Wimp to Spartan Transformation: Smoking Guns and Wipe-Outs

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 18 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

Katy Mccabe has been known to take it upon herself to suggest (dictate) what work-outs I should be doing.  This day was one of those "suggestion" days.  She suggested that I do "Smoking Gun," which is actually an AWESOME workout and is one of my favorites to date.  It's honestly a full-body workout, and something that Joe D. would appreciate very much, due to the burpee-esque movements.

Wimp to Spartan Transformation: My old excuses can't be excuses anymore

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 17 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

I've always tried to be "a runner."  Running is a free, effective way to maintain great cardio health.  It's also an amazing supplement to any other kind of sports training... duh.  My trouble with running is that I have horrible knees for whatever reason.  Long runs and I just don't get along, and such was the case the day before this video was shot.  I had intended to go on a 10-12 mile run.  For me, that's a remarkable distance.  At mile 7, almost exactly, my knee sent shooting pains up my leg and into my soul.  I had to stop.  The problem with stopping has always been that I won't start again.  I couldn't run with a locked-up knee though, so bye bye mileage.  I went home and was diligent about icing it and keeping it elevated as I had done the millions of other times I had lock-knee/ pirate-leg.  Previously, if my knee locked up, I had considered myself down for the count for 3 or more consecutive days.  This time, however, I didn't have that option.  I had to train the next day.

I started walking around on it a bit, trying to get a feel for what I could do.  I realized a couple of things: I could go up stairs, but not down stairs, and I could squat with ease.  I told Shane about my knee issues before training, so we were both aware of it, but during the course of the session, any aches were completely tolerable.  It definitely didn't lock-up again.

Upon some post-workout reflection, I determined that if I had taken the steps to make sure I was ok everytime my knee flared up in the past instead of just assuming that I was not ok, I would never have missed out on so many training days.  I used my flimsy assumption as an excuse.  I'm glad I learned that about myself.  I'll be tougher with myself and my knee during training times.  BUT I won't beat myself up over lazy mistakes I made in the past, because I don't want to discourage myself from learning more and making more necessary thought-shifts.  Isn't self-discovery a part of transformation anyway?

Wimp to Spartan Transformation: Filthy 50... Not the age...

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 16 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

For those of you who don't know, the filthy 50, when done correctly is a one set of 50 reps of everything Shane could think of: wall-ball, burpees (please feel free to pause the video at 00:31 and check out that shoulder definition-- send me a hardcopy of the screen shot and I will happily autograph it for you), double-under ATTEMPTS (I'm getting much better at them), box-jump Ninja training, jump-pull-ups, kettlebell swings and others.

Wimp to Spartan Transformation: I'm Charmed

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 15 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

Welcome, Sparta, to a world without fashion police, the world in this video.  While I know that it doesn’t matter what I wear to work out, only that I’m actually working out, I still feel the need to justify this appalling ensemble.  I was moving.  Clearly, I had the foresight of a gnat, and packed all my matching workout clothes before I should have.  So I apologize for causing any offense.   Anyway, this workout and it’s components are nothing you haven’t seen me do before in previous videos/posts, but I would like to call attention to one part of this video: Murph’s excellent music choice.  He transformed this video from a simple and potentially boring work out video to an episode of the 90’s WB smash- hit, Charmed.  

Wimp to Spartan Transformation: The Elixir of Life and Hollow Rock Failure

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 14 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

Okay-- let me tell you that I tried to cut sugar, alcohol and caffeine out of my diet for 2 weeks.  When we filmed this video, it was the first day of this "cleanse."  THAT was why I looked like a Dementor from Harry Potter without its scary robe and giant tapeworm mouth.  Post-filming, I succeeded with the sugar and caffeine, but not so much with the alcohol.  You see, I consider Red Wine to be a) worthy of capitalization and b) its own food group.  I suffer from a questionably Italian superstition: one glass of red a day keeps the co-pay away.  Or perhaps it's not a superstition; perhaps it's fact!  I found the following passage on the most reliable known source available to mankind, Wikipedia:

In 2006, Italian scientists obtained the first positive result of Resveratrol supplementation in a vertebrate (MSCAN = VERTEBRATE!).  Using a short-lived fish, Nothobranchius Furzeri (MSCAN = SWIMMER!), with a median life span of nine weeks, they found a maximal dose of Resveratrol increased the median lifespan by 56% (MSCAN = WILL LIVE LONG TIME!).  Compared with the control fish at nine weeks, that is by the end of control fish's life, the fish supplemented with Resveratrol showed significantly higher general swimming activity and better learning to avoid an unpleasant stimulus.

Wimp to Spartan Transformation: What is this music?

Spartan Crossfit Wimp to Spartan 13 from Peter Murphy on Vimeo.

In today’s blog post, I’d like to pose a question to video editor extraordinaire, Murphicus.  What in the world is that music?  You’ve instantaneously turned the Wimp to Spartan video into a four-quel to the Jason Borne movies in which his sister trains to become an Agency operative, find Jason and destroy him.  I assure you, readers, I am doing no such thing.

Also, MURPHY! Don’t ever get that close to my face again.  Way too close. WAY WAY TOO CLOSE! Ew.

Spartan Radio: There's Video and Hobie Call joins us next week!

Did you catch Spartan Radio this week?  We have added VIDEO-- check it out!  Todd's run, my burpees, Shawty just sitting there like a lazypants (just kidding-- she shows off her smokin' hot red pumps!)-- what's not to love?!  Our friends Brian and Jason joined us from GORUCK to talk about their joint venture with Spartan Race in Texas.  All good livin' there!  What's up next? HOBIE CALL will join us live Tuesday, November 1st 10PM EDT/ 9PM CDT/ 7PM PDT.  BOOM SHAKA!

Visit here for Tuesday's show, and visit http://radracing.org/live/ every Tuesday night to listen live.

Todd's sexy barbed wire socks. Rawr.