Uber Random Sunday!

Today was super random.

12hours of home visits, speedy drives, foodies, 

Ball boys, stairs, climbs, sun, 

Revved it up, cincau-ed and filled with chicken.

My Sunday(and weekend) couldn't get any better!

To a great week ahead peeps! :)

Hot AND Haute!

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

VIRTUOSITY. EXCELLENCE. IDOL. 

(9th Place, 2010 Crossfit Games)

Life is not a Spectator Sport

We are constantly being warned to check with our physicians before beginning athletics. Play and games evidently can be risky business. What we are not told are the risks of not beginning athletics-that the most dangerous sport of all is watching it from the stands.

The weakest among us can become some kind of athlete, but only the strongest can survive as spectators. Only the hardiest can withstand the perils of inertia, inactivity, and immobility. Only the most resilient can cope with the squandering of time, the deterioration in fitness, the loss of creativity, the frustration of emotions, and the dulling of moral sense that can afflict the dedicated spectator.

Physiologists have suggested that only those who can pass the most rigorous physical examination can safely follow the sedentary life. Man was not made to remain at rest. Inactivity is completely unnatural to the body. And what follows is a breakdown of the body's equilibrium.

When the beneficial effects of activity on the heart and circulation and indeed on all the body's systems are absent, everything measurable begins to go awry.

Up goes the girth of the waist and the body weight. Up goes blood pressure and heart rate. Up goes cholesterol and triglycerides. Up goes everything you would like to go down and down everything you would like to go up. Down goes vital capacity and oxygen consumption. Down goes flexibility and efficiency, stamina and strength. Fitness fast becomes a memory.

The seated spectator is not a thinker, he is a knower. Unlike the athlete who is still seeking his own experience, who leaves himself open to truth, the spectator has closed the ring. His thinking has become rigid knowing. He has enclosed himself in bias and partisanship and prejudice. He has ceased to grow.
And it is growth he needs most to handle the emotions thrust upon him, emotions he cannot act out in any satisfactory way. He is , you see, an incurable distance from the athlete and participation in the effort is the athlete's release, the athlete's catharsis. He is watching people who have everything he wants and cannot get. They are having all the fun: the fun of playing, the fun of winning, even the fun of losing. They are having the physical exhaustion which is the quickest way to fraternity and equality, the exhaustion which permits you to be not only a good winner but a good loser.

Because the spectator cannot experience what the athlete is experiencing, the fan is seldom a good loser. The emphasis on winning is therefore much more of a problem for the spectator than the athlete. The losing fan, filled with emotions which have no healthy outlet, is likely to take it out on his neighbor, the nearest inanimate object, the umpires, the stadium or the game itself. It is easier to dry out a drunk, take someone off hard drugs or watch a three-pack-a-day smoker go cold turkey than live with a fan during a long losing streak.

Should a spectator pass all these physical and mental and emotional tests, he still has another supreme challenge to his integrity. He is part of a crowd, part of a mob. He is with those the coach in The Games called, "The nothingmen, those oafs in the stands filling their bellies." And when someone is in a crowd, out go his individual standards of conduct and morality. He acts in concert with his fellow spectators and descends two or three rungs on the evolutionary ladder. He slips backward down the development tree.
From the moment you become a spectator, everything is downhill.

Source: George Sheehan

I'm Feeling.....

ZIGGED!

YEAH! :)

It's Getting Brighter!

The late nights that we've been having,

The deep and dark conversations that we're keeping,

The trials and tribulations that we're going through,

Is just a phase in life.

I've seen many young warriors who've fought through their bleeding skins,

Yet, they persevere and trudge through, exuberant at the end!

The one thing that I admire about you,

Is the fact, you know you have limits, yet you break them.

Emotions and hours of pain and fatigue sets in,

The fear of losing and wanting to give up creeps up during gloomy days,

Don't be shy my friend, for I too, have such days. 

Just stay true to your feelings. 

Let's pick up where we left off and start our day anew.

Sleep is to resuscitate, and rest is to recover.

Truly respect your guts to face the peer pressure set upon your heart.

Do know, I am with you all the time, each and everyday.

So,

Stick with your guns,

Compare with none,

Look up to the sun,

For life needs fun!

~~~

"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong."

Abraham Lincoln

*To my inspiration. Thanks for showing me what we are capable of despite the odds. Love you always! 

I Wanna Be Just Like.............

Strong, dynamic and core of steel.
Smart, soft-spoken and sexy ...

Check out this video of her overhead squats.

and her lecture on Nutrition below

To the One who told me "Looks first, Performance second",
How the heck did you do that corkscrew thing?!
Ok ok, Ii'll start by swimming onma bed!

"The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person ... who is worthy of emulation."

- Paul D. Shafer

The Truth

It was a few weeks ago when you asked me "Why am I not going to work today?" - when you don't work that day. It was unusual. It was surprising. You then said you couldn't really see properly at night especially when it's dark with no street lights. Then you kept forgetting where you kept your things. And you asked if that ringtone was mine or yours, when everyone knows that THAT ringtone belongs to you.  Occasionally you'd leave the door unlocked nor closed, and forget that you didn't close it. And you misplace your keys way too often.

I am scared to know the truth but I think I do know what it may turn out to be. Fear, I do. I'm not sure if they notice. I spend the most time with you. I get really upset and angry when I'm sad. I ask why? Why???

These days, I don't ask why. I ask how can I make it easier for you. But I know I get emotional at times and take it upon myself and suck it all in. It would be hard for me to accept the truth. Everyone knows that.

But you know what? I love you and I always will, and I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy. You are already happy with what we have, but I'll make it better. We will make it better.

Promise!

Schwartz Crossfit

Had great & unforgettable training sessions at Schwartzs Crossfit Melbourne. All thanks to the trainers below, and also to Darren who showed me how to rope climb!

I still remember the first time I went there when we had to do Ring Dips. And I just went out all the way and bantai-ed the workout. I was in Group 1. 1 week later, I was up into Group 2.I didn't expect to be placed into Group 2, yet I did my best and it turned out well, to my wishes!

Thanks for all the positive encouragement, gentle guidance and the extra tips to get that one rep! If you guys are coming by Malaysia, please do drop by our box!

"I'll be baaackk!" (ala Terminator)

Benji Schwartz

aka The Boss

Ben Evans

aka SuperTall

Chris Hogan

aka The Quiet Achiever

aka Crossfit Games Australasian Qualifiers 2010 Champ

Chinese and Junkies!

Choc Chip Continental cheesecake

Marinara Pizza

Honey chicken & Mixed vegetable noodles

Beef & chicken Noodles

Japanese, JunkyFood & Korean! :D

Curry Katsu Don @ Don Tojo

Sliced Beef Udon

Baramundi Fillet w Potatoes on Gourmet Pancake
@Pancake Parlour

Triple Stack Pancake w Ice Cream & Maple Syrup

Jewish Blintz

Krispy Kreme Donuts

Korean Appetizers

Beef Bulgogi (Top)
Sliced Pork(Bacon) Bulgogi (Bottom)

Sashimi & buckwheat noodles

Docklands!

Managed to snap a few pics of the beautiful weather! Was at Docklands for coffee with Unc and he was sharing his life in Melb with me. Also walked about in the open air flea market by the jetty. Saw some pretty jeweleries that I thought Mom would like. There were also some artsy fartsy designed statues that were erected in commemoration of some art thingies...and statues of comedians. Didn't take pictures of them tho!

One thing for sure, I am in awe and love the weather that day! Valuable sun rays and sights that hardly come by during winter in Melbourne.

I LOVE YOU, O'MIGHTY SUN!

WE SHALL MEET AGAIN!

Hongkiefied, Mexicanized. Japanesed!

Spicy Beef Fried Noodles with Egg

Spicy Chicken Ribs Rice with Fried Egg

(Notice the chillies hiding between the ribs & rice)

Rum Bubabba

Peach Turnover

Fiesta Special @ Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
(Spicy beef & chicken pot + fajitas + rice)

Beef Fajitas

(meat not shown)

"The Lot" Pizza @ La Porchetta

Sashimi @ Shoya

 

Unagi Kabayaki with Pine nuts

Tempura!
The batter was light and crisp! One of the better ones I've ever had!

10 Things Your Trainer Wants You To Know

1. Be On Time: We love you guys, but showing up late holds up class, causes spillover into another class, or worse, Marcus has to stay until o’dark thirty to close up (I know, work can be a major contributor, and we’ll be as understanding as possible…on occasion).
   
2. Recovery, recovery, recovery: Come in early or on rest days to roll and stretch if you can’t do it at home. Gains will NOT happen without active recovery.
   
3. Eat Primal/Paleo: Do. It. Now. You want to shave a minute off a benchmark WOD, add 50# to your DL/BS/BP, fit into your skinny jeans (ladies), flaunt the summer body, live longer, etc? Ditch the grains and sugar.
   
4. Keep Brutus off your back: If you haven’t met Brutus yet, he’s the CFI “Enforcer” who sends emails when you don’t pay your membership. Brutus is shy but ruthless.
   
5. Don’t Lie: Is your shoulder pain due to soreness? Overuse? Old football injury? If we don’t know, we can’t help-or god forbid, we make it worse.
   
6. Don’t Cheat: Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. There’s nothing better than slaughtering your last benchmark knowing every rep was legit! It’s been said that it takes 10,000 correct movements to build muscle memory. Don’t inadvertently build bad muscle memory!
   
7. Be kind to the equipment AND each other: I know that medball is just made to drop kick, but it’s your stuff too, so go easy on the equipment unless it’s a slamball! Or Brutus will drop kick you. Also, encouraging each other during wods is good. Positive trash talking is good. Heckling is bad so don’t call out “no reps” unless told to. Or Brutus will drop kick you.
   
8. You guys inspire us to be better: The questions you guys ask about your personal fitness goals; watching you gut it through tough wods; hearing you encourage each other; seeing your gains over the previous weeks. All these things inspire us to research and learn, to work out harder, and to program better.
   
9. We get warm fuzzies when you PR: Then we begin the trainer phone tree texts of your accomplishments. Becky’s handstand, Jake’s first 300# deadlift work set, Dustin finding his OHS, Jason’s new front squat, Drew’s new double unders, and the list goes on. We get so excited, we have to share it with each other. We feel like proud parents every time.
   
10. This is a lifelong journey: Our goal is for you to be wodding into your golden years, alongside your grandchildren. Attack each workout like it’s your last, but know that you can stand to back off if you’re injured. You have time to reach your fitness goals, so long as you aren’t taking two steps back.

Courtesy of :Crossfit Intrepid

Perceptions...

Passionfruit cheesecake

Cookie base made it more tantalizing.

This cake topped off dinner last night! One small slice was enough to make our day!

:)

Dinner!

Charcoal Chicken in process

Chicken Avocado Salad

The Rest of the salads

And, most importantly, dessert...

@ Cheesecake!!!

Happy, I am!

Greek Lunch!

Greek Salad

Lambshanks w potatoes

Chicken & Lamb Souvlaki

Mixed Meat Platter for Two

Breakfast!

Omelette & Bacon on Toast

As you may notice, this is my all-time favourite brekkie!

Pancakes :)

Blackbird Cafe (Lindt Cafe)

The chocolate was awesomely thick and yummy! Especially the mocha...very smooth and milky. The Montreux cake had hazelnut pieces in it, top layered with white chocolate!

Montreux Cake

Cappuccino

Mocha

Sydney Fish Market!

Grilled Swordfish Platter

Grilled Snapper Platter

Fried Calamari and the rest of the works

Fresh Crabs

Fresh oysters @ AUD18.99

Bay Bugs!

Fresh Salmon

The beautiful weather

The view at the Fish Market