Sunday 4.12.15

It's Games season!   Being a Games Athlete myself, I am excited for this time of year. For the next few months my focus will be on working hard to get to the next level, becoming the best Regional athletes I can be.  This is where the training all year comes into play, having the right gear, the shoes, the gloves, the wrist wraps, and really focusing on technique and developing more advanced skills.

Oh wait, did you think I was talking about those Games?  No, not me.  That is not where my talents are.   I'm talking about Highland Games, as put on by the Scottish Heavy Athletics group.

My Games tools

Although I do love CrossFit, and have loved it ever since I found it in 2006.  CrossFit is the best GPP (General Physical Preparedness) Program in the world.  I was looking for it for years and tried many programs before, but when I found CrossFit I knew it was something to stick with.

Same goes for Olympic-style Weightlifting!  When I transitioned from Bodybuilding/ Powerlifting style of training and started looking to improve in Weightlifting, the only source I could really find solid information on Olympic-style Weightlifting was CrossFit.com!

So it seems like a good fit CrossFit + Weightlifting = Great training to help build a foundation for CrossFitting, Weightlifting, or performing better in many athletic endeavors.

At least I believe so.  All I've had to do to compete in Highland Games is learn different throwing techniques and now its CrossFit + Weightlifting + Skills training (throwing) = Highland Games training.

Micah and I begin our 3rd year of Highland Games Competition next week, Saturday April 18th, at Ardenwood Athletics competition near Stanford University.    We are excited yet nervous because we have just moved up to "A" class, the highest amateur level before a Pro or Masters level.  We expect to get our butts kicked this year, but still make major improvements!

Our games season will continue almost monthly till September.  After September our training will return to simply CrossFit + Weightlifting in the off season.   While my training goals change throughout the year, the base of the training does not.  In a perfect world (no job, all the money in the world, no kids.....jk on that last one), my training would look like this:

     Offseason:  October-January:  Weightlifting + CrossFit
     GPP season: January - April:  CrossFit + Weightlifting + skills (throwing)
     In-Season:  April-September:  Skills + CrossFit

Obviously, my focus changes throughout the year.  The item listed first is where my attention is at the most.  The constant, in my perfect world, is CrossFit.  When I keep my CrossFit training up, my fitness, health, and overall athletic ability is at it's best!

Don't believe me?  Check out the CrossFit Regionals and CrossFit Games Athletes over the next few months and you'll see some of the best all-around athletes ever!