Me, Crossfit, Music

CROSSFIT
Well, I am pretty convinced that crossfit changed my life.  I began my competitive, athletic journey in high school where I was a 3-sport athlete.  With much regret, I decided to play football in college instead of baseball.  I played for 1 year at McMurry University in Abilene, TX.  I did not like Abilene much so I left...spent a year at home and attended UTEP...then transfered to Texas State (eat em' up) University where I obtained my degree in Exercise and Sports Science in May of 2008.  After my competitive "School" athletic career ended I began to run like nobody's business...like marathon style 20 miles at a time type stuff!  After a year or 2 of that, I found the Tillman crew and Crossfit...so the journey began...

My first WOD-(Logged 3-4-09)
Row 500 m
25 Double Unders
10 KBS 1 pood
3 rds. for time

...this wod took me 12'30"  (Wow)

...since this workout in March of 09', I have logged every single workout in my booklet...it's pretty fascinating to look back and compare some of the tremendous gains that I have made over this 2 years.

Fran
Dave believes that she might be the perfect workout, and I agree...21,15,9 thruster and pullup...ouch!  I can pretty much say that I will not be doing Fran probably for another year...

Although this expression was not from "Fran", this is pretty much what it feels like to do Fran...I probably have done her like 6 times in 2 years...the first time took like 7 minutes....now I am at 3'23"....the great thing about crossfit is that you can always get better...my goal is to be sub 3...

Benchmark
Not much to be said, but if you want a mental and physical challenge, do one of the ladies or Hero WODs.  They hurt! (except Annie) 

Competition
At first, I didn't have the confidence or capability to be competitive, purposely avoided competitions that came up, and wasn't really excited...boy has that changed!
...I started competing last year at the Crossfit Games sectionals where I placed 11th and received a spot at the regional competition in Dallas...regionals was the first time I can say that I put my body through hell...but it felt good...we just got back from the 2nd Annual ACO in Dallas as well...me and my teammates Michael Fiorillo and Liz Collura layed it all out there (it hurt)...I have signed up for a competition in my home town that will go down February 26-27th of 2011...I have also done a team competition in Dallas...there are many many more to come.  I'm convinced fully that our team will be representing CFCP in the 2011 Crossfit Games!

The Good, Bad, and Ugly

The Good-there is always room for improvement.  Even the best athletes in the world can get better...even if it's takiing 1 second off of a workout...The crossfit community-it's really an awesome thing to have so many people interested in physical and mental improvement.  The benefits outweigh the downs...there are no downs.........except...

Yup...that's me on the left----attempting a squat clean of 225#, leaning forward, and snap, there goes my radius...6 weeks out!  Dave in the middle with tendon/ligament issues from moving that bar too much...and Scott-tearing his bicep doing a heavy deadlift...this is the bad and ugly...but we are all better and getting back to full force.

This blog is gonna lay down what I do on a day to day basis through crossfit, what happens each day, the challenges and peaks, and how to get better each day...it's gonna lay down some great, helpful stretches, physical therapy ideas, and maybe even market/sell some products.

My thoughts on one of the greatest things on earth...MUSIC!

Music is one of the most amazing things on Earth. Some people think of it as just notes, sounds, or lyrics. Some of us, however, think of it as way more than that. For those of you who are tone deaf, I do apologize...music is one of the best arts that could have ever been created. The range of music, not just for the octave sake, varies from rock n' roll, gregorian chant, symphonies, jazz bands (my 8th grade one was amazing), and so many other genres. I don't know how far back music goes, but I do know that it established itself a long long time ago. Shredding apart a guitar with scalework or finding that 5th, 7th, or 9th to make harmony is incredible. Dissonant sound that makes a chord sound nice...how does that work?...who knows, but it does and it's amazing. There is nothing greater than finding a great song in 3/4 time...especially an indie or rock song...Coheed and Cambria's "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth" is an awesome example...listen to it NOW!!! Who said that a 'c' is a 'c' or that the guitar strings would be ebgdae...or who said that the piano keys had to be black and white....why couldn't they be red and blue?...the fact is that one should be able to tell whether something is out of tune, because all the cool people can...but for those of you who are tone deaf, I do apologize...those of you who aren't, train your ears and their lobes... Kudos to choir and ensembles, and musical theater folks...to be able to find harmony and sound good doing it through improv and memory is tough and well respected through my eyes. Legato, staccato, arpegios, forte, mezzoforte, piano, ppiano, acapella...could these be applied to a hard rock or punk song?...I think so and it is brilliant when it fits...Who said that drums, or bass would be the enforcer of the beat? I didn't, but it works and it works well...kudos to the basist from Los Lonely boys...he's amazing. Beat-boxers are overrated and have too much time on their hands, but it's music, so I respect them too...talent is talent lol. Whoever invented the piano should be remembered forever and should be a legacy...and I should know, but I don't nor do I want to look it up right now...actually I had to look it up...congrats to Bartolomeo Cristofori di Francesco, the Italian. Hundreds of musical instruments are out there, but how many of you know how to play any of them? I assume a vast few...I'm not saying I know how to play all of em', and I know it takes a lot of time to learn them, but ya'll should try...life is too short to not know music's depths...start small and it will slowly come to you...but for those of you who are tone deaf, I apologize and feel symapthy towards you...to modulate, or shift another key during a song is so wonderful...if I ever write a song, I will definitely have a key change. Chromatics rock my socks off...and sharps and flats too...whose to say or why is a sharp a half step up and a flat a half step down?...but it works and it makes so much sense when played...OHHHH!!! I'm pumped right now!! The musical alphabet makes sense as well!...ABCDEFG, back to A with a sharp a half step above all notes except between B and C and E and F. Why is it that minor chords bring out sadness and pain, and major chords show happiness, or why do 7th chords wander around like they don't have a home...like they're looking for a home?...why do 5th chords not have a third and why are they considered power chords?...for guitar I mean...Pentatonic scales work with any style of music, whether it be jazz, funk, rock, or the hokey pokey...why is this?....I sure don't know, but I do love the pentatonic scale! Monophonic pieces should be looked upon with great affection, respect, and pleasure...these are your pieces performed without accompinament...my guitar teacher a few semesters ago always played just by himself at shows...those of you who rock at the piano and don't need accompinament (Thomas Azar)...that is the absolute bomb!..other examples are Michael Buble, Regina Spektor, etc...I seriously could go on for hours about musical terms and could sit and play forever...I will always be willing to learn more, and will probably never learn enough about the fabulous art that is music...oh yeah...for those of you who are tone deaf, I do apologize.

Helicopter Game Fly your helicopter through a dangerous maze without crashing.

Chanse and I are the corkiest of corky brothers...we have weird memories and great genes...what can I say?...we're lucky. We are extremely weird at times...usually when it's just us hangin' around...I'm gonna give you a little taste of what it's like to hang with the Thomas bros when boredom is the only thing to do...
This is a strange video...but guaranteed to make you laugh...if you don't, then whatever...

Chanse and Cars at their best




Thankfulness is key in any part of his or her life...so here is a little bit on what I am thankful for:


First and foremost I believe that family is the most important thing anybody could ask for. To have someone there for you always and to not have to depend on a fake friend to talk with is very nice. Family is blood…blood is thick, get my point? A brother: someone to screw around with, be silly with, compete against, look alike with…I couldn't ask for anything more. A mother: She always listens, no matter if it's good news or bad news; She will always cheer you up…at least mine will, she even shines up the room at a party/shindig with her always tremendous positivism. She is the best woman on earth. A father: An idol, through hard work and compassion to all that he loves: his family, and his family. A sister: always smiling so bright. A Grandma: What can I say...I love her. Health comes next. So many people out there are so unfortunate in not being healthy. I cherish my legs, arms, my regular heartbeat, my fingers, my non-diseased body (knock on wood, you too…yeah you…the person reading this…do it now! I will never take for granted my health and will exercise religiously no matter how long I exist on this Earth. I have control of what I eat and what I do. I am thankful for all exercise equipment ever manufactured and distributed…also shoes…shoes are cool and you can't really run without them, unless you don't have any. I pray that my family stays healthy, not just from disease, but as a family.
Video games…to escape reality, no matter what the ladies say, they are fun and entertaining. Yes they are viewed by most as pointless and stupid, but if you had a Y chromosome, you'd play em'…and like em'! I won't go into specifics on which games rock, but I am thankful for them.
Sports and Competition…this world is a gigantic competition…in the workplace, each organization, through supply and demand, competes with one another…that is of course if they're related…Sport and team are such great things…a team: to come together with adversity and get the job done…whether it be little league, where it's fun, or the World Series…to own a championship ring…that's justice and glory…so is capturing the rapist child abuser off of the streets, but given the paragraph and its topic, it can be viewed both ways. Why did God create sport?…was it merely for entertainment purposes, was it for the Romans, or is it because there is a high that people get when they play or watch?…because people can escape from themselves to cheer or play…my view is that all competition is righteous, on or off the field.
Money: It is really hard to come by sometimes…especially for us young college kids with no job…well some of us I guess...I may be speaking for myself, but put it in retrospect for me. Money does not buy happiness, it could help, but it doesn't buy happiness…I will say that until I die!…the fact of the matter is, without money, our country would perish and so would our way of life as citizens. This is why people work…to send their kids to college or to put food on the table…this is why I'm thankful for it. Credit cards are evil, but so are house payments…and taxes…but without them, how would life as a whole be viewed, or how would people react without them? Chaos, anarchy?…all things on this Earth are either sold or bought…look around you…is there anything that did not once get bought?…Let's just say, "It's all about the benjamins."
Religion…well, I've never really been a religious church going fellow, but I do believe in God and angels and hope that one day I will meet them. There are so many people in this world with so many beliefs that it's hard to fathom any sort of sense or reality about life after death. I want life after death, but what about Buddhists, or Sheites, or…well not them because they believe in a different all mighty being all together, but what I'm trying to say is that one should not be looked down upon if he or she does not believe in God or in life after death. The Bible may be credible, but God made people, and people have the right to think whatever they want, about whatever they want. I love God and am very thankful.
Technology is awesome!...for all you old folks, it must be really hard to comprehend half of the new things that come into your lives because of your grandchildren and the new age of technology. Computers are faster than they ever have been and the internet is a way of life in itself...Plasma tv's, although not necessary, are a luxury...I'm not thankful for television, but I am for technology and new resources that make life easier. I sure would have hated to actually go to a library to look something up, or to have had to type an essay on a typewriter...that would've really sucked....having to start over if one mistake was made...thank you Dell, Samsung, etc...
Caffeine is great too...coca cola, Dr. Pepper, ice cream, sweet tea...and COFFEE!...I can't live without it...why fuck up your body (pardon my french) with stimulants such as cocaine, or adderall when you can just drink an amazing energy drink or coffee?...stupid drugees!!!
Good looks are not essential in life, but if I were an ugly dude, my confidence probably wouldn't be as high as it is. I am thankful for good genes. And no, I am not bragging or being egotistical.
Our Armed Forces...not much has to be said about my feelings on our troops. God Bless America. Let us fight for what is right!
Hot Baths are incredible...I am thankful for hot water...it relaxes my muscles after I scald myself in the tub...it's only painful for like 10 seconds, but after that, it's so nice.
Dogs are so amazing too. They care for you no matter what, and if treated right, they are the most loyal beings you will ever have or meet. My dog is a saint. I love him so much.