Joshua Wang

WOD Tue Feb 2 @ CrossFit Markham 6 weeks ago This morning at the 6 a.m. class ... PRs (Personal Records)! Max push-ups (1 min): 36 (old: 30) Back squat: 305 lb (old: 265 lb) Push press: 175 lb (old: 155 lb) Then (unplanned) cash-out of wall ball shots Push-ups These have improved, but still need work. I just need to be consistent and persistent in my practice. Push-ups are definitely a "goat". Back squat I finally broke 300 lb! Around a year ago, I hit 295 lb (low bar). In my excitement, I went for 315 lb. And failed. Thrice. A month later, I stopped going to CrossFit Markham as work was getting busy and money was a bit tight. I've been doing a bit of strength work on my own, but I never went heavy nor was I consistent. I switched over to high bar squatting after reading an article from Outlaw North . While both have their merits, high bar was harder for me and it was something I wanted to develop. The lack of consistency was discouraging a...

Last night, I had the chance to hang out with some men from my small group. We went to CrossFit Markham for a fun workout then had some wings down the street. Here's what we did last night: Warm-up Row 1200 m Skill work Chest-to-bar pull-ups Met-con 3 rounds of 3 min AMRAP: 6 alt jumping lunges, 9 deadlifts (185#), 6 pull-ups 2 min rest (Score: 8 rounds + 4 reps) Here's a good article by James Clear about the lessons you can learn from a stained glass artist. He talks about making incremental changes. I love his closing paragraphs: Of course, change isn’t easy — no matter how you do it. Slow gains are boring. They’re unsexy. Nobody writes news stories about them. But moving forward in a slow and methodical manner doesn’t mean you lack ambition, drive, or vision. The stained glass artist has a very clear vision. He knows exactly what he is working toward. You and I can do the same. If we keep making small improvements, then pretty soon we will end up with a be...

Sun Feb 17: Playing around @ Markville Fitness - incl squats, pull-ups etc - then fun workout with brothers :) Met-con: 12 min AMRAP 5 burpees pull-ups 10 burped sprawls 3 bear complexes (95#) Conditioning: Prowler push  (250#): 10 lengths each, team of 3 Sat Feb 15: Strength: Back squat 2x5x135#, 5x185#, 5x5x245# Shoulder press 5x5x95# Power clean 5x5x155# Conditioning: Prowler push (225#): 5 laps, 1:00 rest

Strength: Shoulder press 5x95#, 3x5x105# Push press 3x115#, 3x135#, 3x155# Push jerk 2x1x135#, 1x155# Met-con: 12 min AMRAP 9 deadlifts (155#) 12 push-ups 15 box jumps (24") (6 rounds + 8 DL)

I haven't really worked out since Monday. I was really sore from the heavy squats and the wall ball shots. I managed to get in this morning with Carm for the 6 a.m. This is what we did: Strength Overhead squats 2x5x65#, 2x5x95#, 5x115# Met-con For time: 10 overhead squats (OHS) @ 95# 20 pull-ups 30 OHS 40 pull-ups 30 OHS 20 pull-ups 10 OHS (Time: 25:00) I had to drop the weight to 85# after the first set of OHS since my joints were in pain. Pull-ups and overhead squats are definitely weaknesses of mine. Need to work on my grip and scapular strength (and just overall fitness ... gassing out too quick :p) 11:30 p.m. update: I just got back from Day 1 of the Free Indeed conference (www.free indeed.ca) and was incredibly encouraged from my time there. When I got home, I felt an urge to just move, so I did. I rowed 2 km at a relaxed pace (~2:15/500 m) and did 3 sets of 10 push-ups and 10 squats. I learned two things: Moving is good. I need to move more often....

Strength Back squat with ~2 sec pause at the bottom 5x135#, 5x185#, 5x205#, 3x5x225# Met-con 150 wall ball shots (20#, 10' target) Rest 5 min 100 push-ups Total time: 26:22 "Karen" (150 wall balls): 11:29 Meditation There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. --Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESV "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. ... If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. ... For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools d...

Sun Feb 2 Partner WOD 5 Rounds for time: Row 20 calories AMRAP: 5 KB swings (75 lb), 5 goblet squats (75 lb), 10 DB snatches (30 lb) While Partner 1 rows 20 calories, Partner 2 accumulates as many reps as possible. Then switch. This is done 5 times. J: 120, P: 125 Fri Jan 31 2 Rounds For max reps: 2 Minutes of Rope Climbs (15') Rest 60 seconds 2 Minutes of Alternating Pistols Rest 60 seconds 2 Minutes of Double-Unders (Rope climbs: 9, Pistols: 94, Double unders: ?) -Then- For time: 135/95 pound Thruster, 15 reps 135/95 pound Sumo deadlift high-pull, 21 reps 135/95 pound Thruster, 12 reps 135/95 pound Sumo deadlift high-pull, 15 reps 135/95 pound Thruster, 9 reps 135/95 pound Sumo deadlift high-pull, 9 reps (Used 95#) - then - 5 min AMRAP 10 C2B pull-ups 10 alt pistols 10 HSPU - 2 min rest - 10 box jumps (24") 10 shoulder to overhead (95#, instead of Rx 135#) Wed Jan 29 Partner WOD 5 min alternating C&J @ 135# - then - 5 min alternating thru...

Strength : Push press 2 x 6 @ 95 lb 2 x 5 @ 115 lb 2 x 4 @ 135 lb Met-con : 4 rounds for time 10 hang c&j (135 lb) 20 pull-ups 3 min rest (Time: 22:26, 3 rounds only) Note : I only did 3 rounds today in part because everyone already finished and I had to head to work. The main reason though is that my body needed to stop. Knowing when to stop and when to push is something I'm still learning. Having gone to the 8 p.m. class last night, my goal was just to show up to the 6 a.m. class. I had to remind myself of that and think of the bigger picture.

Strength : Back squat: 7 x 135 lb, 7 x 185 lb, 7 x 205 lb, 4 x 7 @ 225 lb Met-con : 3 min AMRAP 34 squat cleans (135 lb) 34 double unders 1 min rest 4 min AMRAP 34 squat cleans (135 lb) 34 double unders (1 round + 8 cleans)

Sun Jan 26 Warm-up: 10 min ArcTrainer (simulates the pains of the AirDyne if you adjust the resistance!) WOD: 4 rounds for time: 1 wall climb 10 burpees 1 wall climb 10 box jumps 1 wall climb 10 pull-ups (Time: 20+ min, incl mid-WOD injury) Sat Jan 25 Teams of 3 Row 6k While 2 people Perform 100 burpees 100 wallballs 100 sit-ups 100 air squats 100 push-ups (Time: 26:06) Fri Jan 24 Back squats 4 x 9 x 185 lb, 3 x 225 lb then, with belt, 3 x 225 lb, 3 x 3 x 245 lb

I made it out to the 6 a.m. class ... again! Measurements: Weight: 189 lb % Fat: 17.4 Met-con: 3 Rounds for Time 1 min row for calories 1 min pull-ups 1 min box jumps (24") 1 min power cleans (135 lb) Score: 150 (50 reps per round ... definitely room for improvement) Morning coffee: black medium coffee (Tim Hortons) Key verse(s) from this morning: "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for this life and also for the life to come." --1 Timothy 4:7-8 This morning, I'm thankful for, ... the opportunity to work downtown today ... a productive commute on the GO train ... making it out to the 6 a.m. CrossFit class ... energy and life ... showers haha! ... an encouraging girlfriend ... fresh(ish) air :)

I made it out to the 6 a.m. class! Measurements: Hips: 41.25" Waist: 32" Scores: Push-ups (1 min): 30 Back squat (1 RM): 265 lb Push press (1 RM): 155 lb Morning coffee: black medium coffee (McDonald's) Key verse(s) from this morning: "Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." --1 Timothy 3:2-3 This morning, I'm thankful for, ... a smooth commute ... a cool girlfriend ... an interesting job ... fun coworkers ... friends from small group ... life and ability to move ... food to enjoy Interesting quote: "Chasing meaning is better than avoiding discomfort." --Kelly McGonigal ( TED Talk )

Oly: 5 x (1 hang squat clean, 1 squat clean, 1 split jerk) 95#- 95#-135#-165#-185# Met-con: 18 min Alt EMOM 5 Clean & Push jerk (135#, Rx was 155#) 15 box jumps (24") 3-5 muscle-ups (Didn't get all the reps, and only 1 MU each round)

Strength: Front squat, 3x135#, 3x185, 3x205, 3x225, 3x235 Met-con: 15 min AMRAP 3 thrusters @ 100# 3 burpees 3 chest-to-bar pull-ups ... 6,6,6 ... 9,9,9 ... (Finished 15 pull-ups and 5 thrusters)

Warm-up: 2 rounds: 10 overhead squats (PVC pipe) 10 strict pull-ups 20 overhead walking lunges (barbell) Met-con: "Speed dating" Teams of 2 (did this workout with Jason in about 35:30) "Annie" 50-40-30-20-10 Double unders, Sit-ups "Grace" 30 C&J @ 135 lb Rest 2 min "Karen" 150 wall ball shots (10 ft target, 20 lb wall ball) "Jackie" 1000 m row, 50 thrusters Rest 2 min 100 burpees Post-WOD work: Handstand hold (against wall) Handstand walk practice

I'm finally back at CrossFit Markham :) It's hard to describe the feeling of being back after being away for so long (since March 2013). Here's a brain dump for those interested -- mainly for me to look back on. Why the hiatus? In short, excuses. The longer answer looks something like this: - Paid off car, felt poor - Saving money (though spending elsewhere :p) - Travelling for work in the summer - Tried to stay fit working out on my own, doing CrossFit with friends, and going to a globo gym when I could make it out Why am I back? In short, I feel alive and happy doing CrossFit. Back in my element (though definitely rusty :p). The longer answer looks something like this: - Sick and tired of being sick and tired (work, long commutes, worrying about money, etc.) - I enjoy the atmosphere of the CrossFit gyms I've been too (CFM is like home) - It's really fun coaching others and being coached by such talented trainers  - I joined with Carmeli...