Month: September 2015

September 2015 Loot Crate Unboxing: Summon

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What is Loot Crate?

Taken from the Loot Crate site, “Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world.” Loot Crate sells for $13.95 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. Check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

What’s in the Box

The wearable item this month is a Pikachu hat. I was a huge fan of Pokemon in the late 90’s, playing the original games on Game Boy and playing the Pokemon trading card game. I think this hat is really cool but I will probably not wear it. My little brother on the other hand will love it. 
Next up, we have a Hearthstone stress stone and a free Hearthstone in game pack. As a former World of Warcraft player I’m excited to have my own personal Hearthstone! It doesn’t teleport me to my home but it works well as a stress reliever. I play Hearthstone but not competitively. I’m in the free to play camp since I only use gold that I have earned to buy packs and adventures. The free card pack is great as it saves me a 100 in game gold. 

Who doesn’t love the Simpsons? Growing up, the Simpsons was the cartoon to watch. My grandmother didn’t approve since she thought Bart Simpson would have a negative impact on my school grades. Still, I’ve been a Simpsons fan for awhile and this vinyl figure is an welcomed addition to my figure collection. The prayer beads and the golden pretzel are a nice touch as well. 

If you have watched the Supernatural series you will be familiar with Dean’s sweet Impala. This model car is a Loot Crate exclusive and I will probably leave it on my desk as well. This month also introduces something new, a mobile app called Master Summoner. This game can be downloaded on iOS and Android. The app also has an augmented reality feature which uses the Loot Crate Box. Last but not least we have the monthly button. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really like the things in this box. The Hearthstone stress stone, the Homer buddah, and the Supernatural Impala were my favorite items this month. The introduction of the new app and the augmented reality feature is a good step forward. Using the box as an image platform was a great idea as well. I’m excited to see what’s in store next month!

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 21 – September 27

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Monday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)

Today’s strength portion was a lot better than last week. I was able to find a “rhythm” in my deadlifts and my body felt a lot better. I was focusing on form, keeping my hips back and staying on my heels. My lower back still tightened up but I was expecting it.
WOD – In 20 minutes: 21 power snatches, run 200 m, 15 overhead squats, run 200 m, 9 hang squat snatch, run 200m. Rest 3 minutes. In remaining time AMRAP: 5 lateral burpee over bar, 5 front squats, 5 push press. Bar weight 75 lb. 
I decided to go with a lighter weight at the beginning of the the workout, the RX weight was 95 lb. My main concern was going to be the power snatches. I was comfortable with the overhead squats and the hang squat snatch at 95 lb. but 21 power snatches were going to be a problem. I was also concerned about the run after the deadlifts.

I was able to breeze through the snatches. I finished the 21 reps under 50 seconds but the run really slowed me down. I wasn’t able to run as fast since I my lower back was very tight. Was able to go unbroken on the overhead squats and hang snatches but the 200 m run rough. Finished this part of the WOD under 10 minutes. I was only able to finish 3 rounds in the second half.

Weighted Plank Hold – 3×60 seconds, 30 seconds rest. 35 lb.

Decided to go up 10 lb., third round was the hardest, dropped to my knees for about 5 seconds.

Wednesday

Warm Up –  60 du’s, 20 kb swings, 5 burpees, 45 du’s, 15 kb swings, 5 burpees, 30 du’s, 10 kb swings, 5 burpees. KB swings – Russian, 45 lb.
Managed to finish this workout under 5 minutes. The hardest part was the double unders. My forearms gave out into the third round which slowed me down.

Run – 1000 m, for time (5:59)

Not sure if the KB swing from the warm up tired me out but my lower back was on fire. I ran considerably slower than normal on this run. Finished this run in 5:59, 29 seconds slower than my last record. Need to test this when we’re not on a deadlift cycle.

Deadlift – 6×6 at 80% (315 lb.)

6×6 is a lot, especially at that weight! I decided to lower my weight just to complete this strength workout in time. It’s about 75% of my 1RM.  I like the structure of this class. The strength portion was at the end, giving us the rest of the class period all the time to finish. I didn’t really feel rushed and finished in time with a good amount of rest between sets.

Friday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% (335 lb.)

After improving my form over the week, my lower felt better after Wednesday which made this deadlift workout easier to complete. Two reps are manageable at 80%. I think the cycle is going to pick up next week, probably going up to 85% – 90%. I hope the rep scheme is low.

WOD 1 – Every 2 minutes for 10 minutes: 10 toes to bar, 15 air squats, 1 clean and jerk complex. Clean and jerk complex – 3 Power cleans + Jerk, 70% 1RM (145 lb.).

This workout was fun, except around minute 8 when fatigue started to set in. I thought I did well in the toes to bar, I could feel my lats engage and my form stayed consistent. The clean and jerks were not too bad either, I still need to work on my oly lifts. I slowed down around the fourth round. Fatigue set in and I wasn’t able to complete my toes to bar quickly.

WOD 2 – AMRAP 7 minutes: 30 push press (95 lb.), max row.

The RX weight for this workout was 135 lb. but after the previous workout, I wasn’t sure if I could have handled that weight. I decided to scale down to 95 lb. which I thought would have been manageable. During the workout I could feel my quads tightening up. Not sure how long I could have gone with the weight at 135 lb. Finished the 30 push press before 3 minutes and hopped on the rower. If I could have kept a 2:00 per 500 m pace I would have been able to hit at least a 1k row. The row was difficult and I wasn’t pulling as hard as I usually do. My pace was about 2:15 per 500 m, but I picked it up at a minute left in the workout. I was able to finish with 920 m, rowed. 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Miniature Mondays: Servath Reznik, Wrath of Ages

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With the TFG finished it’s time to put Reznik 2 on deck. I finished clipping some flash and mold lines, and I finished washing him with some soap. Next up, I need to prime pieces and start painting. Going to start with Reznik and then start on the horses and chariot.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 14 – September 20

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Monday

Deadlift – 6×4 at 80% (335 lb.)

Today was an off day. I only finished four sets since I took too long. I wasn’t feeling it, I felt weak and ended up doing doubles instead of four touch and go reps.

WOD – Run 400m, 30 handstand push ups, then 2 rounds: run 300m, 10 toes to bar + pull up, then 3 rounds: run 200 m, 7 clean and jerks at 70% 1RM, then max effort double unders. Time cap 25 minutes. Must start double unders at 23 minutes.

I was excited for this WOD before class started and then I started to run. My lower back was tight and my lousy running form wasn’t helping. The movements that gave me the most trouble were running and the clean and jerks. During the first round of the clean and jerks, my quads started to cramp. I wasn’t able to complete the last two rounds before 23 minutes. Started on the double unders with about a minute left and managed to get about 25 double unders.

Monday was a off day, I didn’t feel myself. I decided to shake it off and comeback stronger the next day. Everyone has a bad day, unfortunately, today was my day.

Tuesday

Annie – 50-40-30-20-10, double unders, ab-mat sit ups.
Buy in was Annie with a 7 minute time cap. I wasn’t sure if I could have finished it under time cap but I was going to try my best. I managed to finish 30 double unders at time cap. 
Back Squat Maintenance – 5×3 at 75% of 1RM (275 lb.)
Back squats felt great, unlike Mondays deadlifts. Trying to work on my explosiveness and controlling the weight at the bottom of the squat.
WOD – FGB style, 3 Rounds: Pull up hold, pull ups (strict), pull ups (kipping), chin ups (strict). 15 seconds working, rest 45 seconds.

This workout is deceiving. I underestimated the pull up hold, and I thought the strict movements would be easier with rest. I managed to do okay with with at least three strict reps and five kipping each round.

Wednesday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)
Wednesday was redemption day. I felt a lot better and was determined to do better than Monday. I was able to complete all my sets with enough time to set up for the WOD.
WOD – 5 Rounds for Time: 10 Burpees, 10 Wall Balls at 11′ (20 lb.), and 10 one arm dumbbell snatch at (50 lb.).
I was not able to complete this workout RX. My main concern for this workout was the wall balls since it was a foot higher and the dumbbell snatches. The RX weight for the dumbbell snatches were 70 lb. which is a difficult weight for me. I scaled down to 50 lb. which is more manageable. Surprisingly the easiest part of this workout was the wall balls. I was able to go unbroken on most sets. The hardest part were the burpees and snatches but I was able to keep a good pace. I finished the workout in 13:45.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 7 – September 13

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Tuesday

Pull Up Strength Work

Tuesdays strength work was focused on pull ups. We did narrow, regular and wide grip pull ups and then some chest to bar work. 
WOD – 8 rounds FGB syle (30 seconds), pull ups, push ups, air squats, rest
We performed each movement for 30 seconds and then moving on the the next one. My hands were raw from all the pull up work that I decided to slow down when my hands were about to rip. Since pull ups were taking a toll on my hands I would have to gain reps on the push ups or air squats. I managed to stay consistent with most rounds being around 30 reps. 
Weighted Plank Hold – 3 rounds, 60 seconds, rest 30 seconds. 25 lb.

Thursday

Mobility 
Did some mobility work for 15 minutes. 
Handstand Skill Work

Worked on some handstand skill work. Started out with some headstand drills and then worked to handstand work. 
WOD – Run: 1600 m, rest 3 minutes, 1200 m, rest 2 minutes, 800 m, rest 1 minute, 400 m
Running is my weakest movement which is why I like running WODs. I PR’d my mile by 2 minutes, which was unexpected. I finished all the run intervals in 23:54, not including the rest times.

Friday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)
After not doing deadlifts for more than a week this was challenging. I worked on keeping my back straight and not rounding it. Form was my main focus during the lifts. 
Strict Press – 6×6 at 70% 1RM (115 lb.)
The we superset the deadlifts with strict presses. I under estimated the weight and I quickly became fatigued. I decided to take a longer rest before the strict press to give my arms and shoulders a rest.
WOD – Partnered, split reps as needed. 200 m overhead walking lunge with 45 lb. plate. Then, AMRAP 7 kettlebell swings 70 lb., 7 burpees and 7 wall balls 20 lb. 
This WOD was tough. We decided to alternate exercises but in the end I couldn’t catch my breath fast enough and my partner kept the pace and made up the reps. I felt like I held him back but he assured me that it’s not about the score. He just wanted to get a good workout which humbled me. We managed to finish 10 rounds. 
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Review: Nike Metcon 1 Varsity Red "Banned"

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After the CrossFit games controversy, the Nike Metcon 1 Varsity Red became the most sought after colorway. I must admit, they look slick. I’m a huge fan of the red and black, paying homage to the Air Jordan 1. The only thing I would change would be the sole color. I would have preferred a black sole or even a red sole.

Their are some differences between this version of the Metcon 1 and the original version that I reviewed here. The mesh on the top of the toebox is a lot thicker and feels like a different material all together. I haven’t used my Metcons to do many rope climbs but I have heard about shoes falling apart from repeated abuse. My Metcons are also starting to fray at certain spots but are still usable. I hope this material change brings more longevity to this shoe. Other than that, I haven’t noticed any more changes. Check out some of the other pictures below.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): August 31 – September 6

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This was a short week. I was only able to make it to the gym on Monday and Wednesday.

Monday

Floor Press – Find 3 RM (225 lb.)
Todays strength section was find a 3 rep max floor press. Since the bench press cycle was a few months ago I had some numbers I could base it on. I was shooting for a bit heavier than my bench press 3 rep max of 205 lb. and was able to lift 225 lb. for the floor press.
WOD – 8 minutes: Run 1000 m, max effort dumbbell snatches with remaining time. Rest 2 minutes. 6 minute AMRAP: 3 muscle ups, 6 dumbbell lunges, 9 dumbbell swings. Rest 2 minutes. 4 minutes: max effort burpees.
Monday Funday! At first glance I knew I was going to have problems with the dumbbells especially at the RX weight. I scaled down to 50 lb. dumbbells. I am not proficient in my dumbbell movements so it was best to keep the weight lower in order to maintain form and not lose control of the dumbbell. The other part that worried me was the run. The last time I ran a 1000 m, I finished in 7 minutes. Leaving me no time to catch my breath and do some dumbbell snatches. 
I finished the run in 5:30 which was very surprising. I managed to complete 15 alternating dumbbell snatches as well. I had to scale the muscle ups and did 2 pull ups and 1 ring dip for every muscle up rep. I finished 3 rounds and up to 6 dumbbell swings. At this point I feel extremely exhausted and only managed 25 burpees. 

Wednesday

Deadlift  – Find 3 RM (375 lb.)
I didn’t get to find my 1 rep max during the last deadlift cycle so I wanted to push myself on this one. My previous 3 RM was 325 lb. and I wanted to see how heavy I could go. I managed to lift 375 lb. making it my new 3 RM PR!  
WOD – 5 rounds for time: 10 Deadlifts (225 lb.), 10 Box Jumps (30 in.), 100 ft walking lunge. Rest 1 minute between rounds.
This wod was very humbling. After coming off the 3 rep max deadlift pr, I felt confident going into the wod. I decided to not scale the deadlifts and box jumps. I was more worried about the deadlifts but I should have been more concerned about the box jumps and walking lunges. After round 2 I decided to lower my box to 24 inches and do step ups. My quads were on fire and by the end of the wod. I should have been more mindful of those two movements but it’s a learning experience. I finished in 13:46.
I’m starting to realize that I need to push myself more. I know I’ve been overly cautious in my workouts but if the last few weeks have proven anything, it’s that I can do it.

“You don’t need harder workouts, you need to go harder in your workouts” – Tommy Hackenbruk.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

August 2015 Loot Crate Unboxing: Villains 2

Nick PalomoLeave a comment

Sorry for the delay, had some issues with USPS.

What is Loot Crate?

Taken from the Loot Crate site, “Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world.” Loot Crate sells for $13.95 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. Check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

Like last month, this month’s theme is a sequel to the Villains crate from last year. We got some cool stuff like the Joki shirt and the Deadpool socks which makes me hope that this one is just as good. A shirt was not included in this one but hopefully the other items make up for it.

What’s in the Box?

(Hydra Pin, Joker Figure)

The Loot Crate exclusive is the Hydra pin from the Captain America films. I started collecting Warmachine pins and this one will fit right in with the others. The Joker figure is very unique. I haven’t seen this style of figure before and it’s a welcomed change of pace from the figures like Funko pop vinyls. I was hoping it would be another Q Pop but I am happy with this one. This figure is made from wood which is very unique since I do not own wooden toys. 

I was actually thinking about buying an apron the other day and the universe delivers. The Los Pollos Hermanos is a fictional resturant (not for long) from the TV show Breaking Bad. You might get some weird looks from people who have not seen the show, but true fans will get this reference. 

Last thing in the box is this sweet Carnage mug. This is probably my favorite item this month.I currently have a Star Wars mug sitting on my desk but I might replace it with this one. 

You can also use the box as a display for your new Joker bot figure.

Final Thoughts

This month had fewer items than normal but I do not mind. We got some pretty cool stuff that were probably worth the same as a normal crate with more items.

If you would like to subscribe to Loot Crate, use this LINK, and the cupon code SAVE3 for $3.00 off your first crate. I also get credit towards free Loot Crates if you use the link.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!