Workout, 3/31/2007

Back in Monterey, and what do I do first thing Saturday morning? Go to CrossFit HQ of course!

Workout:

2 minutes medicine ball cleans (14 lbs)
2 minutes rowing (for calories)
2 minutes push press (30 lbs each hand)
2 minutes burpees
2 minutes rowing (for calories)

Total reps: 114

Jog 200m, rest a minute

Then:

One person rows 500m. Other four people do one of four stations (medicine ball cleans, parallel jumps, push press, box jumps) until that person is done.

I did:

Medicine ball cleans (14 lbs)
Parallel jumps (over parallete)
Push press (30 lbs each hand)
Box jump (24" box)
500m row

Didn't count reps for this one, but on the 500m row, I got 1:48 - my second best time ever (best is 1:47.5) and I did it at the end of a workout!

Then:

1:00 abmat situps
1:00 plank hold
0:45 abmat situps
0:45 plank hold
0:30 abmat situps
0:30 plank hold

I got 25, 15 and I think 9 or 10 situps, and I did not rest on any of the planks.

Tomorrow I'll probably hit it in the Warzone.

Workout, 3/27/2007

5 rounds for time:

10 Goblet Squats, 55 lbs
10 Dumbbell Swings, 55 lbs
10 pullups

Time: 12:41

Rest

3 rounds for time:

10 Goblet Squats, 55 lbs
10 One Arm Snatch Pulls (5 each side), 55 lbs
10 dips

Time: 10:12

Handstand practice

Comments: Good stuff today. I had intended five rounds of the second circuit, but by the third round I had lost so much "zip" that I was losing metabolic stimulus. I decided to call it quits after that. Pullups went pretty well, done mostly in sets of 3 and 4 with a few doubles and one single. Glad I found that bar, though I pissed some people off keeping them from doing their retarded cable work - bonus! I haven't worked on handstands in a long time, but it went pretty well. I just did some supports against the wall and kick-to-handstands. I can't really hold the freestanding handstand, but when I do the kick-to-handstands for a while, I can feel my balance in the movement improving.

Rest tomorrow.

Workout, 3/26/2007

Squat Clean practice

6 rounds for time:

8 hang power cleans, 95 lbs
8 turkish get-ups (4 each side), 30 lbs

Time: 16:28

Weighted Back Extension
3x10 at 35 lbs


L-Hold Practice
1 minute of L-Hold in 5 holds

Pullup Practice, Deadhang and Kipping

Comments: I had wanted to do the CF workout with squat cleans, but I was worrying about my form to the point of it slowing me down. I did the first round with squat cleans, but switched to hang power cleans after that. I got the idea for doing some back extensions after my workout from Mike's Gym, he seems to do it a lot. And I finally found a working pullup bar - okay, it's neutral grip and it's attached to a cable machine, but it works, dammit! I may use it in my metcon workout tomorrow.

Workout, 3/24/2007

Max rounds in 20 minutes:

10 jumping lunges (5 each side)
10 one armed snatches (5 each side), 20 lbs
10 turkish get-ups (5 each side), 20 lbs

Completed: 7 rounds + 10 lunges

Comments: Normally I would have liked a heavier weight for the snatches and TGUs, but 20 lb dumbbells are all I have. I'm very sore anyway, so I think it would have slowed me down and I would have lost some of the metcon benefit, which is what this workout was really shooting for. I ache now.

Having a bad day. Might have to go get in a fight later.

Workout, 3/23/2007

Snatch practice

Five rounds for time:

10 Barbell Thrusters, 95 lbs
10 Renegade Rows, 25 lb dumbbells

Time: 17:34

For those who may not know, a Renegade Row is performed as such:

Place hands on two dumbbells on the ground
Do a pushup off of the dumbbells
As you come to the top of the pushup, pull one of the dumbbells to your chest. This consitututes one repitition. I switched the side that is rowing on each rep.

Comments: ...

. . .

. . .

Ow.

I had hoped to get this done in sub 15, possibly even as low as 13, but I am feeling a bit sick and my joints were really aching when I got in. I'm going to catch up on sleep tonight and hit it hard tomorrow. Time to go grocery shopping.

Workout, 3/21/2007

20-15-10
Jump Squat
Pushup
Sit-up
Squat Thrust
Mountain Climber

Time: 12:20

Immediately followed by

5 Jump Squats
5 Pushups
5 Sit-ups
5 Squat Thrusts
5 Mountain Climbers

Until 20 minutes is up

Completed: 5 rounds in 7:40

Workout, 3/20/2007

2x200m run at about 48 seconds each with 2 minute rest.

3 rounds for time:

Deadlift 185x10
15 Burpees

Time: 9:22

Rest 10 minutes

15 Back Extensions
5 Turkish Get-Ups right side, 5 left side, 25 lbs
15 Back Extensions
4 Turkish Get-Ups each side
15 Back Extensions
3 Turkish Get-Ups each side

Time: 7:25

Food for 2/17/2006

11:00 A.M.
3 eggs with 1 oz cheese
2 slices whole wheat toast
2/3 tsp butter
2 tbs avocado

1:00 P.M.
Zone Bar

3:10 P.M.
4oz Tuna
4 tsp light mayonaisse
2 slices whole wheat bread

6:30 P.M.
Zone Bar

9:30 P.M.
3 eggs with cheese
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 1/3 tsp butter

1:05 A.M.
Zone Bar

Decided to move up to 18 blocks - I was too hungry when I fell asleep the other night, and I think it made me lose some sleep, as well as sleep a bit restlessly.

Starting the Zone - food for 2/16/2007

12:15 P.M.
3 eggs scrambled with cheese
1 cup strawberries
1/2 english muffin
2 tablespoons avocado

3:15 P..M.
4oz beef
3 dill pickles
2/3 banana )6 inches
1/2 apple
1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil

8:20 P.M.
Zone bar

8:40 P.M. (Should have been earlier)
4 oz tuna
4 teaspoons light mayonaisse
2 slices whole wheat bread

11:30 P.M.
Zone bar

48 Hours

48 hours
Jacob Tsypkin

I

I am relaxed in not knowing
Not caring
I pay no attention
I’ve been here before
I have tried
Wanted
To believe
But I cannot
And I cannot sleep
So I will accept
Every waking moment
And commit it
To this page
I watch myself
From the inside out
I beg for comfort
From the exhaustion
Of the world
I see the morning light
Pushing through opaque windows
I open the door
Cold and light flood into me
And the last words I hear
Before I step outside:
Whatever happened to the night?


II

I inhale deeply
Cold air stings me
Lips, tongue
Heart, lungs
Capturing my soul
In a brief moment
Of grey-shaded
Surreality
The trees
Winter barren
Seem alive to my tired eyes
I do not feel real today
As if I’m looking
From the outside in
The cold seeps into me
Even surrounded
By the faces
Of my peers
I keep my vigil
Solitary
Through the timeless morning

III

I need not your sympathy
Just point me to the mountains
So that I may lose myself
In the nowhere I belong
And when I have walked
For one thousand days
And one thousand nights
When my exhausted legs
Will no hold me no longer
When I have withered away
To a shell of myself
When the rain has soaked me to the bone
So that freshwater seeps from my skin
When I have grown so cold
That the sun will never again warm me
When I have become so distant
That I no longer remember you
And none any longer remember me
Then I will return
And perhaps then
Safe from my inadequacy
I will rest

IV

Awake
Yes, that is what I feel
Awake
Yes, that is what I am!
I am awake
Like the leaves that will grow
On barren trees
With winters end
I am awake
Like the morning light
Pushing its way
Through our windows
To remind us
Of what we’re here for
I am awake!
Like screams of triumph
Echoing from mountaintops
Cries of despair
Forming valleys of their own
I am awake!
Like countless lovers
Tangled in each other
Arms and legs
Tongues and souls
Seeking comfort
And love
And respite
From the exhaustion
I AM AWAKE
Like the sun and the moon
And the many, many stars
Like old friends
And new enemies
War and peace
And sex and magic!
Blood and water
And oil above them
Unto the light
At the end of the tunnel
I AM AWAKE!
And at last
In my awakeness
The 48th hour will come
And envelop me
And the soft voice of sleep
Will whisper in my ear
That this, too
Shall pass away

My latest english paper...very proud of this one.

Jacob Tsypkin
Dr.Johnson
English 111
22 November 2006

Extending the Vote to the Common Man

When Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic-Republican party in the early 1800s he hoped to extend the right to vote to the common man – white males over the age of twenty-one who did not own land. Though our definition of the term “common man” is significantly different than that of Jefferson’s time it seems to have become apparent that a new extension of the vote to the modern common man is in order. Disorganization and confusion at the polls, lack of education and incentive for voters, and simple voter apathy have all contributed to staggeringly low voter turnout rates in a nation which is based almost entirely upon its citizens’ right to choose.
According to the Statistical Abstract of the United States approximately 54% of the voting age population – Americans who are both citizen and resident and over the age of eighteen – cast their ballots in the 2004 Presidential election (Statistical Abstract of the United States, 125th edition, 2005). This number may be inaccurate – Assistant Professor Michael McDonald of George Mason University has done research that shows the voter turnout rate was actually closer to 61% (United States Election Study, http://elections.gmu.edu/Voter_Turnout_2004.htm) in the 2004 Presidential Election. In an article written by Kevin Wingert, Professor McDonald is quoted as saying “the inherent flaw with voter turnout is the population it is compared to” (Kevin Wingert, “Denying Election Myths?”, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, November 7th 2006). Voter turnout rates are counted against the voting age population – all persons in a locality who are over the age of 18 (Wingert). This includes prisoners, persons incarcerated in a mental asylum and non-citizens. McDonald’s statistics use the voting eligible population – instead of measuring voter turnout against all persons over 18, it is compared to all people who are actually eligible to vote. Despite being more accurate than the traditional studies McDonald’s statistics do not show a voter turnout rate adequate to represent the citizens of this country. If 61% of those eligible to vote actually do so, that leaves 39% of those eligible unrepresented. Though it would be virtually impossible to secure 100% voter turnout rate, I believe that it is necessary to drastically increase the amount of ballots cast in our elections.
The United States is a country of immigrants. Therefore among the chief problems with American voting is the language barrier. Many immigrants do not speak English – many of those who do speak it do not speak it well enough to understand the sometimes complicated language used in political campaigning. The most obvious method to remedy this problem would be to provide voting ballots in many languages. However, this would be an unrealistic option. It is likely that there is no language that is not spoken by at least one person in the United States – that is somewhere approximating 6,809 languages (Linguistic Society of America, http://www.lsadc.org/info/ling-faqs-howmany.cfm). Aside from the inherent difficulties in printing 6,809 different ballots, accommodating immigrants who do not speak English well enough to understand the language within a ballot may be a step toward weaker education for immigrants and less incentive for immigrants to learn to speak English. The opposite is what is necessary: stronger linguistic education for immigrants and easier access to that education. This includes everything from better teaching to immigrant children in schools to a government run website that helps immigrants understand what they are reading when they look through an election catalog.
Another serious problem is voter apathy. Many voters simply don’t care enough to vote. This is commonly due to the mentality that one vote – “my vote” – does not make a difference. Perhaps that would be true – if there was only one person in the United States who chose not to vote. This mentality starts to create problems when more than one person believes it. One vote doesn’t make a difference. 84,274,000 votes do. It is also true that the average American may not see much reason to vote – it becomes just another hassle in one’s already hectic life. These attitudes may be remedied through a fairly simple idea: Voting should be a holiday. Just as we celebrate our independence from England on July 4th we should celebrate our constitutional right to alter our government every November. Employees should be given extra time off during the day to go vote. Though many employers would argue that their employees would take the extra time and do nothing – and in many cases they would be correct – I believe this would create a drastic increase in voter turnout. Voting is a proud American tradition and should be treated as such. Following this trend of treating voting as an American tradition and celebration, children should be taught that way from an early age. In schools children celebrate Thanksgiving, July 4th, Christmas, Hanukkah and almost any other holiday one can imagine – though none of these are as relevant today as voting. If children were taught to look forward to election day and the celebrations that accompany it, many of them may prove to carry this excitement into their adult lives and therefore care about casting their ballots when they are eligible to do so.
Another way to increase voter turnout is to reconsider the voting rights of ex-convicts and even incarcerated felons. In an article they wrote for the Journal of Applied Philosophy in 2005, John Kleinig and Kevin Murtagh say “six states – Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi and Virginia – permanently disqualify ex-offenders (though in some cases with some opportunities for restoration)” (John Kleinig and Kevin Murtagh, “Disenfranchising Felons”, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Volume 22, Number 3, 2005). Anyone who is convicted of a felony in this state essentially suffers the lifelong sentence of not being allowed their right to vote, even after they have served their sentence in prison. This is unfair to these people: Nowhere in the constitution does it say that a ex-felon can be disallowed from voting after their judicially assigned sentence is served. Though it could be argued that states have the right to choose if ex-convicts are allowed to vote, that decision does not only affect the state: It affects the entirety of the nation. A first step in dealing with this issue may be to require all states to allow ex-offenders to vote in national elections, if not in state and municipal elections. Another, more radical approach is to grant limited voting rights to felons who are currently serving their prison sentences. Though felons should be punished and some of their rights taken away, I believe that allowing the incarcerated to vote on issues dealing with their treatment, the facilities they are kept in and other issues directly relating to their lives as prisoners would be a big step in improving both representation of the American public and the poor treatment of the incarcerated in many prisons in the United States.
One of the most common ideas to increase voter turnout in the United States is th make voting compulsory. Compulsory voting would require eligible citizens to register and vote or suffer penalties including citations, fines and even jail time. Though it is likely that compulsory voting would bring voter turnout much higher, I do not believe that is the right thing to do in America. Americans in general resent being forced to do anything – rightfully so, especially in the case of voting. In a true democracy, citizens must not only have the right to vote, but also the right to choose whether or not to vote; I believe that it is necessary to get our citizens to want to vote, not to force them to do so.
In the 2004 election, 131,426,000 Americans represented all 215,700,000 eligible voters in our nation. That is a figure I cannot be comfortable with. It is vital to the future of our nation that we remedy the problems causing this disconcerting situation: linguistic barriers, voter apathy and unfair treatment of convicted or formerly convicted citizens are issues that must be faced every bit as urgently as the war in Iraq or illegal immigration. If the American people and their government do not take these problems seriously I fear that the day will come when one man’s vote really doesn’t make a difference.

Thursday, November 9th

Breakfast

2 beef patties
2 tomato slices
Apple
Banana
Supplements
Water

Lunch

Can't remember, but I know it was clean.

Dinner

4 or 5 slices of cooked turkey
1 beef patty
1/2 cucumber
1 red bell pepper
Fish oil
Water

Dinner again

3 slices of cooked turkey
3 or 4 tomato slices
Fish oil
Water

Wednesday, November 8th

Breakfast

3 hard boiled eggs
Apple
Banana
Supplements
Water

8-10 slices of Salami between 1:30 and 3:00 P.M. (I was babysitting, it was all they had)

Dinner

2 ground beef patties (mmm)
Handful of green beans
Little bit of red bell pepper
Little bit of cucumber
Banana
Water

Dinner

Ground Turkey Cutlets
Red Bell Pepper
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Water
Fish Oil

I may have some raspberries or a mandarin before bed.

Lunch

Deli style turkey
Baby carrots
Lettuce

Eating Clean and Accountabililty.

Okay. So, I'm following Russ' lead (I don't know why...) and I will be eating clean (this means no processed foods - bread, pasta, sugar, etc)...until January 1st, 2007. I need the help of anyone and everyone...this is called accountability. I have to know that you are all watching and ready to call me a worthless shitbag if I screw up. Also, Russ will make me eat Alpo. I am serious. I am sick and tired of being fat. So I will post my food every day. I NEED PEOPLE TO YELL AT ME.

Breakfast today:
Deli style turkey
1 mandarin
1 banana
Bottle of water
Supplements (fish oil, glucosamine/MSM, potassium/magnesium 250, multivitamin)

Please help to make me accountable for my actions.

My posterior chain is a posterior pain...

Thursday

Lifting/Conditioning

Walking Lunges - 5 sets of 10 steps with two 40 lb dumbbells. Ouch. Form needs some work, but it went well. I'm gonna hurt tomorrow.

Clean and Push Press - two 60 lb dumbbells for some doubles. Didn't really work out, posterior chain was too sore.

Rowing - 10 intervals of 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off. 1,476 meters. Killed me.

Wednesday

BJJ - We did no gi today. I enjoy it a lot more and am much better at it. I am a lot more successful with my takedowns and with taking the back. I will hopefully be competing in the California Open and/or the On-The-Mat/Grapplers Games on the 18th and 19th of November. Unfortunately I will have to compete in the unlimited class, but such is life. You let yourself get fat, you've gotta deal with the consequences.

Tuesday

Lifting/Conditioning

3x6 Bulgarian Squat with 50 lb dumbbell - tough, but good. Form was pretty good, though I need to work on doing them without supporting myself on something. Also, I need to eliminate any push from the rear (benched) leg.

Clean and Push Press with two 60 lb dumbbells - a bunch of doubles and a few triples. Form on the cleans was okay - some really good, some really bad, but mostly. The push press weight was a little light, but with enough reps they still hurt. I'd like to be able to do this at a pace where it's a conditioning workout.

Rowing - 3 minutes on, 1.5 minutes off, 2 minutes on, 1 minute off, 1 minute on, 30 seconds off, 30 seconds on. Had to get back in the groove towards the beginning, but by the middle of the first round I was good to go. 103 calories and I think about 1600 meters.

Monday

BJJ - Went well. Conditioning is getting better and I feel a little leaner. Knee feels pretty good. I got new gi's at the U.S. Open - they help out mentally. Still need tons of work both on conditioning and technique.

New Program.

I've been struggling to find a training program that will work for me recently. This is my latest sketch.

Exercises

Warm-Ups:
Overhead Squats
Samson Stretch
Pike Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
Massage

Bilateral Lifts:
Front Squats
Deadlifts

Unilateral Lifts:
Bulgarian Squats
Walking Lunges

Olympic Lifts:
Squat & Power Cleans
Split Jerks

Presses:
Military Press
Bench Press
Push Press

Core Work:
Knees-To-Elbows
Back Extensions
Leg Raises
Superman/Hollow Rock
L-Holds
GHR Situps

Bodyweight Exercises:
Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups
Dips

Conditioning Exercises:
Rowing
Jump Rope
CrossFit

Sprinting Exercises
40 yard dash
25 yard hill sprint

Monday

Warm-Up
Stretch
Front Squat (series)
Squat Clean (5x3)
Military Press (5x5)
Bulgarian Squat (5x3 each leg)
Knees-To-Elbows (6x4)
Back Extension (3x10 weighted)
Pullup/Chinup (5x5 on Gravitron)
Rowing (3 minutes on, 3 minutes off, 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off, 1 minute on, 1 minute off)
Stretch

Tuesday

Stretch
25 yard hill sprint (3)
40 yard dash (4)
Dips (5x5)
Jump Rope (5 minutes, 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off)
Stretch

Wednesday

Warm-Up
Stretch
Deadlift (Series)
Split Jerk (5x2)
Bench Press (5x5)
Walking Lunge (5 steps each leg, 5 sets)
Superman/Hollow Rock (3 minutes)
GHR Situps (3x10 weighted)
Pullup/Chinup (10 negatives)
Rowing (75 calories)

Thursday

Stretch
40 yard dash (5)
Dips (10x3)
Jump Rope (10 rounds of 50 skips, rest 10 seconds)
Stretch

Friday

Off

Saturday

Warm-Up
Stretch
Front Squat (5x5)
Power Clean (10 heavy singles with good form)
Push Press (5x3)
Bulgarian Squats (5x5 each leg)
Leg Raises (10x3)
L-Holds (5)
Back Extensions (5x5 weighted, heavier than Monday)
Pullup/Chinup (10x3 on Gravitron, less assistance than Monday)
CrossFit
Stretch

Sunday

Off

Along with this "formal" stuff, there will be a lot of walking (shooting for a minimum of 4 miles a day) and mobility work.

"The Line" reworked

Did some work on "The Line", but I don't think it's quite finished yet.

“The Line”
Jacob Tsypkin

I once had a conversation with two members of a Christian fellowship at my junior college. While discussing the basis of faith in God I pointed out that many religions had texts far older than the bible, telling of their Gods and their laws, and asked why I should believe that the Christian religion is the one that got it right and that Christ is the only true way into Heaven. One of the men was very talkative and interested, but the other was mostly quiet. I was worried I had offended him when he suddenly joined in. He looked at me and said in a mildly bewildered voice “I just don’t understand. Everyday, in everything I do, I feel the Lord my God within me and around me. I feel the love of Christ, and I just don’t understand how you don’t feel it too. I don’t identify with you. I’ve crossed a line and I can’t see what’s on your side of it.”

I immediately thought this was bullshit, a way to get out of having to provide a logical argument to back up his ideas. Since when did having different beliefs from someone else mean that you couldn’t see their side of the story? But thinking on it later, I realized that I was, in fact, an idiot. People, myself included, do this everyday. It happens in everything we do, from the minor and inconsequential (“Charmin toilet paper is the only way to go!”) to the major and world altering (“Christ is the one true way to heaven!”). One may be particularly fond of Toyotas and have trouble understanding why some people prefer Fords. As an Olympic weightlifter, I just can’t figure out why every time I go to the gym I see dozens of people doing nothing but bench press and bicep curls. I have crossed a line, and I can no longer see what’s on the other side.

Everyone is searching for something better: A better car, a better house, a better partner, a better life. Most people are, in some way or another, searching for God, or a higher power, or any kind of proof that there is something else out there, something after this life ends, attempting to stifle their fear of death with the belief that it is not the end. Generally this faith is found in a Church or a Synagogue, or within the pages of the Koran or Taoist scrolls. Somehow the laws and structure of religion make it easier for people to believe – or at least to convince themselves that they believe. But this attitude seems to lead only the minority to what they’re looking for; the majority achieve only ignorance and intolerance.

Quakers believe that every single human being has a piece of God in them, and that religion of any kind is simply a way of locating that piece of God and getting in touch with it. They call this concept “inner divinity”. Aside from making the Quakers a pretty cool bunch of people – they were among the first abolitionists in the colonies, after all – this idea has spurred me on to realize something: Religion is simply finding the thing you are most passionate about, most in tune with, and staying with it. If finding God and building a relationship with him should make us ‘happier than anything else, and we are most happy when doing the thing we are passionate about, this notion could be considered nearly infallible. I rarely feel more complete than when I have my hands wrapped around the cold steel of a barbell, struggling and straining (and sometimes screaming) as I battle seemingly insurmountable odds. Sometimes I get the lift, other times I don’t – either way, I feel like I am as in touch with whatever higher power is out there (or within me) as I could ever be. A man who loves Toyotas may experience this feeling after spending a few hours in his garage tuning up his ever faithful ’91 Camry.

In everything we do, there is a line. We always start out by treading carefully right along it, like children pretending that everything on the sides of the line is hot lava – don’t get burned! But eventually the lava on one side turns into warm ocean waters, so blue and inviting, and we cannot understand what we ever saw on the other half. It is my belief that one side of that line, the side that calls to us and draws us on, contains that piece of God that can be found within each human being. Crossing that line, finding our passion, could be the answer to the eternal question: why are we here? It could be that our passion, our path to God, is the only reason. The beauty of it is, once we find it, it’s the only reason we need. With that knowledge, I can deal with the constant barrage of evangelists and preachers telling me that I need be saved and that Christ is the only true path to heaven. Good for them for having such passion.

I firmly maintain that heaven is a squat rack.