Tuesday, July 29, 2008


Jen B Essentials One from Marc Bryan on Vimeo.

Monday, July 28, 2007I've been making a run at the Essentials test here lately. I've been doing pretty well with it, so I decided to video it today. Naturally I flubbed it up a bit. The push-presses are just the way I have to do it right now. The other exercises fatigue my arms too much for me to straight press at that point in the game. During the right hand swings, my hand just got so sweaty the bell flew clean out of my hand. Then on the descending TGU, I had a brain fart and stepped back on the wrong foot and royally screwed that up. For some reason starting the get-up from that position plays with my head. I really do know how to do it right.

I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to post this. First, it's just embarrassing that I fucked it up. I look like a newbie. Second, I have a knot in the pit of my stomach at the realization that I still look like I do. The picture of myself that resides in my head is much different. I see myself as much more muscularly defined. I've had myself convinced that another 15-20 pounds was going to put me where I need to be. Now I'm not so sure. Maybe that's why I'm stalled like I am. I've known for a while that I need to take photos more regularly because they're such a reality check, but I guess that's exactly why I have difficulty with doing it. The truth is hard to see--especially when I feel like I'm working so hard to keep my nutrition straight. As my mentor liked to tell me..."Balls up. Watcha gonna do?"

TODAY'S WORKOUT: The Essentials test above with the 16kg.

10 rounds of: 12 kg Snatch 30 sec R, Rest 30 sec, Snatch 30 sec L, Rest 30 sec.

8 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about having a thinner version of yourself in mind. I know I'm big, and I have a picture of me being big in my head, but when I saw the video I was bigger than I thought. They say the cammera adds weight though.

    I'm starting to think that mirrors lie to us. :)

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  2. 1. you're not that big. if you were i would tell you. i don't bullshit people.

    2. if you lose 20 more pounds, on your frame, you'll more than see the difference. that last 10-20
    will be where you see the most. keep going.

    3. remember that women are supposed to look like women. i dont know what you have in your head but if it's something like those little itty-bitty things that do crossfit 8 days a week, youre out of your mind. they look like 13 yr old gymnists, not women. don't let the fuckers get you down. don't let their 24/7 brainwash campaign make you feel bad about yourself.

    now- that being said. i am the master of feeling bad about myself. if you want to run with that feeling and think that you're not doing enough, you can do some rediculous things to try and speed it up. add sprints to your daily routine. run interval sprints 6 days a week no matter what on top of training. start wearing a plastic suit to train in. wear the plastic suit while training in the garage with no fan and all the doors closed. spread prep H across your midection under the suit to draw more moisture out of your body away from your mmuscles- these were all these things my friends who were wrestlers and/or MMA fighters did to cut weight. i'm not saying they are good for you. i'm not saying you should do them. but if you want to, they work. just make sure you drink lots of water or hook yourself up to a glucose/saline drip at nite.

    pretty soon you're gonna weigh less than me. assuming i dont keep fucking shrinking.

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  3. If you want a pick me up....

    I watched the video at work. The guy I shared the office with watched it too. The rest of the day he kept trying to get me to play the video again. (He said you were hot).

    Take that as you will.

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  4. 2 things-

    1. "those fuckers" referenced in my comment above is neither CrossFit or CrossFitter's. It's advertising, marketing, the media, Hollywood, etc. Fuckers.

    2. I was wathing your essentials video again and you might want to consider watching your stance when you start the pressing. your feet might be too wide. i tihnk if you adjusted them and brought them in just a little, like maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a step one way you would have a strong base to press against in regards to the full body tension of the press. just an idea.

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  5. Yep, Anthony, one thing I am assured of is that you don't bullshit. It's one of the things I like about you. I've come to believe that's the only way to function in life. It's too damn short to pussyfoot. So thank you. Maybe 15-20 pounds will be better than I think. I definitely am not focusing on a cachectic little waif picture. I just want nice muscle definition and not to look "soft". Think feminine athletic. So I just went to buy my plastic suit today. :) Thanks for the smiles and for keeping me straight. As for the presses, I'll definitely be trying the different stance to see what I can get out of it.
    Chris, tell your buddy thanks for the vote. He might be a complete perv who thinks pretty much every female is hot, but I'm gonna just believe he's a nice gentleman with high standards and run with that thought :) I like that one better.

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  6. Good for you for taking video, and I'm so happy you posted it! You look strong -- I'm impressed that you can do all that with the 16K. But the camera really does add pounds.

    Dittos on what Anthony said -- losing 15 - 20 pound will make an AMAZING difference in how you look. And my experience, both personally and from training clients, is that women lose weight from the top down, so you will definitely see your upper body looking more cut even with a few pounds gone.

    Finally, reality checks are a great thing. Humbling, but great.

    Keep up the fantastic work, my friend!

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  7. I just found this post and I was/am in the same position. My sweat made me drop the bell etc. Your video is not up anymore so I can't see. Here are some things I can share with you from my own video experience.

    First from the pictures I have seen you look wonderfully attractive.

    Second, (and I am not happy to admit this) the camera fucked my head up. I let the camera win.

    Third, reality bites sometimes but we just have to hit back.

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