I wish I had a typewriter

Lynee

2009-03-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

5 rounds

max bw bench press

max pullups

6 bench press

10 pullups

6 bench press

7 pullups

4 bench press

10 pullups

4 bench press

6 pullups

4bench press

6 pullups

J.T.

2009-03-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

J.T.

162lb deadlift 21 reps

800m run

162lb deadlift 15 reps

800m run

162lb deadlift 9 reps

800m run

For time

29.30

The prescribed weight is 225, and I was able to lift the weight pretty easy without to much trouble, so next time I should add the weight on. Runs were done on the treadmill, I don't know if that really counts.

SS

2009-03-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

ramping up the weights, woo woo

3x5 Squats 177lbs

3x5 bench 65 lb dumbbells

1x5 deadlift 212

2x10 dips

I'm angered that I just don't do enough work. I'm pretty lazy on stretching and doing fundamental exercises. Needs to change.

Current handstand record is 20 seconds. Poo Poo.

I'm in a Frank Sinatra state of mind

2009-03-13T16:49:00.001-07:00

SS

Squats 3x5 172
Mil press 3x5 45 lb dumbbells
Clean and press 3x5 142
2x8 pullups

All of the crew on this show is East Coast. While it's been nothing concrete, some interesting things have been thrown out about the possibilities of future work for these guys, both in New York and out the country.

This hits me in almost the same sort of way that it hit me when I first moved out to Los Angeles.

See I don't really like Los Angeles very much. I want to, but I'm not sure It's for me after all. If there's enough work for me in New York, it'd be a lot of fun to live there and maybe just visit Los Angeles. It might pull me out of the funk.

I'd have to be super talented to make it anywhere, so regardless of where I go I'm going to have to continue to step up my game. I'm also banned from putting on any weight. My defining career to this moment has been in part to my size.

I'd also like to think I'm fluid enough to be able to move when I have to, and NY is better, that's where I should go. Just thoughts right now, but it excites me a little.

We'll see if I get any calls from those guys for work. If I don't get any calls, I'm going to at least visit and check it all out.

workout plus thoughts equal....BRUCE LEE!

2009-03-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

WORKOUT!!!

3x5 squat 172lbs

3x5 mil press 45 dumbbells

3x5 power clean 145lbs

Johnny Stewart just completely roasted Jim Cramer on his show and the majority of the reason? The dynamic of Stewarts show is Comedy, thus meaning that he can stand by his main points and not be called out. Thus meaning he can say any thing with conviction.

It's the same concept as the Michael Phelps mishap. If he had been vocal about marijuana use before he was outed it would have been no big deal. But because he created an image that was opposite from his true self (at least in some formality....) he had to go back and apologize for himself. Or....

"To thine own self be true"

in that vein I love my friend Luci Romberg because of tonight. "Why not? You're a Hollywood Stuntman!"

brilliant.

Pictures. Pictures GALLOOORE.

2009-03-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of the longest trips I have ever been on, and there's at least another week and a half of it. Then I go back to Louisiana to see family and friends. There's shows both in Louisiana and Georgia right now, so I'm going to try and piggyback this work onto those.

Here's more than a few pictures from the trip so far

Old Glory Outside my hotel the first day in Atlanta

View from my bedroom. MY BEDROOM!
The tiny balcony, which I am convinced is going to collapse at anypoint

Zombie Victor, Zombie Meegan (source of my eventual spiral into evil), Zombie Mahself.
Zombie Eyes. Know what's not fun to look out of? These.
These too.
A demon dutifully guards the Kraft Services

My actor and I. Can't tell who's who, right? riiiight?

assorted carnival pictures from 4 weeks of nights in a amusement park that have all blurred into one.

Zombies don't just make movies. They watch movies.

2009-03-10T16:40:00.001-07:00

3x5 squat 172
Bench 3x5 60lb dumbbell
1x5 deadlift 202lbs
2x8 dips

2009-03-08T13:57:00.001-07:00

Starting Strength week 2

all the loads increase

3x5

Squat 172
Mil press 45 db
Power clean 142
2x8 pullups

300 meter run

2 min rest

300 meter run

2 min rest

300 meter run

2 min rest

200 meter run

"Pads are for Pussies, Real mean just use tape"

2009-03-05T02:51:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how much fun I am having?

Press 4466 if you wanna see a rollerskating bird dunk a basketball

2009-03-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

Strength training by Mark Rippetoe "starting strength"

3x5 squats 162lb
3x5 bench press 55lb dumbbells
1x5 deadlift 192lbs
2x8 dips

I've fulfilled this weeks strength workout obligations, so the rest of the week is mine to play with handstands and what not, without feeling guilty.

I've decided that with my paltry four years in the buisness, the skills I have, my attitude, and my look I am a commoditiy. There are a few shows around Atlanta and some in New Orleans and I'm gonna try and get on a few. Hopefully. But I'm a profesional and no longer a kid trying to do something, so Im gonna act accordingly.

Call the Police cause I'm murdering workouts!

2009-03-03T21:54:00.000-08:00

After some static hold stretchs

3x5 of

Handstand Pressups

L seat Lifts

Lever Pulls

Strict Pike Wall Pressups

Handstand Pushups

Planche Extends

Planche wall pushups, failed on the third set.

10 Flights of stair running with 20 pushups at the top x 4 Rounds. Rest in the Elevator on the way down.

Christopher Titus "Apparently you gotta be a little Fucking more specific....You don't wanna just leave him with a big ole Blank slate"

Amen Brother. Amen.

What's wrong with me in a nutshell

2009-03-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

It's 4 am and I can't sleep because of my night schedule and what did i get up to do?

Practice handstand pressups. And I got better at them so I'll probably be able to sleep tonight/this morning without laying awake questioning myself. I hope.

Todays workout, no clever title today

2009-03-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

From Starting Strength

Squat 3 x5 162lbs

military press 3 x 5 dumbbells 35lbs

power clean 132lbs? I forgot.

This is why we dooo it.

2009-03-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

I had a breakthrough today during a workout, however small. I managed to hold a wall planch just a little bit longer than usual. That small little bit part of productivity makes me feel completely fantastic. And that's what it takes for me to feel happy in my life

That feeling is like a drug, and I am addicted to it. Any improvement, any challenge a little closer to getting accomplished. That's why I think I've felt so bad lately is somewhere down the line I got scared and stopped pushing myself. Maybe my challenges have just gotten bigger and harder. All I know is when I don't have that feeling, I feel awful.

I've heard preachers say that we praise God by doing whatever it is he wants us to do. I've read verses that anything we do as praising God is in Honor of God. I think that this is what God wants me to do, to challenge myself, and if I can worship and praise my God through this, then how great is that? It's a huge challenge. It's letting go of all my fear and my inhibitions. I don't know why it's scary to me when I know the payoff is so great, but it still worries me. One day at a time.

todays workout

1 minute of static holds

Back Tucked Lever
Tucked Planche
Handstands
L sits on the rings

Some Planche training

3x5 Handstand pushups

3x5 Back Lever swings

and then it kind of petered out after that.

I think I need to cut the fat out of my workouts, this took a little to long and I didn't get to all the hardcore stuff I wanted to.

Live from the sixth floor balcony

2009-02-28T22:30:00.000-08:00

I started RippleToe's starting strength program today

3x5 squats 162lb
3x5 bench press 55lb dumbells
1x5 deadlifth 192lbs

Dips 2x8

ran for about ten minutes. I need to change that to a series of sprints, better cardio and better results.

My lack of self esteem excluded, I will say this. I'm looking out the balcony of a beautiful hotel with an amazing view of downtown Hotlanta, and I'm about to max out on a feature film so I must be doing something right with my life and the career.

Is depression the same as apathy?

2009-02-28T00:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I am so crippled from anxiety.

What's that? Oh you didn't know that every single day I almost succumb to a neurotic breakdown? Or that every single night for the last 4 years I've gone to sleep with thoughts of fear and distaste for the choices I made that day?

I don't know if I'm unique in this or if I just talk about it more openly than others. I think we're all messed up inside to one degree or another, but I don't really know to what degree. All I know is this is terrible.

There was a couple of interesting things people said about me today

"You radiate happiness"

Well that's pretty cool. I'm that insecure that that makes a huge impact on me, and it also explains why I seem to get the work that I do get. Which is pretty cool.

"You have something beneath the surface"

Yes, yes I do. She was responding to me expressing my desire to learn how to dance. But past that. Yes. I have a lot bubbling below. And it's stopping me, it's crippling me, and it's just plain annoying.

I guess the question I have is Depression the same as apathy? Cause I don't understand anything about life and I can't seem to make it matter. Is it bad that the fantasy I keep having over and over is about diving off a building? I don't mean committing suicide as much as I mean just wondering what it'd feel like to live without any inhibitions.

I'm not unhappy. But I'm not happy either. I'm just numb.

++++

I just step backed from this post, and it might be kind of an alarming subject matter, but I feel a little more relaxed after typing it out. I was thinking of deleting this, but I'm gonna leave it up. This might be the kind of thing I should do more often.

And if you read this, please. I don't feel like talking about it.

Speaking of Life Goals

2009-02-27T08:16:00.001-08:00

At some point in my life, I need to participate in a dance off. Seriously.

I have a list thing

2009-02-27T00:23:00.000-08:00

Realistic goals for 09

• Backflips on concrete
• Spinning Poi
• Tucked planche holds for a minute
• Advanced flexability
• Spinning flaming poi
• All reactions to concrete
• Riding a unicycle
• Wallflips anytime, anywhere
• Wheelies on a motorcycle
• Sustained flag hold
• Spinning flaming poi while on fire

2009-02-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

I did todays CrossFit WOD after a bit of a warm up. I made a decision that if I'm going to be elite I have to have an elite warm up, so starting today I'm gradually subbing out exercises in my daily warm up with super elite warm ups, ala one legged squats for regular squats.

Todays Workout was

100 feet of lunges

21 pullups

21 situps

100 feet of lunges

18 pullups

18situps...etc all the way down to

6 pullups

6 situps

It hurt to do this. Partially because I'M TIRED OF WORKING NIGHTS.

Also I've been using the Iron Gym Chin Up bar cause it snaps right into my hotel bathroom door. What they don't tell you about this device, is if you grab it in the wrong place it falls right down to the ground. With you. So that was fun

2009-02-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

after a warm up and some tennis ball rolling

50 burpees + pushups

7 minutes and 2 seconds.

I'll be really happy when i get back on a normal schedule. I'm have a couple of workout regiments I'm looking forward to starting, but there's no way I can on my current schedule of work 12 hours at night, sleep, wake up and cram a workout in.

Non-Negotiables

2009-02-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a fun discussion on the Crossfit forums of what the Non-Negotiables in your life is, the things you absolutely adhere to as a person. This is coupled with me feeling like I don't quite make a lifestyle commitment as a Christian...

Non Negotiables in the Life of Thor

Seek to Love and Learn more about my God
Recognize that I am an example of a Christian at all times and act accordingly
Embrace everyday as a new opportunity
Treat every workout/training session/session as an opportunity to progress
Work hard with a southern work ethic at all times
Believe in Improvement
Accept the ebb and flow of life as God's plan

These are more than resolutions but less than just plain statements of how I live my life. They fall somewhere in between how I've lived in glimpses in the past and how I desire to live full time.

Clowns, Carnivals, and Zombies, Oh my.

2009-02-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

ZombieLand Nights in Valdosta are dragging me down. The end of this shoot is coming Friday and I think my body sense it. My general sense of time is completely thrown off, I have no idea if I'm working to many hours and not getting enough sleep or vice versa. All of these nights are sort of blending into one another, save a highlight here and there.

My chauffeur for the evening

I got to ride shoddy with Stuntman superstar Tim Trella as he spun a Denali around firing a machine gun out the window. As far as cool things go, it's pretty high up there.

as far as workouts go, I'm resigning to the fact that I'm simply to wacked out to work on skills and have to go just strength training

Yesterday was

"Valdosta Special"

5 rounds

10 pullups

15 pushups

20 vups

30 squats

while wearing a 20lb vest. It took me about 27.00 minutes, but I think the intensity level was to low. It's way past the time to just grind out workouts.

My own worst problems.

2009-02-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

I've been reading Bruce Lee's "Striking thoughts, wisdom for Daily Living" in a bid to help increase my Mental Fitness. His quote about being honest

really stuck out to me. In an effort to be honest, here is a list of my personal weakness holding me back from my goals

- Lack of focus. I have a plan when it's presented by Crossfit, or by a Teacher, but when I am on my own in open gym, I sort of wander. I also find it hard to stay motivated through a long workout if I don't plan on what I'm doing

- Impatience. I get frustrated doing the smaller exercises that I don't have problems doing and I skip through them without spending enough time to develop the technique to do a harder trick

- Lack of Self Confidence. I'm afraid to try simple things when I'm around people who are better. This is only costing me exercise time

- Belief. This is my biggest problem. I don't believe that it's possible for me to achieve these things that I want. This needs to change the most.

These are my major problems with training as I see it. If I could correct these things and put in the time and drive needed I'll think I'll achieve far more than I thought possible.

Lights, Camera, Condition

2009-02-22T01:42:00.000-08:00

Whenever I'm on set I have to creative with workouts. Wardrobe and make up folks are really excited to see you getting sweaty in all of their work, Transportation guys definitely don't want you bracing your feet on the walls of their trailers, and a few Coordinators frown upon any sort of shenanagins. You can add Location guys who are fearful of you getting hurt and taking it out on their insurance to the list of people not to catch you working out.

I closed the door to my Honey Wagon, and worked on some quick stuff to make up for the lack of working out. I've been very concerned with my form so I did

3x20 sets of Hollow Rocks

& 3x20 superman rocks

Later in the green room I had time to kill so I got into some handstand practice. Right now I'm working on achieving a correct hollow form Handstand, and a locked arm straight legged press. I'm able to lower to an L and back up with bent arms, now I need to develop the technique/strength to do it proper.

Here are the videos of the two best efforts, first the bent arms...

and secondly the straight arm attempt.

is amazing possible?

2009-02-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

It's 5.20pm in Valdosta, GA. I am currently sitting in a hotel room, awaiting my call time to be taken to the set of ZombieLand. I am one of the few west coast based stuntmen with a crew of east coast stuntmen. Stretching the gap even further, I am the only stuntman who didn't come from some sort of athletic competitive background. When everybody else was achieving perfect handstands I was skating. When they were learning correct form on back tucks I was playing Nintendo.

In the department of Self Confidence I am lacking greatly in this area. I always feel like I just slipped in and I don't deserve to be on set with these super men and women I hang out with. Since moving to Los Angeles some 6 years ago I developed some basic skills but if I expect to hang and compete in the world of stunts I have to be better.

I worked my ass off just to get to the point where I feel like I'm not good enough, and I see How much more I'm going to be required to do. It seems like all the training I have done has only been to prepare me to really put in the work required.

This Journal is going to be a record of the work and routines I am going to implement into my daily life to see if a person can start at 26 years old with almost no formal training and become truly "Amazing."