Sunday Story…Perspective

It is important to maintain a fair and neutral perspective on situations in our life. It is quite easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, moment-to-moment activity of life. Where the difference arises is when we see someone every day and don’t notice the incremental changes taking place and then we haven’t seen that person for a couple of years and all those changes show up all at once.

It is difficult to do this for ourselves. How do you back all your “stuff” out of your perspective? All your ego, all your hopes, dreams, and desires, everything you are is all tied up in being and doing what it is you said you were going to do. But maybe, just maybe it isn’t really what you should be doing anymore. Or maybe you should be doing it differently, or in a way that is new and refreshing.

My journey to the games started back in 2012. You could say it started long before that but really that was when the idea first coalesced. In the last 12 years, I have been there six times (if you count this year!) I haven’t always been the smartest trainee, but I have had quite a ride. Many of you have been witness to most if not all of this journey. At this point, I am trying to put a distinct perspective on my journey.

For many years I thought being a Games athlete was the important thing. Over the years that has shifted and morphed. I now understand that the most important thing and the most impactful thing is the focus and transformation I can teach and provide each one of you. This has been my mission statement for over 20 years…Teaching Focus and Inspiring Transformation.

Perspective…get some.

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 

 

Sunday Story…Another Week!

Another week of training. Unfortunately, this has not been my best week. I found the edge and tipped over it a bit. By that I mean I pushed my volume (amount of work done in a session) up and found myself floundering. What happens for me is I have a tough time getting started on my workout. My body says no, and my mind wants to push ahead.

A few weeks ago, I went 340# for 15 reps on my deadlift and it overtaxed my back, particularly my erectors. The erectors are the large muscles that run on either side of your spine from your glutes up. I wore the glutes out and the erectors took over and they got overworked. Since that day, my back has been barking like a big dog.

This is the edge we don’t want to go over. Not me as I prepare for the CrossFit Games, nor you as you prepare for the game of life. The idea is to walk up to the edge and back off. The older we get the more important it is to avoid injury. I am not injured but it has still slowed my training down. In the past, this little tweak or twinge would have lasted 2 or 3 days. Now it’s 2 or 3 weeks. Ten years from now it may be 2 or 3 months.

How do we walk on that edge without falling off? Number one is to drop your ego off at the door. When we think back to what we used to do or think we should be able to do, we get into trouble. Listen to your body and back off when fatigue sets in. Number two is to honestly assess where you stand on any given day…how much rest, how hydrated, how well fed are you? These are all factors that play a larger and larger part in your training the older you get.

Knowing yourself is a grand experiment. Just try not to let the experiment blow up the lab!!!

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com         

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

775-338-2412

Sunday Story…On the Road…Again

My training for the Games has begun and I want to share the process more often this year.

The first major change is shifting from 45-minute sessions, 3 times a week of long slow distance to 30 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week. Because I will be doing more intense met-con work I don’t need the additional heart rate training and there is the time component as well. I continue to prioritize mobility training with GoWod at least 5 days a week for 15 minutes a day.

I am trying to fix my double unders to achieve more consistency with my jump rope skills. So, 5 minutes a day of practice at least 5 days a week. I’ve started with just singles to build capacity for jumping rope. We know that core strength is critical for a 3–4-day competition so L-sits have become my go-to. I am trying to work up to a 30-second L-sit. I’m currently at 15 seconds for 8 rounds.

I have also added sets of hangs and holds to the warmup repertoire. A max hang from the bar every day…I’m up to 2:15. I’m also working with a lacrosse ball hang on the rings to help with the false grip and the fat gripz (those blue things on the rig out back) as well. Then a free-standing handstand hold (5x:30). I’ve gotten 30 seconds just once. This is followed by 6 1-minute handstand holds (3 back to the wall and 3 wall facing). All this work is designed to be stronger in these positions as this will lead to more strength in the actual movements.

Oh, and running and swimming as well! Oh boy!

After all that I’ll do the Invictus Masters game preparation workout. More on that next week.

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

Sunday Story…Lift Weight!

I recently read an article that cited a study by scientists at a university hospital in Copenhagen. It consisted of 451 people divided into three groups. One group did about an hour of exercise a week. The second group did moderate-intensity training using body weight and resistance bands. The bands were the equivalent of about 50-60% of the maximum weight a person could lift at one time.

The third group did “heavy” weightlifting three times per week and worked in 70 to 85% of their one-rep maximum. They were supervised and did a mix of both upper and lower-body exercises.

The third group showed greater strength adaptations than the other two groups. What was not expected is that after 3 years that same cohort still had almost the baseline strength they had before the 12 months of training began.

Even though they had stopped training their strength maintained above their baseline for 3 years. The other 2 groups declined significantly from their baseline during and after the 3 years. Sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass and strength) is a significant problem as we age. Who wants to have limited mobility? Little things like getting out of a chair, going up and down stairs, and walking are important to all of us at any age. Leg strength is crucial for balance and mobility.

How do I build leg strength? Get to the gym at least 3 times a week and lift heavy things (70 to 85% of your max) between 6 and 12 times. Be consistent with your regimen. The benefits will last longer than your workouts.

Feel free to ignore this advice. But if you want to be more mobile and not worry about falling maybe you should think again.

Squat heavy, squat often!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com 

775-338-2412

 

 

Sunday Story…Movement and You

As most of you know I lead a highly active daily life. I’m on my feet most of the day, picking lots of different things of varying weights, and demonstrating different movements. Then I work out.

Last week I was on vacation. I swam a couple 2500m ocean swims, hit the gym a couple times, and walked a lot. So, it wasn’t like I was sedentary. But I was much more sedentary than normal.

Why am I telling you this? It’s simple…when I returned to my regular schedule on Monday, I found myself stiff and immobile. Even doing my GOWOD mobility program (which I did on vacation) was more difficult than usual. I didn’t workout on Monday but when I started my workout on Tuesday it was a real struggle.

The point I am trying to make is this: You need to keep moving. And the more you move, the better you will feel. We are all human and for millennia humans walked, ran, squatted (no chairs!), fought, picked up things of all sizes and weights carried them around, and rested. We didn’t sit at a desk for 8 hours. We didn’t have machines to alleviate our weight-bearing loads. We didn’t have a way from here to there except our own 2 feet. We moved a lot.

As we age, the less we move the more we don’t want to move. Even I, a serious moving human, found that when I moved less and started to move more again it was uncomfortable. Luckily, I am extremely comfortable with being uncomfortable! Move more, be more human.

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story...From the Beach

I'm sitting here, at the tail end of a week in Cancun, writing this missive looking at the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean. The wifi is a little wonky and it's hard to get things done with any of the speed I am used to. And that is a good thing! 

Slowing down is a good thing. For all the modern conveniences we have, immediate access to information, fast messages going back and forth, and moving from task to task over and over again, it is important to slow down and savor all the things this life offers us.

Good friends, loving family, excellent health, the ability to move, and the time to enjoy them all are truly a gift. We are so fortunate to live lives of abundance. Even if you think your life is lacking in some way, all you need to do is look around a bit and you will see how blessed you really are.

I am reminded of an old story (and I am paraphrasing):

I was sad as I had nothing but old shoes, ratty and worn until I met a man with no shoes. He was forlorn as he had no shoes, was barefoot, and dirty until he saw a man with no feet. The man with no feet had no way to move about except on a small trolley to propel himself with his hands. This man was very sad until he spied a funeral procession carrying a man deceased, his family following behind wailing loudly in grief. No matter what your circumstances there is always someone in more dire straits.

Slow down dear reader, smell the roses, savor the moment as it will be gone before you know it. Remember...sometimes you have to go slow to go fast.

See you Monday!

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 Sunday Story…Let’s Gooooo!

It’s official. I have received my invite for the 2024 CrossFit Games by Legends. This year they have decided to invite 20 65+ Masters athletes. In the last few years, it has only been 10. This will be my third consecutive trip and sixth overall. As I have already mentioned the semifinals went well. I moved very well, had clean precise movement, and although my scores did not hold as well as I would’ve liked they were good enough to place me at #19.

That means as of right now I am the 19^th fittest 65+ CrossFitter on the planet. Not too bad when you look at it like that. In 2014, the first year I made the trip to the Games, I was 57. This year I am 67. In 2014 I qualified last…#20; this year #19. In 2014 I was a dark horse, the guy no one knew about, the guy that wasn’t supposed to be there. I snuck up on everyone and managed to finish #6. This year it’s similar. When the leaderboard first got set, I was #21 and just outside the bubble by 1 point. Then a couple of corrections or penalties got handed down and voila, I’m in the 19^th spot.

The next 3 months of training will be spent improving some skills. I have some weaknesses that a slight improvement on will yield massive improvements…my Olympic lifting is one, double unders is another, as well as high-capacity gymnastic movements.

But, in the meantime, before I begin to really put the pedal to the metal, I’m going on vacation. Mexico here I come!

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412