Joshua Wang

I'm sitting at my desk about to start my work day. And wow, am I ever sore! It's not just muscle sore, but also energy/glycogen-depleted sore. I haven't been blogging in a while, but I have been keeping fit. Here's a brief update. Olympic Lifting I attended the CrossFit Weightlifting course (April 26-27) and learned so much! Here are some quick highlights: Head trainer was Josh Everett!! Camille Leblanc-Bazinet was there too! I saw her snatch 190 lb and finish Fran shortly after in 1:59 My lifts feel more solid. The highlight for me was hitting a 155 lb snatch. PVC pipes are tiring :) I met a lot of great trainers, coaches and athletes. Blessed and grateful. Half Marathon This past Sunday, I joined Carmelina for her first half marathon! Carm was a bit nervous and did not think she could finish. We picked up the slowest pace band we could find (3:15 for the half marathon) and just went for it. The short story is we finished it in 3:14, together, with...

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...

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

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

Jireh, Carmelina and I went to CrossFit Ark Tuesday night for a fun workout. This was one of those rare days where I beat my brother (Jireh) in a workout. He still remains dominant in virtually every other workout, including repping out front squats at 305# for 4 and blasting through those prowler pushes. Today is definitely a rest day. I've been squatting and prowler pushing for the past 4 days. As much as I want to go into the gym again, my body needs to reset and recover. Rest is a beautiful thing :) I've also started drinking my own version of Bulletproof Coffee ( link ). If you're a coffee lover and haven't tried it out yet, I highly recommend it! I used some organic coffee, goat butter (recipe calls for grassfed unsalted butter) and coconut oil (recipe calls for MCT oil). Here's a picture of my first attempt! Anyways, here's what we did at the Ark yesterday: Warm-up: 3 min row @ 75% 1 min single skips 1 min Samson stretch 1 min squats (2 s h...

I had the chance to visit Cornwall on Family Day and had to stop in on my favorite gym ! My siblings joined me for the workout. Here's what I ended up doing: Warm-up: Straight-leg bear crawl (x2) Duck walk (x2) Table top overs 2 rounds: 10 PVC pipe (+5 lb) pass throughs 10 gymnastics stretch 10 kozak Strength: Back squat 5x135#, 5x185#, 3x5x235# 10 ring rows in between each set of back squats Conditioning: Prowler pushes (270#), x3

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)

Strength: Back squat 1x135#, 1x185#, 5x5@225# Bench 5x5 @ 135 lb Deadlift: 5x @ 135 lb 5x @ 185 lb 5x @ 205 lb 5x @275 lb

Today was the Day 2 of the  Free Indeed  conference and wow. So much to digest. I'm glad I made the trip to Oakville though. There's so much to share but I have some reflecting to do. Here is the main verse from the conference: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -- John 8:36 After grabbing a quick bite, I went to Markville Fitness for a quick strength workout (Starting strength inspired). Here's what I did: Back squats: 5x5 @ 225# Shoulder press: 5x5 @ 95# Power clean: 5x5 @ 135#

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