hsifeng | Entries tagged with crossfit is cray-cray

Having spent every spare minute not at work, the gym, or the Craft Room Of Doom (thank YOU for kicking my creative ass, School of the Renaissance Solder!), I have been somewhat....*cough* remiss (?) in posting my workouts here. My solution? I am going to simply post my dates and the bare bones record from the past couple of weeks.

If anyone really wants me to translate the Crossfitees (there really is a separate language for this stuff, I swear) then I will happily do so.

Also, double unders still suck.

Dear Corded Jump Rope - Please stop cracking me on the knuckles, causing my blood vessels to burst and my fingers to sausage up and be sore for two days. That sucks. Signed, No Love - Me.

Thursday, April 11th - Gym Run:
45 minutes at 6 mph.

Friday, April 12th - Crossfit:
NOTES: The WOD was straight pull ups (I don't know how to Kipling these properly yet) - so harder for each rep. My Met-Con 4RFT (four reps for time) rocked with me doing *more weight* than necessary on the Medicine Ball (MB) Cleans because they were all out of the 14 kg balls - so I used a 16 kg ball instead. Go Me!
April 12 - Crossfit Board

Results:
WOD - 15 straight pull ups (no assist)
Front Squats/Rope - didn't record my kg's but I recall I was helping out a new lifter so I am sure the weight was light
Met-Con (4RFT): 12:03 minutes with EXTRA WEIGHT! W00T! 16kg KBS / 16kg MB Cleans

Saturday, April 13th - Gym Run & Yoga:
30 minutes at 6 mph + 1.5 hours of Hatha with Mary! :D

Monday, April 15th - Gym Run & Yoga:
30 minutes at 6 mph + 1.5 hours of Hatha...

Tuesday, April 16th - Crossfit:
NOTES: Again, I need to learn how to do Kipling pull ups. *sigh* Honestly, straight pulls are harder (so I should stop judging myself for not hitting numbers as high as other folks).
April 16 - Crossfit Board

Results:
WOD - 28 pistols squats (mod to a 13" box)
Squat Cleans/Levers - 40 kgs on the squats, the levers are a body weight core exercise that my yoga-fu helped me conquer. :)
Met-Con ("Nichole" - 20 min AMRAP): I managed 7 rounds (1.75 miles) with 62 straight pull ups using the 1" orange band for assist

Wednesday, April 17th - Crossfit:
NOTES: Add 'Grasshoppers' to the list of 'Mountain Climber-esque' moves that are a PITA. *chuckle*
April 17 - Crossfit Board

Results:
WOD - 73 grasshoppers
Front Squat - 70 kgs max on the squats; working with E made me kick all my lifts up a notch (because she kicks ass!)
Strict Press/Reverse Hypers - 35 kg max on presses, used a 8 kg med ball for extra weight on the reverse hypers
Met-Con (7 min AMRAP) - 3 rounds + 14 double unders (those bastards). I finished right on pace with E - *high fives self*

Thursday, April 18th - SRS Run:
5 miles in 39 minutes: 7.7 mph pace. Definitely up from my last run! Honestly, I don't expect to keep picking up pace, especially as the heat builds, but this is nice so far. :)

Friday, April 19th - Sunday, April 22nd:
Weekend was spent wearing wool in mid-level temperatures while running after men with water to ensure that they didn't go down from alcohol poisoning or heat exhaustion (when not drinking beer, napping or goofing off with friends). Hey, even I need a break sometimes! *chuckle*

Tuesday, April 23rd - Crossfit:
NOTES: Apparently someone told the coaches that I took four days off and had to be punished accordingly. And I was. *ouch*
April 23 - Crossfit Board

Results:
WOD - 37 overhead squats (OHS)
40 Minutes In Hell (as opposed to 10 Minutes In Heaven - which I believe is a game I would have preferred) - OK, it didn't take me 40 minutes to finish this beast, it took 24:22 minutes. Second lady/person in, with the following mods: Hand stand push ups (HSPU) from weight bar - this is my standard method until I can actually do a *real* HSPU; Pull ups using a 2" gray band for assist; Double unders consisted of 100 attempts and then 200 single unders - because honestly my hands and shins couldn't take getting whacked any more.

And seriously, who thinks doing a run with a weight plate is a good idea? For future reference, I would use a kettle bell given the chance again.

Current Mood: happy

*chuckle* No, not seriously...

(Answer: 15 minutes of un-weighted squats - what? It was right there on the internet! *grin*)

So the hubby and I went out last night with a friend and had a couple of beers. Darlin', let me tell you that nothing makes you a cheap date like having reduced your overall alcohol intake and then going out for a couple of pints on after Crossfit and a light dinner. Whoa! Who spiked my Newcastle?

(Answer: No one. You idiot. Eat more and drink less! *snerk*)

Anyway, this may explain why the beer hit me harder than normal -

Wednesday, April 10th - Crossfit:
April 10 - Crossfit Board

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Paralette Shoot-Throughs. I used the mid-sized paralettes (mini hurdles that we also use for L-sits and whatnot). I have seen this exercise done before, but have never done it myself. Day-am. I managed 48 reps in the minute, and according to E my form was spot-on almost through the entire exercise. I can see how the 'back' position is hard for folks to judge their own work in, since you can't really see what you look like in that spot. But no one really has an excuse for messing up the front position unless they are just dog tired (which I can totally see by the end of this thing).

Strength Training: Snatch. This was two different snatch series, both done in a timed manner. The first one I completed with 25 kg throughout on the bar, the second with 30 kg throughout. In the first series, you complete one snatch every 20 seconds for 4 minutes, for a total of 12 snatches altogether. In the second series, you complete one snatch Every Minute On Minute (EMOM) for 8 minutes, for a total of 8 snatches (at the higher weight). I got to really work on my form in these, although I still think my lift needs to be more consistent and I know I am muscling the weight with my arms too much (the idea is that the momentum of the 'shrug' and jump move the bar, and that you move UNDER it rather than lifting it OVER).

Met-Con: We did the following series for time and I can tell that the summer is on it's way because the run portions were harder than normal in the lovely Spring sunshine. *makes a face* My final time was 14:01 minutes, but I didn't complete the entire series in the proscribed (Rx) manner and let my ego take over with the time factor. Honestly, I need to try to complete with Rx next time since the TIME is less important than the EFFORT. *sigh*
800 m run
50 sit ups (touch floor behind head, touch feet - each rep)
25 Hand Release Push-Ups
400 m run
50 sit ups (touch floor behind head, touch feet - each rep)
25 Hand Release Push-Ups (did the first 10 Rx and then moved to my knees for the final 15 - *gah!*)
800 m run

One of the guys who is a regular at the gym was pretty much on pace with me the whole time. Hilariously enough, on our way back from the last 800 m he was just a little behind me and I suddenly got that old 'Running Event' tickle, were you know someone is about to kick and try to pass you for the finish. We were still about 200 m out (with a corner and warehouse interior to navigate to get to the actual finish still). And I am a bastard. So, I lengthened my stride just a bit and increased my turn-over enough that I felt like I was pushing pace rather than coasting again.

I wasn't even sure he was trying to pass me. *eye roll*

After we were all done, I was mentioning my hi-jinks to E when the guy walked up and said, "Hey! I almost caught you on that last run!" "At about the 200 m mark?", I asked. He grinned. I said, "I knew it! So...I kicked a little. Sorry..." He just laughed and said he was going to catch me next time.

Sure buddy. Sure you are. ;)

Hence, celebratory beer! :D

Appropriate Icon Is Appropriate.

Tuesday, April 9th - Crossfit:
April 9 - Crossfit Board

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Box Jumps. I did 34 of these in my minute at the proscribed height of 20". I was also super excited to finally ~~harass~~, ~~coerce~~, ~~bully~~ encourage N to actually *do* the jumps, rather than using the step-up alternative. She had a bit of 'face plant' phobia (ie "What Happens If I Miss A Jump?"), so we got her a 12" platform to start out, and she quickly changed that out for an 18" one once she got the feel for it. Hooray for progress on conquering fears! :D

Strength Training (Super-Set): Single Leg Bulgarians/Hand Stand Push-Ups (HSPU): The Bulgarians ended up being at 20 kg and I am pretty sure I could manage more. Alternatively, I could use a higher platform (I used the 4" lip on the weight lifting stations), as a higher location for the back leg = harder set. Since I don't have my max-weight yet, I did all sets at the 20 kg weight. My HSPU's were done on the 24" box, and G and I mutually decided to push ourselves by doing sets of 10 and 15 rather than 8. So the workout looked like this:
Bulgarians (R & L/each): 8 reps
HSPU: 10 reps
Bulgarians (R & L/each): 6 reps
HSPU: 10 reps
Bulgarians (R & L/each): 6 reps
HSPU: 15 reps
Bulgarians (R & L/each): 6 reps
HSPU: 15 reps
Bulgarians (R & L/each): 6 reps

Met-Con: "Elizabeth" Not as big a PITA as her cousin, "Fran"; Elizabeth is still plenty of work. This was timed rotation of the following series. I used 29 kg on the bar for my cleans and a 2" assistance band on the ring dips. I got through it in 6:25 using a non-Rx weight. My arms, they clearly need some more work...
Squat Clean: 21 reps
Ring Dip: 21 reps
Squat Clean: 15 reps
Ring Dip: 15 reps
Squat Clean: 9 reps
Ring Dip: 9 reps

Monday, April 6th - Crosstrainer and Yoga:
Crosstrainer for 45 minutes (600 calories) followed by 1.5 hours of Hatha yoga. I love my yoga like BURNING.

Current Mood: happy

Friday, April 5th - Crossfit:
April 5 - Crossfit Board

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Squats. The only part of the workout that I did a max effort on. *chuckle* Competative? Who, me? I got through 51 of these.

This past week was an exhausting one for training. Not sure what was going on with my sleep patterns but they were Not Good and left me totally bereft of energy despite getting to bed early and rising late most days. The suck. :P This lead to a less-than-exemplary performance at Crossfit on Friday, but I am giving myself full kudos for even going since the temptation was to skip, skip, skip.

Strength Training 1 (Super-Set): Snatch/GHD Half Sit-Up: The snatch ended up being at 30 kg (wimpy levels) but I was working with a new lifter and as I said: No Energy. *sigh* Ah well, at least I got some form work in. The GHD work was done with 5 kg (again, WTF weight but I know I *did* work since my lower back certainly felt it the next day.

Strength Training 2 (Super-Set): Dead Lift/Ring Push Ups: The dead lift was a little better with 50 kg, but I can do a lot more with that lift. Ring push ups were done well with good form and close-to-horizontal placement of the body. I did all of them without any cheats, and only a couple pauses to stretch my lower back (which was feeling this session).

Saturday, April 6th - Running and Yoga:
3 miles/6 mph (30 minute run) followed by 1.5 hours of Hatha yoga. I then proceeded to run around like a chicken with my head cut off completing errands and projects for...

Sunday, April 7th - 5k Color Run! (...followed by gardening...*ouch*)
I won't even both recording the time on this one, because I was there to play with family! We all got together and organized a potty break (no small feat at an event with 12K+ attendees) and a Finish Line spot for a picnic post-race (in the shade no less!). The race was totally relaxed, and fun, and the weather was beautiful. :) I love doing these event with my family as it gives all of us a chance to chat and goof off as well as enjoy the race.

When photos show up I will pass them on, promise! :D

Right after the race - because I am an idiot - I headed to Home Depot and picked up a rototiller (still covered in paint, which got comments) and then proceeded to till my back garden plot for the next 1.5 hours. Again, thank the gods for beautiful weather. Although I did end up getting a little red (ah, that Northern European skin! *chortle*). Now, you'd think that a rototiller would have made the process a lot easier and more painless. I am sure that turning the whole garden by hand *would* have been a longer and more exhausting process; I am just not sure by how much. My hands, they are covered with blisters and my shoulders/back are wondering if I just carried that heavy-ass piece of equipment all over my garden rather than 'it walking itself forward and doing all the work'. *eye roll*

Regardless: Next weekend, we plant! Hooray!

Current Mood: exhausted

OK, so last night was a great little chance to 'post-up' with one of the younger ladies in my gym who regularly bests my performance. She did again last night, but I was *this close* to matching up with her. Despite a huge amount of muscle soreness, mind you. :D

Wednesday, April 3rd - Crossfit:
April 3 - Crossfit Board

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Kettlebell Swing (KBS). I did this with the proscribed (Rx) weight of 16 kg and got through at least 33 of them. To be honest, I lost count at the very end and may have done 35 (the goal I set in my head). Sometimes the effort, she wipes the brain cells out and the maths are gone too bye-bye land. *chuckle*

Strength Training (Super-Set): Zerchers/Toes-To-Ring (TTR). Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'Zerchers'; perhaps the LAMEST strength move ever. OK, I get that this is to encourage the use of your core during squats, but the way the guys at the gym had us holding the bar (with elbows up, rather than down as in the vid link I included above) basically is an invitation to bruise the *crap* out of your biceps. Needless to say, I will be using the video's form if we do this again since the weights used to avoid bruising in the 'higher' position is basically a non-event for my legs in the squat. *sigh*

The super-set was 5 sets of 5 reps of the Zerchers, interspersed with 4 sets of 15 reps of TTR. I did 34 kg max on the Zerchers, and discovered the "Secret of the Rings"! Basically, there is one set of rings worth using at the gym: they are the second set from the end, they have texture which assists with grip (rather than just being rough), and with enough chalking My Hands Do Not Slip. I have always hated TTR's because the slippage of my hands makes these a total pain for my arms and shoulders *long* before my core gives up. With this problem solved, I don't think TTR's are going to be anywhere near as difficult in the future. YEAH! /does a little dance

Met-Con: This was a 10 minute As-Many-Reps-As-Possible (AMRAP) of the following series. I completed 6 full rounds, plus another round up to 3 pistol squats. I didn't do the Rx weight but I was close with 35kg. I also modified the pistols to a 18" box.
3 Hang Cleans
6 Split Jerks (alternating legs)
9 Pistol Squats - which I still HATE by the way... *sigh*

Amusingly, I ended up in a face-to-face work out with G, the challenging young lady I mentioned above, we even shared a box for the modified pistols. By the end of the 10 minutes we were both straining and grunting and struggling to not slow down (and give the other person the lead). We ended up finishing almost together, which is a great thing for G since she was doing the Rx weight the whole time.

I know that 4 kg more doesn't *sound* like much more weight - but trust me, it is.

Thursday, April 4th - SRC Group Run:

Last Week: 5 Miles/40 minutes = 7.5 mph pace
My goal is to keep the distance at 5 miles with a reasonable pace between 7 - 7.5 mph. It is supposed to be raining today, so we'll see where the day and the course take us. :D

Current Mood: exhausted

Monday, April 1st - Running and Yoga:

4 miles in 40 minutes (10 mph pace) plus cool down, followed by 75 minutes of mediation and yoga.

Yoga is a legal drug and I am TOTALLY HOOKED. I blame my instructor. Who is amazing. And wonderful. And makes me feel all bright and shiny and ready for anything both inside and out. <3 How do I keep an even keel in rough waves? Yoga. For realsies. And sometimes alcohol (just kidding! jeeze!).

As C and I have been working on schedules that are almost polar opposites, I have come to depend more and more on this as my 'me space' for rest and recovery (that used to be the time I was snuggling with C on the couch...*self pitying sigh*). But at least I have a replacement that doesn't involve a crack pipe or binge ice cream eating! Go me! :D

Tuesday, April 2nd - Crossfit:
April 2 - Crossfit Board
All I could think when I saw this board was, "Holy. Crap. What the hell am I doing here?" But broken down into segments, and then into individual movements, it wasn't so bad. I mean, I only got light headed a *couple* of times...and I blame that mostly on the lack of air circulation in the gym.

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): 250 M Row. Considering I was rowing so hard that I actually slid of the 'seat' of the rowing machine at one point, I feel pretty good about a 0:50 time on this. Not the high end of the class day, but not the low end either.

Front Squats/Hollow Body Holds Complex: Given that I have not had a chance to find a max weight yet, C had me do the following series instead of what was on the board. 2 sets of 5 reps, followed by 3 sets of 3 reps - all done in alternation with the Hollow Body Holds. I ended up stacking weight the whole series, trying to establish my maxes. I started with 30 kg and 45 kg for my 5 rep sets, and then ended the last 3 sets at 55 kg. This was good weight and I was definitely challenged to hold my form through the whole series.

Met-Con: This was 'for time' series of the following exercises. I completed the whole thing in 17:01 with modifications. My workout buddy, K did the same work with all the same modifications - so I felt pretty good about the overall choices when it came to weight and effort.

400 m run
30 Clapping push-ups: ended with last 20 on my knees rather than full push-up position (K actually *filmed* my first 10 she was so impressed that I was doing full-on clappers *chuckle*)
15 Thrusters: done with 20 kg rather than 25 kg proscribed - throughout
400 m run
30 Hand-Stand Push Ups (HSPU): done from the box, as the weight racks were all occupied
15 Thrusters
400 m run
30 Burpees
15 Thrusters

By the end of this I was *beat* and my knees certainly showed the effects of the Burpees. Damn them. All in all, I think any met-con with running allows me to automatically do well because I tend to make-up a lot of time on the runs (go fast!) whereas others tend to slow down there. *shrug*

I can tell you, I am not looking forward to the workout tonight as I am sore and tired already. On the other hand, I find that I am much happier mentally when I push through on days like today - so that is the plan. :D

Current Mood: accomplished

Sunday, March 31st - Rest Day:

Leaving town for the weekend is always a bit of a challenge for me.

First, there is the packing - whatever I take has to have room for a pair of running shoes (which I try not to wear when I am not running, to save on tread/loft life), I have to pack a whole set of clothes that will only be worn to sweat in (and spares for those, if I am gone longer than a couple of days), and the number of clothes for this activity changes depending on how familiar I am with the area I am visiting and it's weather patterns.

Then there is the negotiations for morning time - my husband, much to his credit, wants me to sleep in and relax when we are on vacation. I totally get this, but I am sort of hardwired for activity at this point and a day without some sort of physical challenge often leaves me feeling pent-up and bitchy. Not Good On Vacations. My compromise is usually this; I get up early (or really, late by comparison to my normal wake-up time, but early by comparison to 'vacation time' schedules), go on my run or hit the gym, come back and take my shower, climb in bed and read/watch TV until the hubby rouses himself a couple of hours later.

This can actually be quite frustrating for me, as my activity time in the morning includes my brain ramping up for the day. By the time I am out of the shower I have a whole list of things I want to be off and doing. According to my love, any sort of planning is antithetical to the whole concept of vacations.

I...get this...*twitches*. Especially as his job regularly has him working 12 hours shifts (he has three this week).

As a compromise I tend to exercise the first day we're out of town and then take the next day off in an attempt to cultivate my inner lounge lizard. So far this has met with mixed results (see the part about me sucking at relaxing, noted above). This past weekend included. However, I will say that we had a lovely time over all, and I did manage to skip working out on Sunday without turning into a total freak.

Thank the gods. ;)

Saturday, March 28th- Running:
Ran 5 miles/45 minutes = 6.6 mph. Not a devastating pace, but considering that this is my first week breaking 10 miles total in training in 7 days that I have hit in awhile I am OK with it. I also ran in the 'mist' (super-light rain/massively-dense fog) and didn't let the cooler weather deter me from getting my miles in. OMG, the coast. The beach.

Spring. Is. AWESOME. In. California. *happy sigh*

Friday, March 30th - Crossfit:
March 29 - Board Crossfit

I was the only person at the 6:30 AM class on Friday - so basically I got private ~~torture~~ training from one of my favorite coaches. It's a little weird being the only person in a class where group motivation is such a big factor in performance. However, I managed to do a good job anyway and certainly felt the effort.

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Toes-To-Bar (TTB). I did 15 of these and felt pretty annoyed with myself until I took a look at the board and realized that I actually did pretty damn good. :D

Strength Training: Overhead (OH) Squats. Perform five OH squats every minute for 10 minutes. Whatever time you have left after you have completed your five squats is your rest period before the next set begins. I did this with 29 kg, which ended up being a pretty good weight for me. This was also the first time I have used my new wrist wraps and I can tell that they are making a difference. W00t!

Met-Con: As above, this was a timed exercise with sprints, whatever you had left as the remainder of each one minute period was for rest. So, at the beginning of each minute you perform a sprint of the length of the indoor soccer field (from goal box to goal box), and then you rest until the next minute starts. C set me a goal of 13 second reps, I did 12's. *evil grin* I got one 11 second sprint in early, and had a couple of 11.5 second reps in there as well. In the end, I only counted whole seconds so those mid-reps became 12's and my overall combined time for the exercise was 119 seconds. I am curious if I would have been faster with other runners there to amp up my competitive juices.

Current Mood: accomplished

So, last night at Crossfit kicked my hiney something fierce. Lots of sore muscles this morning, and staying up late to greet the hubby when he got in from his 12 hour shift (at 11:30 PM) probably didn't help since I had a 6 AM wake-up this morning.

This day needs more caffeine. Stat.

So, what did I do for workout fun last night?

Wednesday, March 27th- Crossfit:
March 27 - Board - Crossfit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Reverse Hypers - so K did 49 of these in one minute when she came in for a morning session. How many did I do? ZERO. Due to overcrowding in the class (we had about 25 folks last night) there was no way to rotate through the GHD equipment efficiently for our group to do the WOD. I realized this morning that I could have done the work *by myself* at the close of class, and will do so next time. It is worth it to me to see how I stack up against the ladies I feel I am closest to in fitness level in the gym.

Because of the size of the class, we split up and did each half of the overall workout in two groups. My group started with...

Met-Con: This was a 10 minute As-Many-Reps-As-Possible (AMRAP) of the following series. I completed 7 full rounds, plus another round up through all 10 of the KBS's. I did the proscribed (Rx) weight and height on all items. I rocked this session!
10 Kettlebell Swings (KBS): 16 kg KB.
10 Box Jumps: 20" box used.

10 Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (SDHP): 16 kg KB.

Power Cleans/GHD Sit-Ups* Complex: The first set of back squats was used as warm up. It was confirmed that they will be doing max-weight testing in a month or so, but I am still using my warm up's to establish my final weight at this point. Not the most efficient model, but there you have it. The next 4 sets of 4 reps at 75-8% were done in alternation with the GHD Sit-Ups**. I ended up stacking weight the whole series, trying to establish my correct percentage. At the top I was doing 35 kg; since this exercise uses a minimum of legs (this clean version is not a squat, so very little momentum exists to assist with the weight - mostly you are using your 'shrug' and arms to get under the bar) I am not surprised that my overall weight was lower.

*Dude! We Just Did These On Tuesday. *ouch* My lower back, she needs work. *chuckle*
** At least I didn't whack my arm this time... ;)

Thursday, March 28th - SRC Group Run:

Last Week: 5 Miles/43 minutes = 7 mph pace
My goal is to keep the distance at 5 miles, but shorten the run by upping my pace. We'll see what actually happens... ;)

This weekend we're heading to the coast, I anticipate yoga in the mornings and a lot of this:

Current Mood: accomplished

The answer is MANY.

My poor right arm still hasn't recovered from the striping it got *last week* when I was trying to do Double Unders (the actual stripe from the jump rope is gone, but the bruise is huge and vivid still on my upper arm). I added two more smaller stripes to my right elbow yesterday and managed to hit my knuckles so hard at one point that the middle joint on my left hand center finger is *still sore* today and the bruise from the broken blood vessel I gave myself on my right hand pointer finger still hasn't gone away.

Although the ginormous swollen blood vessel in my knuckle has mostly returned to normal size.

This was for the warm up folks. Not even into the session yet.

In good news, I think I may be actually making progress with Double Unders. Apparently beating myself black-and-blue is key in some way.

*eye roll*

Tuesday, March 26th- Crossfit:
March 26 - Board - Crossfit

The gym is still in 'form and technique' mode, but since I need these I am OK with it. It will be nice if tonight is more pace oriented though...

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): GHD Sit Ups - so I did 25 of these, pretty firmly Middle Of The Pack. My back wasn't sure about this whole idea (because really, back-bend much anyone?) and I whacked my right forearm GOOD on the support bar about ten reps in (OWCH - and yes, another bruise). I am ambivalent about these as a WOD exercise, it just seems like there are too many opportunities to mess up your spine in the process of pushing your reps. *makes a face*

Back Squat/Medicine Ball (MB) V-Ups Complex: The first two sets of back squats (6 X 50% and 4 X 70%) were used as warm up. The next 3 sets of 4 reps at 80-85% were done in alternation with the MB V-ups. I topped out my squat at 50 kg, and could have done more but focused on getting my technique down rather than my weight up. The MB V-ups started with a 8 kg weight, but moved to a 6 kg weight when my form was lost. The manner that the V-up's was done in varied from the video in that each time you hit the top you passed the medicine ball from your hands to your feet, or back to your hands. A rep included two passes (so you ended up with the ball back in your hands again).

Strict Press/GHD Raises Complex: The first sets of press was used as warm up, but I ended up finding that it was my 75-80% weight for the number of sets and reps I was going to do, so I just used it as 'extra' at the beginning of the work. My weight for this exercise was 30 kg since strict presses are pretty much *all* arms and shoulders with almost no momentum helping you move the weight. The next 4 sets of 6 reps were done in alternation with the GHD Raises (an exercise that I still can't complete all 3 X 6 rounds of without assistance. I did learn that it is critical to make sure that the foot plate on the GHD machine is as close to your base as possible (leaving no room for 'toe pointing' to reach the plate; this prevents serious calf cramping!). I got all the way through these with good form and a little less help that the first time I did the raises; plus there is at least one guy at my gym who is a MONSTER when it comes to Crossfit who couldn't even do a single one of these (then again, he had probably killed his legs earlier in the day/week...so...*shrug*).

Monday, March 25th: Pub Run! (Updated)

4 mile run achieved and I stuck with B & L the whole way! B says mile two was at 7:45/mph which is pretty much my high-end pace. The fact that I did this for such a duration, with some of the fastest ladies out there, makes me super happy! Needless to say, there was a pint at the end of the trail for a reward. ;)

OK, so maybe Sunday wasn't the 14th day straight in my exercise cycle (since I count Yoga and hiking as exercises - funny that!); but it was the first day in awhile that I can remember actively choosing to DO NOTHING.

It was nice, but TBH I got fidgety by the end. I am way too used to being active...

Friday, March 22nd- Crossfit:
March 22 - Board - Crossfit

The Gym is currently going through a five week cycle of weekend competitions (WOD's) and that means that most Friday's are skills days for working on the stuff they are going to compete in on the following Saturday. It's all good with me, I can use the technique work!

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): 400 M Run - wherein I kicked much ass. 1:15 min. with traffic and a 180 degree turn to deal with. There was only one guy from an earlier class that posted that same time and no one posted faster. Of course, someone may have come in later to beat that time but I think they would have had to work for it so I am happy. *grin*

Skill Day: We worked on each of the following for about 10-15 minutes, focusing on technique and practice.
Double Unders - after success with getting these going on Wednesday of this week, I was back to *sucking* at them on Friday. What gives? Where did my coordination juju go? I even tried doing all the stuff that they recommended in the video I posted about these damn things. /makes a face
Muscle Ups - my new obsession. This is going to take awhile to perfect, but I know where I need to work. Lots and lots of ring dips...
Rope Climb - Just what it sounds like. Of course, I use both arms and legs on this one but I project zero fear and get all the way to the top and back without incident. :D
KBS - We skipped this one. Not sure if A (the trainer) meant to or not, but we all needed a lot more work with our muscle ups so I think she just chose to focus our time elsewhere.

Cash-Out: Do this series through three times, each exercise in sequence for a total of three sets of each.
Wall Balls (10 reps) - we focused on form and I am getting better and catching the ball on the return and making the whole move continuous. This is the key to speed. Now I just need to work on getting the power flow through from my squat and arms so that I am not just using my upper body to get through the throw.
Toes-to-Bar (TTB) (10 reps) - I used to hate these, and now I sorta like them. Except for the part where my grip strength is poor. :P
Kettle Bell (KB) Pull Overs (10 reps) - 12 kg KB used. modified from the video as follows; there is no 'crunch'. Maintaining your lower back on the floor, lower the KB over your head with straight extended arms and then return to upright position above sternum. Repeat.

Saturday, March 23rd: Yoga, Gardening & Hike

Hatha yoga with Yoga Mary for 1.5 hours followed by an easy 1.5 hours of pulling tall grass out of the back garden by it's roots. Filled an entire garbage can and then some, and looking forward to finishing up with a Roto-tiller this Friday and then planting next week! :D Then I put the dog-o in the new car (his maiden voyage in our Subaru) and took him up the hill for a nice long hike above the lake. Put in about 3.5 miles, but since most of that is uphill I feel like we did a significant amount of walking (even though poor dog-o is mostly couch potato stock these days). He got the whole trip off leash and was exceptionally well behaved and totally exhausted when we got home. I need to take him out more often!

Monday, March 25th: Pub Run!
Going to meeting up with N and the rest of the running crew for 4 miles and a pint!

Tuesday, March 19th: Crossfit
Tuesday March 19 - Board

One Minute Workout (WOD): Knees-to-Elbows (K2E) - this version of the exercise was done hanging from the suspended rings. This makes it harder, and stressed my already annoyed left shoulder. It also seems like the rings that N and I were using were especially 'slippery', making grip endurance tougher. All in all, it sucked and I want to work on my grip strength for all ring exercises in general. *sigh* My total was only 12...

Thrusters/Sit Up Complex: This was done for 10 minutes, with 6 Thruster reps to complete in each minute, followed by 6 sit-ups. Whatever time was left over in each minute was 'rest' before the next period (minute) begins. I was done with all 10 rounds in aprox 30 seconds (for both Thrusters & sit ups) leaving about half of each minute for rest time. My weight was 29 kgs on the bar.

Met-Con: This was a 12 minute As-Many-Reps-As-Possible (AMRAP) of the following series. I completed 5 full rounds, plus another round up through 4 of the Pistols.
10 Kettlebell (KB) Snatches (Left Arm): 12 kg KB. The version we did was from the ground, rather than the hips.
10 Pistols* (5 each leg): Modified with use of medicine ball to catch bottom of each rep and 7 kg KB counterweight
10 Kettlebell (KB) Snatches (Right Arm): 12 kg KB
10 Double Unders**: Modified to 45 single-unders

*HOLY CRAP THESE ARE HARD! Need to work on the bottom end of these as I can only complete about 2 per leg unmodified before the whole thing falls apart. *makes a face*
**These are still not working for me, but they are getting better! Last night was the first time that I had success with multiple sets of these. :D

Wednesday, March 20th: Crossfit
Wednesday March 20 - Board

One Minute Workout (WOD): Alternating Lunges - Did a good job with this one, got 47 done in the one minute period (which I think was the women's record for the day!).

This was mostly a technique and power day. We worked on getting our form right and building strength with our lifts using the following complexes...

Hanging Squat Snatch with Overhead (4 Rnds/3 Reps)/GHD Machine 1/2 Sit Ups (3 Rnds/12 Reps): I did my snatch complex with 27 kg and my sit-ups with 10 kg plate added; the sit up is only to vertical and then back up to sitting. As with all complexes, you start and end with the first exercise, and use the second exercise as a 'spacer' in between.

Deadlift/Ring Dip: This was a little more complex as it was a series that built on weight for the deadlift exercises. The workout I did ended up looking like this -
Deadlift (6 reps @ 60%): 40 kg
Ring Dip: 1.5" band for assist
Deadlift (5 reps @ 70%): 52 kg
Ring Dip: 1.5" band for assist
Deadlift (5 reps @ 80-85%): 65 kg
Ring Dip: 1.5" band for assist
Deadlift (5 reps @ 80-85%): 65 kg
Deadlift (5 reps @ 80-85%): 65 kg

Damage Log: My left shoulder has been twingie for the past few days so I am keeping an eye on it. Having talked to my personal EMT (C) I know what to look out for. Part of the issue is my form in my snatch and overhead lifts so I need to talk to the kids a the gym about how to correct this. Also, I need to get some wrist wraps to help protect my wrists and forearms from being strained.

Current Mood: accomplished

Thursday was full of fail, with an unfamiliar running route I ended up only doing 3 miles. But I will be more prepared next time and get my 5 miles in!

Friday, March 15th: Crossfit
Friday 3-15-13 Crossfit Board

One Minute Workout (WOD): Plank hold for time. I managed to hold for 2:22 - and E says anything over 1 minute means we have to do this with one leg next time. *sigh* I think I actually held my plank for longer last time, just wasn't feeling it this evening.

3 Rounds For Time (RFT): Do these things as fast as you can... And I did. My time beat all the ladies who had done this up to the point of my class (26:33).
800 meter run
50 Push Ups (hand-release style: H/R)
500 meter row on the machine

Cash-Out: Do this series through twice, each exercise in sequence for a total of two sets of each.
2 X Rope Climb. I made it to the mark both times with no problem. Need to work on my decent technique though (rope burn HURTS).
2 X Overhead (O/H) Lunges. Did this with the 15 kg proscribed weight. Not really that hard...
2 X Toes-to-Bar (T2B). DID THIS Rx! I hate these damn things and am pretty proud that I made it through after a beast of a workout. :D

Saturday, March 16th: Yoga & Run
Hatha yoga with Yoga Mary for 1.5 hours followed by an easy 30 minute run with Netflix accompaniment. ;)

Sunday, March 17th: Dog Walk
Took the dog-o out to W Park for a 2 hour walk in the BEAUTIFUL sunshine! It was gorgeous out there and I cannot wait to get back out and do more hiking in the near future (next time picture - promise!).

Monday, March 18th: Yoga & Run
Hatha yoga with Yoga Mary for 1.5 hours preceded by a 30 minute crosstrainer session (low impact cardio) with Netflix accompaniment.

Current Mood: accomplished

So my sister and I took an extended trip to Vegas this past week. The Rio was lovely, our time together was terrific, there were many beautiful things to look at (like these - and yes, I mean in person), and we met an amazing group of women that we bonded with in record time.

All good!

Even better? Sis is just as nutty as I am about hitting the gym; so every morning we were up and out by 7:00 AM and spent an hour working out (cardio and weights) before hitting the steam room/sauna/jacuzzi for another 40 minutes or so. Between that and all the walking I didn't gain *any* weight in Vegas, despite drinking and eating pretty much whatever I felt like.

I came back on Monday morning and headed right back into my regular routine:

Monday, March 11th: Yoga
Hatha yoga with Yoga Mary for 1.5 hours. *Just* what I needed to ease back into the regular week. I find that a good meditative yoga session fends off a variety of ills including exhaustion, minor aches and pains, and sometimes even illness.

Tuesday, March 12h: Crossfit
Tuesday March 12th - Crossfit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): As many pull ups as you could do in a minute. I down-graded my assistance to a 1.5" rubber band (from a 2" band previously) and got a total of 20 pull ups clocked in. Not bad. Not great. But still, an improvement over the last time, I think (since that was before I started recording this data - which goes to show WHY I am recording this data...).

"DT" 5 Rounds (Timed): You know, like the detox shakes you get when coming down off of something. Yeah. This had a similar result. *chuckle* I did the whole set of exercises in 8:45 with 29 kg.
12 Deadlifts
9 Hang Power Cleans - the proper order of the name ;)
12 Push Jerks

Cash Out:
Partner Sit-Up Throws - did this with N with the 8# medicine ball
Lateral Hurdle Jumps - I am fast with these!
GHD Raises - OUCH. OK, this shows where I have work do to on my hamstrings and back...damnit.

Wednesday, March 13th: Crossfit
Wednesday, March 13th - Crossfit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Hip Extensions, which I do a great job with, but the move makes me loose count all the time. I completed somewhere around 55-58 but counted only to around 52. Next time I need to partner with N and have her count for me.

Olympic Lifts w/Interval Exercise: This was a 4/3 split series, starting and ending with lifts. I did my lifts with J, and she is a little monster when it comes to power! Our weight was 29 kg for all sets of lifts. The overall series looks like this -
Clean and Jerk (Split) X 3
Rolling U-Ups* X 10
Clean and Jerk (Split) X 3
Rolling U-Ups X 10
Clean and Jerk (Split) X 3
Rolling U-Ups X 10
Clean and Jerk (Split) X 3

*A "Rolling U-Up". Lay on the floor on your back with legs extended down and arms extended overhead. "U-up" in a V sit up position. Lower arms and legs to just off floor. Roll to your side, all the way over and end up on your back again. "U-up" in new location, roll back to original location in the same manner. Repeat. Each "U-up" counts as one rep.

Met-Con (10 min AMRAP): The goal is to do As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP) of these exercises in this order in the time allotted. I did some heavy modification from the proscribed weights and positions. Just not that strong yet. In the end I did 6 full rounds plus all the way through the medicine ball exercise (8 reps) with the following mods.
5 Hand Stand Push Ups (HSPU) - from weight rack with feet overhead, so higher than in vid (not in full HS position)
8 Medicine Ball (MB) Cleans - full Rx of 14#
10 Kettle Bell Swings (KBS) - 16 kg weight (not 20 kg as proscribed); although I have to say the straight arm motion on the upswing in the demo vid is a good way to put yourself on your ass if you aren't careful.

Thursday, March 14th: Running
Tonight I am off for my regular Thursday fun-run with the local kids. I expect to do about 5 miles, pace is usually around 7 mph (we'll see how that holds up with almost two weeks since my last solid outdoor run).

Current Mood: accomplished

Friday, March 1st - Crossfit:
Friday March 1, 2013 - Crossfit

Push Complex: includes the following exercises done in sequence a total of seven times through (35 exercises total). The 'split jerk' is done twice, once for each leg). I stacked weight as I went, starting with the 20 kg bar and ending with 35 kg for my last three sets. The rule is, if you cannot complete a clean press, lower your weight.
Press
Push Press
Push Jerk
Split Jerk

1 Min. Wod: L-sit Holds because apparently *someone* in our gym had a total jones on for these things this week (we did them on Wednesday too as part of our sequence). /side eyes the trainers...especially B... Mine were done in tuck, per the modification. Goal is to do them with extended legs as in example.

Met-Con: This whole series, completed through one time. I did this with 16 kg weight for kettlebell (as prescribed), a 20" box (non-Rx), and knees-to-elbows rather than toes-to-bar (T2B).
50 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (SDHP)
30 Box Jumps
10 Toes-to-Bar (T2B)
(/reverse the above to completion)
I did the whole thing in 8:50, which would have been more impressive if I had done more of it as the Rx rather than modified. Ah well, this is how we set goals! :D

Saturday, March 2nd- Run:

Ran 32 minutes with the dog-o before heading out of town for the weekend.

Sunday, March 3rd- Run:

At one of my favorite places! I love the lake run in O-town, and their new ped walk is nearly complete, circling the entire lake and allowing for a very nice and uninterrupted running experience (no traffic lights to fight - hooray!).

Wednesday, February 27th - Crossfit:
Wednesday, 2/27/13 - Crossfit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Reverse Hypers (46 reps -need to remember to wear gloves next time, could have done more but I kept feeling like I was slipping off the equipment *sigh*)

Met-Con: each of the below done as intervals, integrating one set of ring dips between each OHS, ending with OHS.
Overhead Squats (OHS): 5 sets of 5 reps. This was done with the 20 kg bar and no added weight.
Ring Dips (with assist): 4 sets of 12 reps. I used the orange band for this and needed it. :P

Cash Out: this was two sets, once through the series each set, in the order below.
L-Sit Holds (with knees in): 2 X 30 seconds.
Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups (with assist - which N didn't use on her second set because she is a BEAST! *grin*): 2 X 10. I used the grey band, but will try without assist for at least one set next time. Need to learn how to 'kipling' or butterfly these for better time.
200 m Sprint X 2: Wherein I kicked MASSIVE ASS and got 36 seconds for my best time. Keep in mind, there is a 180 degree turn around in the middle of this sprint (100 m out, 100 m back). Only one other woman this day got a time as good as mine and she is one of the best in the gym (and about 18 years younger than I am).

This was me:
forrestrunningtojonathan

;)

Current Mood: accomplished

Monday, February 25th - CrossFit:
Monday, 2/25/13 CrossFit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Thrusters (36 reps -used the Rx weight of 15 kg)

Snatch Complex: each of the below done series for 7 reps total of 5 exercises each rep. Whole series done with 25 kg weight (I could do more, but I need to practice form before I blow out something trying to go all Princess of Power on this series. *chuckle*).

Snatch Grip Dead Lift (DL)
Hang Power Snatch
Hang Squat Snatch
Full Power Snatch
Full Squat Snatch

And then the Met-Con from hell... Death By Burpee Box Jumps. We did the exact series that is in the video. 1 rep in 1 minute, 2 reps in 1 minute, 3 reps in 1 minute, etc. No, I didn't use dumb bells. But I *did* set the highest total for speed/reps for the whole day for the ladies (topped out at 10 reps/min + 9 spares).

And here I thought nothing on this earth would make me hate burpees more. *chuckle*

Injury record: My knees were sore last night and I tweaked something from my elbow to forearm on the left side trying to recover the weight on a bad full power snatch. However, some heat on my knees (provided by both rice packs and kitties) and arnica jell + wrist brace on my left arm last night has lead to a day with nothing to report for ongoing pain issues.

So that means I can run with the dog-o tonight! :D

Current Mood: accomplished

OK, have to catch up on posts from last week. I will make these brief:

Friday, February 22nd - CrossFit:
Friday, 3/22/13 - CrossFit

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): 400 m sprint (1:20 - ass kicking speed per the other times I saw on the board)
TABATA: each of the below done in 8 rep intervalls of 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest

Dumbell (DB) Clean & Jerk: 24 pounds
Overhead (O/H) Alternating Lunges: 15 kg plate held above head (Rx)
~~GHD~~ Sit Ups: The trainer advised that I should do regular sit-ups rather than using the GHD machine as I am not familiar with that equipment and could end up hurting myself unintentionally. Of course, this just means I need to learn how to do this exercise on that machine later... ;)
Burpees: HOW I HATE THEE. *sigh*

The goal was to count our totals for each exercise over the eight reps, with the overall total being our final workout score for the day. My card worked out like this:

Dumbell (DB) Clean & Jerk: 36 reps (5-4 per set)

Overhead (O/H) Alternating Lunges: 66 reps (mostly 8 per set)

~~GHD~~ Sit Ups: 89 reps

Burpees: 41 reps (mostly 5 per set)
TOTAL: 232

Not having to do the GHD's certainly helped me get my reps up by comparison to those who had to do the proscribed (Rx) workout; still, I am proud of my total for the day! :D

The cash-out of the day was Good Mornings and Kettlebell Rows. I did these with the ladies weight bar and a 12 kg KB.

Saturday, February 23rd - Run & Yoga:
Ran 30 minutes (6.5 mph/0 incline), Crosstrainer 10 minutes (5 resistance/5 step), Yoga *(Hatha) 1:30 hours.

Sunday, February 24th - Rest!:
And boy did I need it! ;)

Current Mood: accomplished

Good Lord Y'all!

To say I have been a bad blogger doesn't even cover it. Work has been cray-cray for the last few months; as a result I barely get a chance to *read* my blog feeds, much less post to them.

That does not mean, however, that I have given up on all my extra-curricular activities. Exercise goals are going well and I have even added the insanity that is CrossFit to my schedule. In an effort to get back into the journaling I plan on posting my workouts.

And who knows, I may even get my hiney back into sewing sometime in the near future... ;)

Tuesday, February 20th - CrossFit:
CrossFit - 2/20/13

1 Minute WOD (Workout of the Day): Front Lunges - 36
Top weight in squat series: 50 kg (I can totally do more than this...need to up the weight)
Wall Walks - ala...

Total time on series (Run, Row, Wall Ball): 18:51 min/14 kg medicine ball - not the fastest lady out there, but well above the middle of the pack for the day.

GOAL:

Gina Carano

Current Mood: accomplished

Take a Deep Breath...

and remember to exhale...

Wherein I Make Up For Lost Time With Piccies Of Whiteboards!

How Many Squats = 1 Icy Cold Brew?

Weekend Work & Adventure

So...Sore... (hooray!)

(no subject)

Weekend's Away; Running In New Places

So...Tired...

How Many Times Can She Bruise Herself In One Session...

And On The Fourteenth Day, She Rested

Stats and Data

Catching Up

What Happens In Vegas Still Comes Home With You (But Thankfully Not On My Hips!)

(no subject)

Speed Demon!

In Which I Learn That There Is Something More Evil Than A Regular 'Burpee'

(no subject)

Getting Back To It

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June 2015

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