UPDATE: What Lou has been up to...

I know there are questions as to whether I practice what I preach, or just blab on my blog. Here's a snapshot of the Public Life of Lou:

• GPP sessions: Since mid-March 2010, I have been religiously following the programming of trainer Scott Pauly of CrossFit Phoenix (Arizona). Well actually I'm following the online CF Phoenix Fire programming, also developed by Scott Pauly, who happens to also be a Captain on the PFD. I went back to January 1st, 2010, and transcribed all the WODs. I'm chipping away at them one by one, at a pace less than 3-1-3-1. Why I like the program: Pauly's methods call for a high amount of strength training (5x5, 5x3, etc) in powerlifts and Olympic lifts. There are a lot of deadlifts, weighted pullups, power snatches, back squats, clean-and-jerks, push presses, and Overhead Squats. The short MetCon portions of the WODs frequently contain heavy loads and short rep schemes. Pauly's interpretation of CrossFit is heavy in strength and Olympic lifts -- somewhat different than many interpretations of go-til-you-puke gymnastics MetCons. I have seen considerable gains using Pauly's sessions, which is important to me. I record personal records almost DAILY. No kidding. Many folks see huge gains in their first year or so of CrossFit....but seems the blistering pace of AMRAPs and AFAPs plateau results. I guess that might be why so many affiliate gyms are turning to programming in more and more strength and Oly work!! Bring on more PRs!!
• SSP sessions: I am preparing for a metro area SWAT competition being held at the end of this month (Aug 2010). I am captaining a team of six (one captain, four operators, and one sniper). The courses are announced already, which gives us a glimpse at certain skills and abilities to work on. This is sport-specific no doubt. One of the courses demands the team carry a length of telephone pole, and at times along with a rescue dummy. Another course has the team and the dummy going up and over a cargo shipping container (like one you might see stacked on a railroad car). This calls for both peak fitness, effective techniques, pre-planning, and spot-on teamwork. On certain workout days I opt for some sort of sandbag carry, "shuttle run under load," or heavy one-handed Farmer's Walk. I've been wearing my heavy vest for much of it too. When the challenge is known, the training should be targeted to that end!
• Reading: I'm in the middle of Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb. Other books I read this last month include: Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling by Ross King, Generation Kill by Evan Wright, and On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M Poole. I got a couple of real solid sources for books...all of who continue to come through with some stellar reading material for me. Thanks to those who stack 'em up for me! (I started using the Facebook "Books" tab to share some ratings and my interest in readings. If you are a FB user and an active reader, try the free application.)
• Writing: Continues, mostly with this blog. I do manage to get a quarterly column in the Illinois Tactical Officers Association's ITOA News journal. Older articles on fitness are available online here, which include those by TJ Cooper (CrossFit East in Jacksonville FL) and Brian Melvin. I'm trying to recruit two other enthusiasts to contribute to the TTG blog, but they keep postponing any writings (and you two know who you are!!)
• Power Study: I'm always looking for more people who will record data for me. However, as time goes on, it's less about the product and more about the quest. For in the search for better results, well....you get better results. I care less about writing and studying the faster times or more rounds/reps, and find myself merely appreciating that some of my theories hold true. We are optimizing power output. Our readers continue to break personal "power output records" and do better in physical tasks by strategizing mentally. This stuff works!
• Equipment: Getting another heavy truck tire this week. The phone call said it was "about 300 pounds." Considerably lighter than the 500#er we already got. There are already some new guys who want to start flipping this lighter tire when it comes in!! I'm excited to introduce these guys to the world of truck tire workouts. The smaller tire will also allow some of us to work in stamina drills, in addition to the strength-building of the heavier load.
• Swallow Cliff Woods: Still going. Just not with the same frequency of years past. With the CF Phx workouts, and preparing for upcoming events, the stair workouts have taken a backseat. There are still a good chunk of our group that has been hitting the staircase quite often. Seems like recently all of the workouts are thrown together last-minute. I try to get out an email to my list whenever we get more than 2 together.
• Diet / Nutrition: My current work schedule promotes healthier eating than in the past. My weight is higher than usual, at about 238#. My waist is as small as ever, as proven by my belt notches. And each week I find another dress shirt that is too tight in the lats or shoulders. Hmmm. I guess that's a good thing, except I really liked some of those shirts!! I have been avoiding as much sugar as possible, though not as successfully as I'd like. Potatoes, bread, and pasta are at the lowest levels in recent times. I also haven't been consuming as much beer as in the past. Lots of salad with chicken in the evenings. Drinking about a gallon of water per workday (slightly less on days off). My higher bodyweight has been hurting my pullup numbers, but seriously helping in the powerlifts and Oly work.

Life is filled with great things. But somedays it does feel like I'm "drowning in good."