New SICFIT Post: Game Time

Check out my new post over at SICFIT. Even if you're sick of my writing, you can look at my photos of sweaty, half-naked athletes working out in the Southern California sun.

CrossFit Games Recap: Part 2

[Previously: CrossFit Games: Recap Part 1]

The marine layer burned off soon after the finish of the WOD at Santa Monica Pier. By the time we arrived at the Home Depot Center for the rest of Day 1's events, it was starting to heat up. I lingered for a few seconds in front of the Big Ass Fan booth before moving on to check out the rest of the venue.

The Reebok CrossFit tent was situated smack-dab in the middle of "Sponsor Village," the cluster of makeshift stores set up next to the stadium. Early on the first day, Reebok still had plenty of CrossFit-specific gear for sale, though merchandise appeared to be flying off the shelves.

Of course, as an admitted shoe whore, I was drawn like a moth to the blindingly shiny yellow Reebok CrossFit shoes. I was so entranced by the pair in the display case that I failed to notice that REEBOK WAS SELLING THEM FIVE FEET AWAY. (Only a limited number were offered for sale. Reebok had brought a few hundred pairs with which to outfit the Games athletes; the "extras" were then sold to fans at the Games.)

Like a big dummy, I wandered off to check out the stadium. A rope-climbing rig was already set up, but the competitors were elsewhere at the moment.

So Tim, Joe and I strolled around Home Depot Center. We checked in on the Master's competition, where the male athletes were grinding through a grueling WOD:

• 21 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 21 hand-release push-ups 
• 150 yard shuttle run
• 15 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 15 hand-release push-ups 
• 100 yard shuttle run
• 9 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 9 hand-release push-ups 
• 50 yard shuttle run

Tim's buddy Ken Clark was competing in the Master's 45-50-year-old division -- in this particular workout, he placed 8th out of 19, with a time of 5:05. In other words, he kicked ass.

Next, we moseyed on over to the track to watch the individual competitors tackle Event 2 -- a three-part skills test consisting of:

• Max L-sit for time (1 attempt)
• Max distance softball throw (2 attempts)
• Max distance handstand walk (1 attempt with 1 mulligan if less than 5 yards)

After the excitement of the beach WOD, this one wasn't nearly as much fun to watch. A static L-sit for time is incredibly challenging, but as a spectator sport, it's less fun than watching pro bowling.

Jason Khalipa won the L-sit portion of the event with a 51-second hold -- but not too long thereafter, he completely muffed the softball throw. For all his athletic abilities, Khalipa obviously never learned to throw a ball; each of his throws were inaccurate, short, or both.




He wasn't alone. Plenty of the other guys (including Austin Malleolo)  were clearly uncomfortable throwing a softball.

Spencer Hendel, a former baseball pitcher, won the softball-throwing contest with a screamer that traveled almost 260 feet. But of the male competitors, 13 failed to record a single successful throw.

The women didn't fare much better with the softball throw, though a few -- including Michelle Kinney,

Jessica Pamanian and Angie Pye -- bested many of the men.

After watching a bunch of people try to throw a ball (some apparently for the first time), we got antsy, so Tim, Joe and I wandered back to the Sponsor Village to check out what the vendors were selling.

At the Steve's Original tent (where I loaded up on PaleoKrunch bars -- they're made of crack, I tell you), I had the pleasure of meeting Liz Wolfe of CaveGirlEats. I've been reading her blog for a while now, so it was great to finally meet her in person. (Plus, we're having dinner with Liz and a bunch of other Paleo luminaries in L.A. next weekend, so I definitely wanted to stop and say hello.)



Liz was just the first of many Paleo and/or CrossFit weblebrities I met at the Games. Next door to her tent was Patton Gleason, the founder of Natural Running Store, who was working at the Altra booth.

Patton's a great guy, and his online store offers lots of great options for runners and CrossFitters alike. (Natural Running Store also happens be the sponsor of Tim's wife, ultrarunner and fellow CrossFitter Kristen Dymmel.)

Next, we dropped in on the SICFIT crew. For all of our online interactions, this was the first time I'd met the gang face-to-face. Over the course of the weekend, I got to spend time with fellow shoe-geek Ben  Flores...

...Aaron Arehart, Diego Centeno...

...the mighty Ruben Rojas...

...CrossFit Central owner (and former Games competitor) Jeremy Thiel...

...and, of course, the brains and hustle behind SICFIT (and husband of Lindsey Smith), Web Smith.

It was a little overwhelming to finally put all these faces to names (and Twitter handles), but in many ways, it was like meeting up with old friends. Maybe it was the atmosphere of the Games, or perhaps it's because almost everyone I met turned out to be a friendly, warm and enthusiastic conversationalist, but we all got along famously. The closeness of the CrossFit community clearly reaches across state borders.

Okay -- I'm rambling, it's late, and I still have a crapload of stuff to cover. I'm not even done recapping DAY ONE yet, but I guess it'll have to wait 'til tomorrow...

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Check it out: I have a new article up on SICFIT about the power of positive thinking. My wife (a.k.a. Nom Nom Paleo) and her approach to exercise are prominently featured in the piece. Click here to read it.

(Like the shirt M's wearing in the photo above? You can get one here.)

Starts with "Cross," Ends with "Fit"

My latest SICFIT post is up. Read it!

Kick Ass

Be a pal and check out my latest SICFIT post, "Fight, Not Flight."

It features a cameo by this guy. (Sort of. But not really.)

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Snake Oil?

Over on SICFIT, Kiki Dickson recently made an offhand remark about her gym’s stock of snake oil.

Seriously? I thought. Snake oil?

After all, isn’t “snake oil” the term we apply to supposed cure-alls peddled by charlatans and con artists? You know -- like kombucha and Power Balance bands?

I did some digging. Turns out that back in the 1860s, the Chinese laborers who built the U.S. transcontinental railroad system used an ointment derived from water snakes to treat their tired, aching muscles. They called it shéyóu (蛇油) -- an ancient remedy for "inflammation and pain in rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and other similar conditions." And it was a surprisingly effective salve.

Why? Here’s one possible answer:

According to [neurophysiologist Richard] Kunin’s 1989 analysis published in the Western Journal of Medicine, Chinese water-snake oil contains 20 percent eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the two types of omega-3 fatty acids most readily used by our bodies...[O]mega-3s are vital for human metabolism. Not only do they sooth inflammation in muscles and joints, but also, they can help “cognitive function and reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and even depression.

So then why do we associate snake oil with scams? Because con artists “caught wind of the miraculous muscle-soothing powers of snake oil,” and decided to sell their own “snake oil” products -- only minus the actual snakes.

So where you can you get the real deal? It's available at traditional Chinese pharmacies, and you can find it online. Or just head to Kiki's gym -- Orange Coast CrossFit. I'm sure what they carry is good quality stuff. And I really, really hope it comes bottled with a pickled cobra, 'cause it'd be hands-down the most badass product ever sold at a CrossFit box:

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Those Who Know Are

For everyone who asks: "What is SICFIT"?



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The World's Biggest Clothes Hanger

Here's a picture of our Deluxe Home Fitness Center (a.k.a. our garage):

Know what's missing? (Besides the dirty laundry and Star Wars actions figures that are usually strewn across the floor?)

Answer: The elliptical trainer that's been hogging up space in the middle of our garage for the past few years. After discovering CrossFit, I went from being the proud buyer of a club-quality mechanical wonder to the disgruntled owner of a dust-gathering behemoth. Read all about it over at SICFIT.

Or, if you'd rather just watch this video of people falling off treadmills, I'm cool with that, too.

The Silver Lining

Hey, look! My latest post for SICFIT is up -- go read it and let me know what you think!

(Unless you think it sucks, in which case I'm frankly not all that interested in your feedback.)

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The New Guy

Check it out: My first blog post for SICFIT is up!

After close to 1,500 posts here on FITBOMB, I'm in shock that I'm getting paid to write about the stuff I love. How sweet is that?

Feeling SIC

Holy crap! I'm totally over the moon about today's announcement that I was selected to join SICFIT's Pro Blogger team.

Thanks to everyone who cheered me on, "liked" my video application and left supportive comments -- I was floored by the testimonials and kind words. (I'll try not to let it go to my head.)

More to come!

It's a SICness

On Friday night, SICFIT -- the CrossFitter's sports and lifestyle site of choice -- announced that it's on the lookout for a few(?) new correspondents. Interested applicants had two days to put together a brief video application. Four applicants -- including yours truly -- applied by the midnight Sunday deadline.

To check out my video (and the others, too -- they're pretty sweet!), click here. It looks like viewers get to help decide who gets the gig, so if you're in a particularly generous mood, please hit the "like" button, rate it, and/or leave a comment over there -- I'd appreciate it.

And now back to our originally scheduled programming...