement from last year (180 to 215). I was still doing CrossFit regularly when I hit 180, which tells me I'm steadily improving my fitness, becoming a stronger version of me :) Now ... the big improvement from Saturday to this morning? Sure, I watched a few videos and got some good tips. Yes, I did more muscle snatches in the beginning and focused on getting my double unders unbroken. But you want to know the real secret? Okay, here it is. Instead of loading a 45 lb bar with two 15 lb plates, I loaded a 35 lb bar with two 15 lb plates and two 5 lb plates. Th

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the CrossFit Level 1 Seminar with my brother, Jireh . We had a great time learning from excellent trainers and came away feeling better equipped to coach and excited to dig deeper into the world of fitness, both in and out of the CrossFit realm. My Introduction to CrossFit I was first introduced to CrossFit 6 years ago by Jordan ( Xplore CrossFit ). I remember I was doing something that resembled a clean/press with dumbbells, probably sets of 10, trying to get my heart rate up. In between sets, Jordan came up to me, introduced himself, and asked if I wanted to try out CrossFit. I remember my first session with him learning how to squat. This was my first exposure to squat therapy (developing form / range of motion by facing a wall). I remembered I kept falling over and would practice at home. I would use this same approach to introduce some of the dragonboat athletes I helped coach couple years later! A couple days after my first in