Strike a pose…

I had the misfortune of commenting on a fellow facebookers post regarding Kevin Ogar, the 28 year old crossfitter recently paralysed while competing. And I understand her passion for the sport, she is active in it so is her spouse.

Kevin was 6’2, 210 pounds. In great shape. He was attempting a snatch of 235 pounds when he lost his bal- ance and released the bar behind himself, it hit standing plates, bounced back and struck his spine. His life is changed forever.

Initially,as she refered to the lift as successful, I commented that I didn’t see the lift as a success. Most undeniably a failure. It became a conversation regarding our decomposition of the video available of the accident. Being a bit of a geek I downloaded the video from Youtube, giving me the ability to break it down frame by frame I could

clearly see him lose his balance…he bailed badly and got unlucky with a bad bounce. In the end she took it as an attack against crossfit, something I see plenty of CFer’s jumping too conclude, that any comment is an attack rather than a personal observation…we just don’t understand…

Kevin was a certified crossfit professional, level 1, he took a weekend course. I note on his profile page that he also attended one or more specialty courses, although they did not promote his crossfit level.

I comment on this in regards to the fitness industry entirely, the bologna certifications you can receive over a weekend. You see there are no real governing bodies over these certifications. A Canfitpro certification is a piece of paper, as is crossfit, wellness coaching, yoga instruction, spin… it’s created to make money not to entirely benefit the participant.

At the gym Friday I was on the squat rack when a guy organized a seated bench under the smith machine to perform a shoulder press. Not being a certified instructor but having worked out for decades it’s my personal opinion that a shoulder press should not be done on the smith but that’s just one fat old man’s opinion. Besides, there were 2 personal trainers at the Plyomax at that time, one of them could give him direction. Between sets I stand by while this guy racks out 450 pounds on the smith. I’m out of my mind at this point as I doubt an NFLer could shoulder press 450… He sits and the bar is set at a safety point about an inch below his max extension, he would be able to clear the safety if he had the ability…he lifts the weight…shaking and shuddering he tries to clear the safety while I watch…if he clears this safety and unlocks his arms he will be killed certainly…

Luckily he was unable to do it….he shakes and sputters…but releases the bar, writes down on his workout sheet what I suppose he considers a successful lift, and off he goes to murder himself somewhere else.

My point is…a good coach a certificate program does not make you. If this had happened at the Anytime Fit- ness in Manotick one of the personal trainers would have put it to an end. I don’t currently lift there but when I did the trainers there were always willing to give advise, for your safety and to aid in your gains…or losses, whichever you were looking for. Now, there are trainers at that gym with the highest level of certification from Canfit, not that I put weight on that…but they took the time to go many weekends. Plus they own the place…they are standing guard over their investments…which include the gym and it’s customers.

If a coach at the crossfit competition had thought to move the weight stack back Kevin Ogar would be walking today.

Now Crossfitters say that they push past the limits, and that is the rube. At the gym you should stop once you can’t make a lift in perfect form. At that point you have done too many with too much, either take some weight off and go again or take a break. I can point you to plenty of videos, Kevin’s and others, showing lifts with terrible form, over weighted attempts. Coaches standing by…

grumpy old fat men

Anyway…that is a Rant…I admit it. On to other topics…

Zizi’s kitchen for dinner on Friday…delish of course. Ate too much and drank a few too. You really must give it a try.

I have hit the gym steady since Thursday, again later today in an attempt to lean out. Leg day which is moving up on my list of things to do. On Friday I went to the gym with a bakers cyst and thought I might as well do a couple squats to see how it felt…and that on a non leg day! Well I squatted out 300 and my knee actually feels better…go figure. The day I hate most these days seems to be back and biceps, that day incorporates plenty of wrist and my recent break is not 100 %.

Parker is down 17 pounds on the shakes, Russett probably the same, and fatty hasn’t lost anything…I have gained the strength back I lost while in a cast though, my weight should start to ween away shortly.

What gets me here, packing on pounds? Family, injury, indulgence… I put on 20 pounds when Charlotte came along, eating with Ev and working out less and less, a torn ACL took me away from sports, another 10 pounds, a dislocated shoulder took me out of the gym…another 10…a broken wrist…it goes on and on.

None of the above was able to slow down my eating and drinking…praise to the tiny baby geezus for that. I may not be in the shape I was in at 28, or 35… but I’m getting it done.

I know…a sombre post from Chunk today…but it is the weekend and weekend posts are the exception. Quote of the day, for my crossfit friend:

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. John Wooden