Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day Rest
Nothing significant today except cleaning out the old house and unpacking countless more boxes. Brigid's friend Alison got engaged today so I think we're heading out in Conshohocken for a few drinks.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
"Cindy"
Early Afternoon
Workout: "Cindy"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Squats
21 total rounds
Workout comments: I think it's defintely time for a day off tomorrow. I wasn't feeling sore or tired this morning, but I could feel a general sense of malaise during the workout. I was so close to getting Brigid to join me today, maybe subbing situps for pullups, but she decided she wanted to run at the last minute. I think I am slowly wearing her down.
Workout: "Cindy"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Squats
21 total rounds
Workout comments: I think it's defintely time for a day off tomorrow. I wasn't feeling sore or tired this morning, but I could feel a general sense of malaise during the workout. I was so close to getting Brigid to join me today, maybe subbing situps for pullups, but she decided she wanted to run at the last minute. I think I am slowly wearing her down.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Short run
Morning
An easy route through Conshohocken on this route. I took a slight detour off an extension of the Schuylkill Bike Path and found a small rock quarry adjacent to Rt. 476. What was odd was the numerous number of small single track trails that spurned off the much larger open space in the middle. Unfortunately, each of these trails was no longer than a few hundred meters. You could never piece together a decent enough run from these. They looked to be more for motocross than anything, although some of the shrubbery has become so overgrown that it was tough for me to duck under on foot.
On another interesting note, as I was starting out on my run I noticed four guys down in Sutcliffe Park engaging in what could only have been a crossfit workout. There were four guys and four pieces of equipment: a barbell with weight, a tractor tire, a med ball, and a keg. I should have stopped by and found if they were ever coming back or if they had a schedule. I recently put an add in craigslist for a tractor tire. I read that they usually are free if you can find some place that has one, since it costs a lot of money for junk yards to dispose of them. The same goes for kegs, if you don't mind losing the $30 deposit.
This marks the third day in a row for running and I have to say my ankle feels pretty good.
Late afternoon
Workout: 3 Rounds for Time
10 HSPUs
20 Odd Object Front Squats
30 Situps
9:32
Workout comments: First time using the new flip video recorder Brigid and I bought. We figured it would be a good way to document most nights down the shore. In another manner of speaking, it would be a good way of remembering most nights down the shore. Video taping (taping? Is it still called that even though it's not VHS?) adds a certain level of pressure to a workout, because you are only doing it for one of two reasons: studying your form or posting for others to see. Either way, it's added pressure to do well.
The temperature was pushing 90 degrees and I had to make a few adjustments during the workout. First, I think I need to construct new paralletes, since the ones I was using were wobbling just slightly. That's enough to worry me when I'm 12 inches away from a broken neck. Second, I had to lose the shoes because it was getting too hot. Overall, a good workout.
An easy route through Conshohocken on this route. I took a slight detour off an extension of the Schuylkill Bike Path and found a small rock quarry adjacent to Rt. 476. What was odd was the numerous number of small single track trails that spurned off the much larger open space in the middle. Unfortunately, each of these trails was no longer than a few hundred meters. You could never piece together a decent enough run from these. They looked to be more for motocross than anything, although some of the shrubbery has become so overgrown that it was tough for me to duck under on foot.
On another interesting note, as I was starting out on my run I noticed four guys down in Sutcliffe Park engaging in what could only have been a crossfit workout. There were four guys and four pieces of equipment: a barbell with weight, a tractor tire, a med ball, and a keg. I should have stopped by and found if they were ever coming back or if they had a schedule. I recently put an add in craigslist for a tractor tire. I read that they usually are free if you can find some place that has one, since it costs a lot of money for junk yards to dispose of them. The same goes for kegs, if you don't mind losing the $30 deposit.
This marks the third day in a row for running and I have to say my ankle feels pretty good.
Late afternoon
Workout: 3 Rounds for Time
10 HSPUs
20 Odd Object Front Squats
30 Situps
9:32
Workout comments: First time using the new flip video recorder Brigid and I bought. We figured it would be a good way to document most nights down the shore. In another manner of speaking, it would be a good way of remembering most nights down the shore. Video taping (taping? Is it still called that even though it's not VHS?) adds a certain level of pressure to a workout, because you are only doing it for one of two reasons: studying your form or posting for others to see. Either way, it's added pressure to do well.
The temperature was pushing 90 degrees and I had to make a few adjustments during the workout. First, I think I need to construct new paralletes, since the ones I was using were wobbling just slightly. That's enough to worry me when I'm 12 inches away from a broken neck. Second, I had to lose the shoes because it was getting too hot. Overall, a good workout.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Bench Press, Easy Trail Run
Early afternoon
Workout: Bench Press 4 X 5
Load: 195#
Trail Run, Easy pace
4.5 miles, 44 minutes
Late afternoon
500m row
40 Squats,
30 Situps
20 Pushups
10 Pullups
4:14
Workout comments: I was planning on rowing for an easy 30 minutes today, but Mikhail wandered in just as I was getting changed. He was the first of the running group that meets in Malvern almost daily for a varied run around the area. He said today's run would be about 4-5 miles, and I had been dreading rowing all morning. I just ran yesterday with no problems, so I figured I would give it a try. I know I would pay for it later, but it was cool outside and the erg did not look appealing. I only felt minimal soreness afterwards.
The trail they usually take meanders through a rock quarry that abuts a nature conservancy. I wouldn't actually call some of these running paths "trails", mostly because they are so overgrown that you can't really see what's in front of you. Making your way through this workout means you can't lose sight of the guy in front of you, or else you're lost. The best part about this trail network is the multiple water crossings they afford you. At first, there is always hesitation at getting your feet wet, but once you accept the fact that you are getting wet, you look forward to sloshing through. There was one point where a bridge had recently been constructed, but everyone in the group opted to run through the creek instead. Perfect.
Workout: Bench Press 4 X 5
Load: 195#
Trail Run, Easy pace
4.5 miles, 44 minutes
Late afternoon
500m row
40 Squats,
30 Situps
20 Pushups
10 Pullups
4:14
Workout comments: I was planning on rowing for an easy 30 minutes today, but Mikhail wandered in just as I was getting changed. He was the first of the running group that meets in Malvern almost daily for a varied run around the area. He said today's run would be about 4-5 miles, and I had been dreading rowing all morning. I just ran yesterday with no problems, so I figured I would give it a try. I know I would pay for it later, but it was cool outside and the erg did not look appealing. I only felt minimal soreness afterwards.
The trail they usually take meanders through a rock quarry that abuts a nature conservancy. I wouldn't actually call some of these running paths "trails", mostly because they are so overgrown that you can't really see what's in front of you. Making your way through this workout means you can't lose sight of the guy in front of you, or else you're lost. The best part about this trail network is the multiple water crossings they afford you. At first, there is always hesitation at getting your feet wet, but once you accept the fact that you are getting wet, you look forward to sloshing through. There was one point where a bridge had recently been constructed, but everyone in the group opted to run through the creek instead. Perfect.
Fitness Trail
One of the great things about the new house is the proximity to Sutcliffe Park. The park has loads of great features, including several baseball fields, several basketball courts that are always full, a variety of fitness stations (including pushup, pullup, and parallel bars, and a running/biking path that encircles the park for nearly a mile. I didn't have any energy for a high speed Crossfit workout, so I took to the running path in my Vibrams for a few laps. There were several baseball and basketball games going on and just as I started a light rain began to fall. I don't think I have played organized baseball in over 10 years, but I defintely remember what it was like to play in the rain without the threat of thunder and lightning. For a split second, it was like playing for a major league team. Of course, most of the kids that were playing yesterday were under the age of 12, so there was more playing in the mud than focusing on baseball.
I got through about 3.5 miles in 32 minutes with no ankle pain. I threw in 4 sets of 10 pullups on every lap around the park. Actually it was 10 pullups, 10 chinups, 10 neutral grip pullups, 10 alternating grip pullups. It felt good to be outside yesterday.
When I got back I started to set up my garage. The ceiling doesn't look nearly strong enough to support a grown man's weight, not to mention a grown man's kipping weight. But there is defintely room for a weight set, a squat rack, and a treadmill for the wife. I started mentally improvising some workouts while I was standing there: front squats with the heavy bag, parallette pushups, HSPUs...
I got through about 3.5 miles in 32 minutes with no ankle pain. I threw in 4 sets of 10 pullups on every lap around the park. Actually it was 10 pullups, 10 chinups, 10 neutral grip pullups, 10 alternating grip pullups. It felt good to be outside yesterday.
When I got back I started to set up my garage. The ceiling doesn't look nearly strong enough to support a grown man's weight, not to mention a grown man's kipping weight. But there is defintely room for a weight set, a squat rack, and a treadmill for the wife. I started mentally improvising some workouts while I was standing there: front squats with the heavy bag, parallette pushups, HSPUs...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Short Metcon
Late afternoon
Workout: 3 Rounds for Time
21 Kettlebell Swings (53#)
15 Chest-to-Bar Pullups
9 Burpees
200m Run
10:25
Finish it off with 50 Partner Med Ball Situps (20#)
Workout comments: I guess I had one more workout left at Crossfit Inspire and I got a chance to meet the other co-owner, Darin. Seemed like a really nice guy, just like Matt. Both of them seemed to be from other backgrounds, but migrated towards Crossfit several years ago and liked it so much they decided to open their own gym. They defintely have the people skills to keep a gym like this going.
The workout was pretty much a compilation of all my "preferable" movements. Movements I do not like and should probably work on: box jumps, snatches and overhead squats (bad shoulders), and overhead walking lunges, just to name a few. I took a look at the leaderboard and saw that Darin had just pumped out a 9:52 earlier that day. I wasn't sure if it was doable, but I happened to listen in on a conversation he was having with another member on just how he broke up the workout. It went pretty much like this: First round was unbroken. Second round he rested once during the pullups. Third round he rested once during the pullups. And he pretty much ran to each station during the workout. No big deal. I figured if he was going to such lengths laying out how he went through this workout with this guy, then maybe I should keep him in the corner of my eye and go off his pace...Sounded like a good idea at the time.
I finished the first round unbroken and was pretty pumped. I came back in from the run in first and saw that another member, Lika, was pretty close behind. She was pumping out the KB swings like it was nothing and the guy I was pacing was catching up fast. I made it through the second round of KB swings with resting and pretty much took one break during the pullups. I couldn't catch Lika on the second run and tried to make a push during the third round but the pullups were just too much. I actually finished the run only 15 seconds behind her and about a minute ahead of the guy I was trying to pace. Not too bad. I should also mention that Lika finished the Med Ball Clean, DU, and Push Press workout as Rx'ed in 15:00 flat. This was a full 8:36 faster than me. Pretty gnarly.
I was getting some criticism on my KB swings. Apparently I bend too much at the waist and don't squat enough during these. The style I use is common during competition because they are quicker, but Darin suggested I emply more of a squat to save my lower back in the long term. Everything else went pretty well.
Workout: 3 Rounds for Time
21 Kettlebell Swings (53#)
15 Chest-to-Bar Pullups
9 Burpees
200m Run
10:25
Finish it off with 50 Partner Med Ball Situps (20#)
Workout comments: I guess I had one more workout left at Crossfit Inspire and I got a chance to meet the other co-owner, Darin. Seemed like a really nice guy, just like Matt. Both of them seemed to be from other backgrounds, but migrated towards Crossfit several years ago and liked it so much they decided to open their own gym. They defintely have the people skills to keep a gym like this going.
The workout was pretty much a compilation of all my "preferable" movements. Movements I do not like and should probably work on: box jumps, snatches and overhead squats (bad shoulders), and overhead walking lunges, just to name a few. I took a look at the leaderboard and saw that Darin had just pumped out a 9:52 earlier that day. I wasn't sure if it was doable, but I happened to listen in on a conversation he was having with another member on just how he broke up the workout. It went pretty much like this: First round was unbroken. Second round he rested once during the pullups. Third round he rested once during the pullups. And he pretty much ran to each station during the workout. No big deal. I figured if he was going to such lengths laying out how he went through this workout with this guy, then maybe I should keep him in the corner of my eye and go off his pace...Sounded like a good idea at the time.
I finished the first round unbroken and was pretty pumped. I came back in from the run in first and saw that another member, Lika, was pretty close behind. She was pumping out the KB swings like it was nothing and the guy I was pacing was catching up fast. I made it through the second round of KB swings with resting and pretty much took one break during the pullups. I couldn't catch Lika on the second run and tried to make a push during the third round but the pullups were just too much. I actually finished the run only 15 seconds behind her and about a minute ahead of the guy I was trying to pace. Not too bad. I should also mention that Lika finished the Med Ball Clean, DU, and Push Press workout as Rx'ed in 15:00 flat. This was a full 8:36 faster than me. Pretty gnarly.
I was getting some criticism on my KB swings. Apparently I bend too much at the waist and don't squat enough during these. The style I use is common during competition because they are quicker, but Darin suggested I emply more of a squat to save my lower back in the long term. Everything else went pretty well.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Strength, Rowing, Crossfit Inspire Metcon
Early afternoon
Workout:
4 X max strict weighted pullups (25#)
8, 8, 5, 5
Back Squats 4 X 5
Load: (210#)
Rowing: 30 minute steady state
2:02:3 split; 7358m
Late afternoon
Crossfit Inspire
Workout
Med Ball Cleans (20#), DUs, Push Press (#75)
25-15-5
5-15-25
25-15-5
23:36
Workout comments: I guess I'll make it a habit of working back squats and pullups right before a rowing workout. The rowing was just steady state, but I could defintely feel the squats and pullups about half way through. It's amazing how comfortable I feel after only a few sessions on the erg. I can almost hear the coaches yelling at me to keep my shoulders relaxed and accerlate through the drive. It took four years to pick up these skills and only 4 sessions to get back into the routine of incorporating them. I guess there is much to be said for the power of repetition. I've heard and read many times that it takes 10,000 reps of doing something in order to make it a habit. I guess after that it stays ingrained in your brain until you do it differently another 10,000 times.
The afternoon workout was another group workout at Crossfit Inspire. I wasn't sure what "dubs" were, but I quickly learned they were double unders and felt much better about the workout, especially since they had a huge stock of speed ropes. These are infintely better to swing around then the traditional jump ropes I have been using. The med ball cleans were the limiting factor in this workout, surprisingly, because they essentially require two squats during the movement. I wasn't getting any criticism for locking the push press up overhead, but was hearing some for not locking out my hips during the cleans. I'll take it. I should have glanced up at the leaderboard before the workout, and I would have realized that the best time of the day was close to 19:00. It was tough to gauge where everyone else was in the workout, because there were so many different cycles and sets, so I just went off myself. I was pretty pumped when I finished to find out that I had recorded the third best time of the day.
This is pretty much it for the week trial at Crossfit Inspire. Ultimately, I would love to workout there, but I'm just not sure I can afford it. With the new house and potentially a new car soon, I'm going to need to save up every penny to waste down in Avalon. Maybe I could write a letter to the mayor urging him to lessen the cost of a beer from $5.50. It really takes a toll on your wallet.
Workout:
4 X max strict weighted pullups (25#)
8, 8, 5, 5
Back Squats 4 X 5
Load: (210#)
Rowing: 30 minute steady state
2:02:3 split; 7358m
Late afternoon
Crossfit Inspire
Workout
Med Ball Cleans (20#), DUs, Push Press (#75)
25-15-5
5-15-25
25-15-5
23:36
Workout comments: I guess I'll make it a habit of working back squats and pullups right before a rowing workout. The rowing was just steady state, but I could defintely feel the squats and pullups about half way through. It's amazing how comfortable I feel after only a few sessions on the erg. I can almost hear the coaches yelling at me to keep my shoulders relaxed and accerlate through the drive. It took four years to pick up these skills and only 4 sessions to get back into the routine of incorporating them. I guess there is much to be said for the power of repetition. I've heard and read many times that it takes 10,000 reps of doing something in order to make it a habit. I guess after that it stays ingrained in your brain until you do it differently another 10,000 times.
The afternoon workout was another group workout at Crossfit Inspire. I wasn't sure what "dubs" were, but I quickly learned they were double unders and felt much better about the workout, especially since they had a huge stock of speed ropes. These are infintely better to swing around then the traditional jump ropes I have been using. The med ball cleans were the limiting factor in this workout, surprisingly, because they essentially require two squats during the movement. I wasn't getting any criticism for locking the push press up overhead, but was hearing some for not locking out my hips during the cleans. I'll take it. I should have glanced up at the leaderboard before the workout, and I would have realized that the best time of the day was close to 19:00. It was tough to gauge where everyone else was in the workout, because there were so many different cycles and sets, so I just went off myself. I was pretty pumped when I finished to find out that I had recorded the third best time of the day.
This is pretty much it for the week trial at Crossfit Inspire. Ultimately, I would love to workout there, but I'm just not sure I can afford it. With the new house and potentially a new car soon, I'm going to need to save up every penny to waste down in Avalon. Maybe I could write a letter to the mayor urging him to lessen the cost of a beer from $5.50. It really takes a toll on your wallet.
Moving Day
No workouts this weekend due to the long, but necessary moving process. Brigid and I finally got our housing act together and bought a place on W. 9th Ave in Conshohocken. The whole process was relatively quick. We already had most of the documentation and paperwork in place from the last moving attempt, so it was a quick turnover process. I was pretty banged up from the workout on Friday and took Saturday (and Sunday and Monday) off to get things situated in the new house. Saturday was pretty much 8 full hours of moving boxes and furniture from house to truck, and from truck to house, with a few staircases thrown in for good measure. I had some inclinations of heading out for a bike ride or testing out the future gym in my garage, but opted for some much needed rest. I'm still not recovering as fast as I would like, so maybe a few more days of rest are what I need to start throwing into the calendar.
On a side note, I tried making my very own batch of honey wheat bread yesterday, amidst the unpacking and cable guy appointment (which unexpected took close to four hours). I had all the ingredients and got things started. Long story short, yeast need REAL sugar to become active. Splenda is not a viable substitute if you are in a pinch. Result: I made one batch of breadsticks and one batch of pizza dough.
On a side note, I tried making my very own batch of honey wheat bread yesterday, amidst the unpacking and cable guy appointment (which unexpected took close to four hours). I had all the ingredients and got things started. Long story short, yeast need REAL sugar to become active. Splenda is not a viable substitute if you are in a pinch. Result: I made one batch of breadsticks and one batch of pizza dough.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Crossfit Inspire, Fran
Early morning
WU: Dynamic warmup-stretches, squats, PVC shoulder flexibility, shuffline, plyometrics
Workout: Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters (95#)
Pullups
4:54
Workout comments: A new PR on Fran and a 2010 goal accomplished! This was the second workout I tried at Crossfit Inspire and of course Fran had to be on the menu. After a good warmup, everyone got their weights and stations set up and waited nervously for the clock to start. There were some familiar faces there from yesterday, but a much larger turnout in general. As with yesterday, there was a pretty diverse mix of people in attendence. The workout would be completed in heats, with each person having a spotter/rep counter for the workout. There was an odd number of people, so unfortunately I was counter-less. I placed myself next to a guy who looked like he could run over a truck. From his gear, he was obviously a football player: most likely a lineman, but maybe a linebacker. He looked like he would kill me on the thrusters, but I was hoping to make up the time on the pullups. I really didn't know what to expect...
The first round of thrusters was not my best. Although I didn't put the bar down and maintained a pretty quick consistent pace, I was thrown off a few times by the corrections of Matt/Darin. He said I was not extending my shoulders at the top of the thruster. I was defintely locking out my arms, but I learned later that he almost wanted me to move my elbos behind my head in order to achieve a pure vertical stance. I tried my best to compensate, and did as best as I could considering I was having a hard time understanding anything.
Pullups next. I never had the luxury of a sturdy pullup bar that could within stand a decent kip, and chalk on top of that. I had tried Barbara the other day and only got close to 15 kipping pullups, so that was I was shooting for. I was elated when I flew past my 15th rep with energy left to finish out the set unbroken. First time ever. I attacked the thrusters riding that high, but it quickly waned as I had to drop the bar after 10 reps. I was now noticeably behind the football stud and was desperately trying to catch him. I couldn't see how he was doing on the pullups, if he had good form, but I had to assume he was killing them. I banged out the remain thrusters and hit the next set of pullups with a similar break at #10. The final set of thrusters and pullups were unbroken, but I just couldn't catch the guy next to me who finished about 1 minute faster.
I was pretty bummed that I couldn't catch him, so it took almost a minute or two for it to register that I had just surpassed my Fran goal for 2010. I couldn't believe it. Crossfit Inspire is looking better by the day.
WU: Dynamic warmup-stretches, squats, PVC shoulder flexibility, shuffline, plyometrics
Workout: Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters (95#)
Pullups
4:54
Workout comments: A new PR on Fran and a 2010 goal accomplished! This was the second workout I tried at Crossfit Inspire and of course Fran had to be on the menu. After a good warmup, everyone got their weights and stations set up and waited nervously for the clock to start. There were some familiar faces there from yesterday, but a much larger turnout in general. As with yesterday, there was a pretty diverse mix of people in attendence. The workout would be completed in heats, with each person having a spotter/rep counter for the workout. There was an odd number of people, so unfortunately I was counter-less. I placed myself next to a guy who looked like he could run over a truck. From his gear, he was obviously a football player: most likely a lineman, but maybe a linebacker. He looked like he would kill me on the thrusters, but I was hoping to make up the time on the pullups. I really didn't know what to expect...
The first round of thrusters was not my best. Although I didn't put the bar down and maintained a pretty quick consistent pace, I was thrown off a few times by the corrections of Matt/Darin. He said I was not extending my shoulders at the top of the thruster. I was defintely locking out my arms, but I learned later that he almost wanted me to move my elbos behind my head in order to achieve a pure vertical stance. I tried my best to compensate, and did as best as I could considering I was having a hard time understanding anything.
Pullups next. I never had the luxury of a sturdy pullup bar that could within stand a decent kip, and chalk on top of that. I had tried Barbara the other day and only got close to 15 kipping pullups, so that was I was shooting for. I was elated when I flew past my 15th rep with energy left to finish out the set unbroken. First time ever. I attacked the thrusters riding that high, but it quickly waned as I had to drop the bar after 10 reps. I was now noticeably behind the football stud and was desperately trying to catch him. I couldn't see how he was doing on the pullups, if he had good form, but I had to assume he was killing them. I banged out the remain thrusters and hit the next set of pullups with a similar break at #10. The final set of thrusters and pullups were unbroken, but I just couldn't catch the guy next to me who finished about 1 minute faster.
I was pretty bummed that I couldn't catch him, so it took almost a minute or two for it to register that I had just surpassed my Fran goal for 2010. I couldn't believe it. Crossfit Inspire is looking better by the day.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Partner WOD
Late afternoon
WU: Dynamic warmup-squats, stretches, shuffling, PVC shoulder flexibility
Workout: Crossfit Inspire WOD
Partner WOD
1000m Run (250m per)
100 KB Swings (53#)
100 Meter Wall Ball Shuffle Pass (20#)
100 Partner Med Ball Situps (20#)
100 Partner Med Ball Cleans (20#)
1000m Row (250m per)
One partner rests while the other partner works.
18:29
Workout comments: I decided I would give the crossfit affiliate thing a try. There are several options I have to choose from, and all seem to have pros and cons. Platoon Crossfit is near my house in Conshohocken, but they don't seem to have too much information on their website. I should defintely look into them more, but it seems like you have to provide them with too much personal information in order to get anything out of them. Crossfit KOP seemed like my best bet, it's close to home, roughly on my way to work in Malvern, and seems like they are very competivie in the Crossfit Games, which could speak well for the sort of clientel they attract. Their membership fee is pretty steap though, the most expensive of all the groups in area. Crossfit Inspire is closest in proximity to work, which means I could go for a morning workout, afternoon workout, and maybe slip away for a lunch workout here and there. The owner seemed very nice on the phone and mentioned they have a one week trial period, which definitely hooked me in. I decided to try them out first.
The WOD was pretty simple, as outlined above. I was partnered with a guy named Rob who seemed pretty even with my in terms of fitness, at least at face value. After the warmup and the introductions, we got started and right away I could feel it was going to be tougher than I expected. We broke most of the movements into sets of 10, not too difficult until you realize that you are only getting 15-30 seconds of rest. We seemed like we were working hard and flying, but there was another team that just kept edging us out on every station. Somehow we started together during the med ball cleans, and they managed to beat us by 40. A little suspect, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They actually only finished 100 meters ahead of us, and I was hauling ass trying to catch them. It just wasn't in the cards.
I hate partner workouts, but I think this workout was actually pretty decent. I was working pretty hard and my partner was emptying the tank as well. The owner (I think his name was Matt or Darin) was really nice, and offered me some good motiviation during the workout. The group itself was made up of a very diverse mix of ages and genders, from high school athletes to 40+ parents. I was looking for something a bit more condense, but in the end I was surprised by how close the competition was. First workout: 6 out of 10.
WU: Dynamic warmup-squats, stretches, shuffling, PVC shoulder flexibility
Workout: Crossfit Inspire WOD
Partner WOD
1000m Run (250m per)
100 KB Swings (53#)
100 Meter Wall Ball Shuffle Pass (20#)
100 Partner Med Ball Situps (20#)
100 Partner Med Ball Cleans (20#)
1000m Row (250m per)
One partner rests while the other partner works.
18:29
Workout comments: I decided I would give the crossfit affiliate thing a try. There are several options I have to choose from, and all seem to have pros and cons. Platoon Crossfit is near my house in Conshohocken, but they don't seem to have too much information on their website. I should defintely look into them more, but it seems like you have to provide them with too much personal information in order to get anything out of them. Crossfit KOP seemed like my best bet, it's close to home, roughly on my way to work in Malvern, and seems like they are very competivie in the Crossfit Games, which could speak well for the sort of clientel they attract. Their membership fee is pretty steap though, the most expensive of all the groups in area. Crossfit Inspire is closest in proximity to work, which means I could go for a morning workout, afternoon workout, and maybe slip away for a lunch workout here and there. The owner seemed very nice on the phone and mentioned they have a one week trial period, which definitely hooked me in. I decided to try them out first.
The WOD was pretty simple, as outlined above. I was partnered with a guy named Rob who seemed pretty even with my in terms of fitness, at least at face value. After the warmup and the introductions, we got started and right away I could feel it was going to be tougher than I expected. We broke most of the movements into sets of 10, not too difficult until you realize that you are only getting 15-30 seconds of rest. We seemed like we were working hard and flying, but there was another team that just kept edging us out on every station. Somehow we started together during the med ball cleans, and they managed to beat us by 40. A little suspect, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They actually only finished 100 meters ahead of us, and I was hauling ass trying to catch them. It just wasn't in the cards.
I hate partner workouts, but I think this workout was actually pretty decent. I was working pretty hard and my partner was emptying the tank as well. The owner (I think his name was Matt or Darin) was really nice, and offered me some good motiviation during the workout. The group itself was made up of a very diverse mix of ages and genders, from high school athletes to 40+ parents. I was looking for something a bit more condense, but in the end I was surprised by how close the competition was. First workout: 6 out of 10.
A double whammy metcon
Late afternoon
AMRAP in 12:00
10 Pushups
10 Renegade Rows (40#)
20 Mountain Climbers
14 + 2 reps
5 rounds for time: 45# DBs
5 Deadlifts
5 Hang Power Cleans
5 Push Press
5 Squats
25 Situps
*If the weight touches the ground in the middle of a round, 5 burpee fault.
7:26
Workout comments: I tried a similar workout a few weeks back with increasing weight, but still with the idea that you could not drop the dumbbells. I made it up to 65# I think, so 45 seemed like a good place to start. I usually make it a point to go hard during the first round, gauge the estimated time to finish, and try to beat that time. In this case, I finished the first round in approx. 1:34 and the second round in 1:30. I could feel it getting tougher, but wanted to beat 7:30 for the 5 rounds. I really had to push it out at the end. The last round of situps killed me.
The first metcon was tough. I should have gone for lighter weight if I wanted to get a more cardio-focused workout. The pushups were all unbroken, but the mountain climbers are tough towards the end because you are forced to hold your body in basically a plank position. Felt good for both workouts.
AMRAP in 12:00
10 Pushups
10 Renegade Rows (40#)
20 Mountain Climbers
14 + 2 reps
5 rounds for time: 45# DBs
5 Deadlifts
5 Hang Power Cleans
5 Push Press
5 Squats
25 Situps
*If the weight touches the ground in the middle of a round, 5 burpee fault.
7:26
Workout comments: I tried a similar workout a few weeks back with increasing weight, but still with the idea that you could not drop the dumbbells. I made it up to 65# I think, so 45 seemed like a good place to start. I usually make it a point to go hard during the first round, gauge the estimated time to finish, and try to beat that time. In this case, I finished the first round in approx. 1:34 and the second round in 1:30. I could feel it getting tougher, but wanted to beat 7:30 for the 5 rounds. I really had to push it out at the end. The last round of situps killed me.
The first metcon was tough. I should have gone for lighter weight if I wanted to get a more cardio-focused workout. The pushups were all unbroken, but the mountain climbers are tough towards the end because you are forced to hold your body in basically a plank position. Felt good for both workouts.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Pullups, Deadlift, Rowing
Early afternoon
Strength:
4 X 10 Strict Pullups
2:00 rest
Deadlift 3, 5, 5, 5
275, 275, 275, 275
Crossfit Endurance
25 minute row (Cover as much distance as possible)
6162m (2:01.7)
Workout comments: I had to cut the first set of deadlifts short because the barbell was literally cutting into my hands. I don't how this bar could possibly be any more coarse, but it made my hands look like grated cheese. I had to wrap paper towels around it after the first set.
I know I was pretty much taxing my rowing muscles with the pullups and the deadlifts, but I was again disappointed by my post graduation rowing performance. I was steadily holding a 1:53-1:55 split, but had to stop periodically because the pain in my glutes was becoming unbearable. It was all I could do not to think about it. Of course, with no TV and no other distractions, it was only a matter of time before it caught up to me. I'd like to try and incorporate at least 2 rowing workouts per week, because they really seem to be a great overall fitness exercise.
I thought about what it was like to be a rower in college. Waking up every morning at 5:30, hopping in a van or your car and speeding down the empty streets to the river. It's usually freezing cold for 80% of the season, so you huddle together in the boat bay with sweatpants and hooded sweatshirts on, trying to hold on to as much warmth for as long as possible. Finally the coxswain gives the order to take the boat off the racks, shoulder it, and carry it down to the river like a drill sergeant ordering his platoon into formation before a march. After the boat touches the water, shoes come off, the oars get locked into their collars, and everyone climbs in carefully so as not to tip the boat over in the other direction. It's too early for anyone to make any wisecracks...yet. The call comes to shove off from the dock, and then it's drills and skills into the dark, silent morning. The sun won't be up for another 30 minutes or so, and for now it's just you, your oar, and your thoughts mixed in with the periodic commands of the coxswain. As the sun gets brighter, the intensity of the workout increases and you better hope your not doing 20 minute repeats. 20 minutes is about how long it takes to make it from the top of the river to the bottom, give or take, and these days are the toughest mentally. Of course there are always 2K repeats, but that's another monster entirely. Everyone is awake now, and the jokes start filtering in (if practice is going smoothly). The callouses on your hands have already hardened if its long enough into the wet season (when it's "warm" enough to practice on the water, which is pretty much anything above 25F). You pray that each time you near your boathouse, it will be time to get off the water and if you are lucky, you get to navigate home through rush hour traffic only to arrive 15 minutes late for class and smelling like the Schuylkill River. Your teacher is tired of the excuses and you're just tired in general, so you spend the remainder of class just trying to keep your eyes open, waiting until you can crawl back in bed and unsuccessfully shake off the freezing cold of the morning river. Then you get up and do it all over again. If you can derive pleasure out of this routine, you are part of the elite, albeit seemingly insane.
Strength:
4 X 10 Strict Pullups
2:00 rest
Deadlift 3, 5, 5, 5
275, 275, 275, 275
Crossfit Endurance
25 minute row (Cover as much distance as possible)
6162m (2:01.7)
Workout comments: I had to cut the first set of deadlifts short because the barbell was literally cutting into my hands. I don't how this bar could possibly be any more coarse, but it made my hands look like grated cheese. I had to wrap paper towels around it after the first set.
I know I was pretty much taxing my rowing muscles with the pullups and the deadlifts, but I was again disappointed by my post graduation rowing performance. I was steadily holding a 1:53-1:55 split, but had to stop periodically because the pain in my glutes was becoming unbearable. It was all I could do not to think about it. Of course, with no TV and no other distractions, it was only a matter of time before it caught up to me. I'd like to try and incorporate at least 2 rowing workouts per week, because they really seem to be a great overall fitness exercise.
I thought about what it was like to be a rower in college. Waking up every morning at 5:30, hopping in a van or your car and speeding down the empty streets to the river. It's usually freezing cold for 80% of the season, so you huddle together in the boat bay with sweatpants and hooded sweatshirts on, trying to hold on to as much warmth for as long as possible. Finally the coxswain gives the order to take the boat off the racks, shoulder it, and carry it down to the river like a drill sergeant ordering his platoon into formation before a march. After the boat touches the water, shoes come off, the oars get locked into their collars, and everyone climbs in carefully so as not to tip the boat over in the other direction. It's too early for anyone to make any wisecracks...yet. The call comes to shove off from the dock, and then it's drills and skills into the dark, silent morning. The sun won't be up for another 30 minutes or so, and for now it's just you, your oar, and your thoughts mixed in with the periodic commands of the coxswain. As the sun gets brighter, the intensity of the workout increases and you better hope your not doing 20 minute repeats. 20 minutes is about how long it takes to make it from the top of the river to the bottom, give or take, and these days are the toughest mentally. Of course there are always 2K repeats, but that's another monster entirely. Everyone is awake now, and the jokes start filtering in (if practice is going smoothly). The callouses on your hands have already hardened if its long enough into the wet season (when it's "warm" enough to practice on the water, which is pretty much anything above 25F). You pray that each time you near your boathouse, it will be time to get off the water and if you are lucky, you get to navigate home through rush hour traffic only to arrive 15 minutes late for class and smelling like the Schuylkill River. Your teacher is tired of the excuses and you're just tired in general, so you spend the remainder of class just trying to keep your eyes open, waiting until you can crawl back in bed and unsuccessfully shake off the freezing cold of the morning river. Then you get up and do it all over again. If you can derive pleasure out of this routine, you are part of the elite, albeit seemingly insane.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Bench Press, Short Metcon
Early afternoon
Strength: Bench Press 3, 3, 3, 1, 1, 1
195, 205, 215, 225, 235, 245
10 Burpees
20 SDHP (77)30 Box Jumps (18in)
40 KB Swings (40)50 DUs12:59
Workout comments: It's about time I tried for a 1 rep max on the bench press. While I can't call this a true max effort because it was done on the Smith machine, I'll take what I can get. Will, a guy that I know from work was spotting me on this last rep and mentioned that I might want to try and exhale during the lift, and sometimes that helps him push over that wall where the weight sometimes get stuck. I'll have to try that next time. I have taken this 333111 routine from the Max Effort Black Box routine by Michael Rutherford. I have heard from various sources that this is a legitimate way to increase your 1 rep max for various lifts in an effecient manner.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Rest Day
Did not feel sore from the the workout on Friday. Nutrition was pretty good. I fell asleep watching an episode of 24 (yes it's possible if you are tired enough) and I had a dream that I was a government agent fighting the war on terror. Not surprising that I woke up suddenly and found myself searching under my pillow for a gun.
Not exactly sound sleep, but good enough.
Not exactly sound sleep, but good enough.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Road Cycling
It has been such a great May this year. With the exception of a few days of rain here and there, the weather has been cool, sunny and pretty much perfect. For the last few years it seems that Spring is becoming less and less of a season and more of brief transitional period between Winter and Summer. It always seemed that one day we were having snow or freezing rain and then next the temperature was pushing past 80F. What's even better is that the rain we have been getting is sticking to the weekdays, leaving the weekends open for anything.
Anything for me was a trip out on my road bike, something I have neglected over the past year. The great thing about Conshohocken is that my house is literally a stone's throw away from the Schuylkill River Trail, a mostly paved section of trail that runs parallel to the Schuylkill River from the Art Museum in Philadelphia all the way out to Oaks, where is joins with the Perkiomen Trail and continues even further west. I can take the trail until it makes this transition and pick up a solid 10 miles before turning home. I kept things relatively light, just trying to make myself comfortable during the ride. On the turnaround, I threw in a 9 minute tempo ride, courtesy of Crossfit Endurance. Since the speed and distance function on my bike computer is temporarily disabled, I relied on my iPhone to track the data. The best thing about this is that I can ride solely based on feel. The bad thing is that sometimes you "feel" like you are riding a lot faster than you actually are. In 9 minutes I only managed 3.1 miles, according to my GPS, which to make myself feel better I will assume is slightly off.
For the day, about 21.2 miles in 84 minutes.
Anything for me was a trip out on my road bike, something I have neglected over the past year. The great thing about Conshohocken is that my house is literally a stone's throw away from the Schuylkill River Trail, a mostly paved section of trail that runs parallel to the Schuylkill River from the Art Museum in Philadelphia all the way out to Oaks, where is joins with the Perkiomen Trail and continues even further west. I can take the trail until it makes this transition and pick up a solid 10 miles before turning home. I kept things relatively light, just trying to make myself comfortable during the ride. On the turnaround, I threw in a 9 minute tempo ride, courtesy of Crossfit Endurance. Since the speed and distance function on my bike computer is temporarily disabled, I relied on my iPhone to track the data. The best thing about this is that I can ride solely based on feel. The bad thing is that sometimes you "feel" like you are riding a lot faster than you actually are. In 9 minutes I only managed 3.1 miles, according to my GPS, which to make myself feel better I will assume is slightly off.
For the day, about 21.2 miles in 84 minutes.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Cleans, Bench Press, Deadlift, Annie
Mid-afternoon
WU: shoulder dislocates, 10 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 back extensions, 10 squats, 10 cleans (117)
Workout: Cleans 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
137, 147, 157, 162, 167*
* Failed the last rep but took another shot and got it. About 3 minutes rest between sets.
Bench Press: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
190
About 2 minutes rest between sets.
Deadlift: 3, 3, 3
277
About 2 minutes rest between sets.
Annie: 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 (Double-Unders/Situps)
8:30
Workout comments: The first three rounds of cleans went very well. Even though the weight was relatively light, I was really pulling myself under and catching the bar. Landing position was really good too. Felt like my back was pretty straight, at least as straight as it gets with my lack of flexibility. I had to revert to power cleans on the last two sets (still performed a front squat, just did not catch the weight lower to the floor), as a result of not wanting to drop the weights on my office gym floor and my sudden case of pussitis. I really have to get over the hump with cleans and either go or don't go.
Bench press was pretty solid. I had to use the Smith machine for lack of equipment. I was watching a video on the Crossfit Journal of Chris Spealler talking about various weight lifting regimens. One of the aspects he was insistent upon was training at 80-85% of your 1 rep max in order to seriously build strength, optimally using 3-6 sets of 3-6 reps. I don't have a 1 rep max for the bench press yet but I'm guestimating it was pretty close.
Deadlifts were good. Working at the lower weight, it was much easier to focus on form than going for max weight.
The last aspect was the short metcon: Annie. I was getting pretty frustrated with the double unders at first. I know I can easily do 30 or more at a clip. But for some reason I kept getting hung up. In the third set, I finally got my wrist motion down and they were pretty smooth from there on out. The situps were defintely the limiting factor. I was struggling to finish them from the second set on. Form was not even in the back of my mind. My feet were anchored and I was flailing my arms like the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man. You get the point.
Body: Feeling very good this morning, despite a little grogginess. Nothing really sore.
Nutrition: Whey protein shake after the workout today. I think I'll start doing this after all pure strength workouts. Otherwise very good today.
WU: shoulder dislocates, 10 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 back extensions, 10 squats, 10 cleans (117)
Workout: Cleans 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
137, 147, 157, 162, 167*
* Failed the last rep but took another shot and got it. About 3 minutes rest between sets.
Bench Press: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
190
About 2 minutes rest between sets.
Deadlift: 3, 3, 3
277
About 2 minutes rest between sets.
Annie: 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 (Double-Unders/Situps)
8:30
Workout comments: The first three rounds of cleans went very well. Even though the weight was relatively light, I was really pulling myself under and catching the bar. Landing position was really good too. Felt like my back was pretty straight, at least as straight as it gets with my lack of flexibility. I had to revert to power cleans on the last two sets (still performed a front squat, just did not catch the weight lower to the floor), as a result of not wanting to drop the weights on my office gym floor and my sudden case of pussitis. I really have to get over the hump with cleans and either go or don't go.
Bench press was pretty solid. I had to use the Smith machine for lack of equipment. I was watching a video on the Crossfit Journal of Chris Spealler talking about various weight lifting regimens. One of the aspects he was insistent upon was training at 80-85% of your 1 rep max in order to seriously build strength, optimally using 3-6 sets of 3-6 reps. I don't have a 1 rep max for the bench press yet but I'm guestimating it was pretty close.
Deadlifts were good. Working at the lower weight, it was much easier to focus on form than going for max weight.
The last aspect was the short metcon: Annie. I was getting pretty frustrated with the double unders at first. I know I can easily do 30 or more at a clip. But for some reason I kept getting hung up. In the third set, I finally got my wrist motion down and they were pretty smooth from there on out. The situps were defintely the limiting factor. I was struggling to finish them from the second set on. Form was not even in the back of my mind. My feet were anchored and I was flailing my arms like the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man. You get the point.
Body: Feeling very good this morning, despite a little grogginess. Nothing really sore.
Nutrition: Whey protein shake after the workout today. I think I'll start doing this after all pure strength workouts. Otherwise very good today.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Mountain Biking
An easy?? day of mountain biking today to get some active rest. I stayed away from most of the major hills, although a few did sneak up on me. I followed another route that I took last week, but with a few modifications. Basically I stayed off the trails that were only marked for runners. Question: How can a trail be marked for both hikers and horses, but not for mountain bikers? You think that a 6 ft, 2000 lb horse would have a harder time negotiating its way over technical terrain than someone on a mountain bike. Especially since the horse is carrying someone along the way.
I got this bike from John W. about 2 years ago and have take decent care of it since. I took it to the shop a few times for a tune-up and things have been working pretty well on it, but I defintely think I need to clean it more often. It's so easy after you get home to just throw it in the shed and head inside, especially since mountain bikes are so much harder to clean than road bikes. I mean there is dirt and grime EVERYWHERE. I wish I could just fill my neighbor's pool with soap and soak it in there for a few hours.
It was a pretty good ride. I took a few miles at the beginning and end on Forbidden Drive just to get my legs spinning at a decent cadence. Probably close to 9 miles overall in 70 minutes.
I got this bike from John W. about 2 years ago and have take decent care of it since. I took it to the shop a few times for a tune-up and things have been working pretty well on it, but I defintely think I need to clean it more often. It's so easy after you get home to just throw it in the shed and head inside, especially since mountain bikes are so much harder to clean than road bikes. I mean there is dirt and grime EVERYWHERE. I wish I could just fill my neighbor's pool with soap and soak it in there for a few hours.
It was a pretty good ride. I took a few miles at the beginning and end on Forbidden Drive just to get my legs spinning at a decent cadence. Probably close to 9 miles overall in 70 minutes.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Squats, Moderate Metcon (Malvern Boot Camp)
Late afternoon
WU: 1000m row, squats (loads= 105, 155, 195, 235)
Workout:
Strength: Squats 1, 10, 1, 20, 1, 30
Loads: 255, 205, 245, 175, 245, 145
Approximately 3 minutes rest between sets.
Metcon: 5 Rounds, 5 Stations (45 sec on, 15 sec off). Complete AMRAP during the 45 seconds at each station. I had no way of recording the number of reps during this workout, so I treated it as a Tabatta workout: lowest score at each station recorded.
Box Jump-18 in. 27
Thrusters-25lb dumbbell 17
Mountain Climbers 40
Med Ball Situps-8lb, ball touches floor overhead and then touches the wall 17
Upright rows-30lb bar 22
Workout comments: I'm not sure if I would call this squat workout one of the hardest ever, but it was defintely up there as far as difficulty. It has "strength" written across its face, but my heart was defintely pounding out of my chest during the longer rep portions. Ideally I would have gone for clean-depth, but I'm still feeling the tightness in my hamstrings, hips, and calves that prevent me from keeping a straight back that low to the ground. I was very sore on my way home and tried to keep eating as much protein as possible: Greek yogurt, steak, almonds. I was worried I would wake up unable to move, but I was actually less sore this morning when I woke up. Doesn't change the fact that I was still pretty groggy, even after 8 hours of sleep.
For the metcon, I tried to keep the weights lighter than a normal workout, since it was immediately after the squat workout. The higher reps and quick turnover accounted for several pools of sweat on the gym floor, and a few odd looks from some of the other participants. I should have brought my gym towel.
WU: 1000m row, squats (loads= 105, 155, 195, 235)
Workout:
Strength: Squats 1, 10, 1, 20, 1, 30
Loads: 255, 205, 245, 175, 245, 145
Approximately 3 minutes rest between sets.
Metcon: 5 Rounds, 5 Stations (45 sec on, 15 sec off). Complete AMRAP during the 45 seconds at each station. I had no way of recording the number of reps during this workout, so I treated it as a Tabatta workout: lowest score at each station recorded.
Box Jump-18 in. 27
Thrusters-25lb dumbbell 17
Mountain Climbers 40
Med Ball Situps-8lb, ball touches floor overhead and then touches the wall 17
Upright rows-30lb bar 22
Workout comments: I'm not sure if I would call this squat workout one of the hardest ever, but it was defintely up there as far as difficulty. It has "strength" written across its face, but my heart was defintely pounding out of my chest during the longer rep portions. Ideally I would have gone for clean-depth, but I'm still feeling the tightness in my hamstrings, hips, and calves that prevent me from keeping a straight back that low to the ground. I was very sore on my way home and tried to keep eating as much protein as possible: Greek yogurt, steak, almonds. I was worried I would wake up unable to move, but I was actually less sore this morning when I woke up. Doesn't change the fact that I was still pretty groggy, even after 8 hours of sleep.
For the metcon, I tried to keep the weights lighter than a normal workout, since it was immediately after the squat workout. The higher reps and quick turnover accounted for several pools of sweat on the gym floor, and a few odd looks from some of the other participants. I should have brought my gym towel.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
"Barbara"
Early afternoon
WU: Shoulder dislocates, some light stretching
Workout: Barbara
5 rounds for time:
20 Pullups
30 Pushups
40 Situps
50 Squats
Rest precisely 3:00 between rounds
4:48, 4:35, 4:30, 4:44, 4:27
Late Afternoon
Crossfit Endurance WOD
WU: 1000m on the C2 Rower, stretch hamstrings, glutes, lower back, quads
Workout:
4:00 on, 3:00 off
2:00 on, 0:30 off
1:00 on, 3:00 off
2:00 on, 0:30 off
4:00 on, DONE
Cover maximum distance possible: 1134m (1:45.8), 581m (1:43.2), 299m (1:40.3), 561m (1:46.9), 1088m (1:50.1)
The numbers in parentheses are the splits per 500 meters. This is the unit of measurement in rowing and is the equivalent of min/mile in running and mph during cycling.
Workout comments: The pullups were not actually that bad, although I performed kipping pullups and each set was broken somewhere in there, I was able to get about 12-15 on each round before failure. I performed the first three rounds of pullups in under a minute, with one of them around 50 seconds. The last two rounds came in at approximately 1:24 and this time drain accounted for the slow time on Round 4. I wasn't expecting such a drastic decrease in time over the 5 rounds. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect on the first try.
This was the first time I have tried an organized rowing workout in almost 5 years. It has been a combination of my lack of access to an indoor rower and my utter loathing for the machine. The indoor rower (ergometer/erg) is probably the best fitness apparatus for training the cardiovascular system. It works mostly all major muscle groups. The downside: it's about as boring as watching paint dry, because that is literally what you are doing. It's tough to set up a TV in front of the erg, and very rare that one is situated in a gym where you can get a good view of what is going on. Most often the ergs are the black sheep of the fitness center and pushed off into the corner, facing the wall. So you are quite literally watching the paint dry. Unlike a treadmill, where you have the minor assistance of the belt continuously moving, the erg offers no such crutch. If you ease up on the effort, you will know it instantly as the screen showing your splits and distance is only inches away from your face. On the water, coaches and trainers usually had a tough time gauging how much effort each rower was contributing to the boat, unless they had a skillful eye (there are ways of knowing). But as the saying goes...there is no hiding on the erg.
General comments: I have been reading several articles about ancillary portions of CrossFit, namely nutrition, rest, and flexibility. I guess I've been spending too much time worrying about trying to she a few pounds that I've been overlooking one of the basic building blocks of a solid nutrition plan: protein. I'm getting nowhere near enough of it. I've been so concerned with increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables, while decreasing my overal carb intake, that I've totally neglected taking in enough protein. I always have a salad with some chicken or other poultry following my lunch workout, which can't contain the protein I need following heavy lifts or taxing metcons. Consequently, I'm guessing this is why I've been feeling so wiped each morning, even after getting 8+ hours of sleep. There is just absolutely no way my body can repair itself with the foods I'm putting into it. Regardless of how hard I try to cut out junk foods and replace with more fruits and vegetables, I'll have to make an honest effort to include more protein, even if this means more supplementary shakes immediately following a workout.
Dinner last night: Bacon-wrapped halibut with seared cherry tomato sauce and smashed peas
Monday, May 10, 2010
Pullups, Bench Press, Short Metcon
Early afternoon
WU: 2 rounds
10 barbell back squats, 10 pushups, 10 situps, calf stretch
Workout:
Pullups 4 X 10 (2:00 between sets)
Mix of strict and kipping pullups
5:00 rest
Bench Press 5 X 5 (2:00 between sets)
Loads: 195, 195, 195, 195 (failed 5th rep), 175
5:00 rest
AMRAP
10 Squat cleans (95#)
20 Situps
3 rounds + 9 reps
Workout comments: Not a whole lot of sleep last night and a missed breakfast. Obviously I didn't have a ton of energy for this workout. I did notice that the fitness center picked up a brand new C2 rower. I am fairly certain that I can remember all my PRs for certain benchmark workouts and I'm very nervous to hop and a prove that I've dropped off significantly from college. In a perfect world, I would love to say I'll spend tons of time trying to get back to where I was, but training on an indoor rower is hell. That's also why I never understood the financial thought process of RowZone. It seems like people will pay for anything these days, including a back injury. I'll be lucky if I spend 2 sessions on the rower per week.
WU: 2 rounds
10 barbell back squats, 10 pushups, 10 situps, calf stretch
Workout:
Pullups 4 X 10 (2:00 between sets)
Mix of strict and kipping pullups
5:00 rest
Bench Press 5 X 5 (2:00 between sets)
Loads: 195, 195, 195, 195 (failed 5th rep), 175
5:00 rest
AMRAP
10 Squat cleans (95#)
20 Situps
3 rounds + 9 reps
Workout comments: Not a whole lot of sleep last night and a missed breakfast. Obviously I didn't have a ton of energy for this workout. I did notice that the fitness center picked up a brand new C2 rower. I am fairly certain that I can remember all my PRs for certain benchmark workouts and I'm very nervous to hop and a prove that I've dropped off significantly from college. In a perfect world, I would love to say I'll spend tons of time trying to get back to where I was, but training on an indoor rower is hell. That's also why I never understood the financial thought process of RowZone. It seems like people will pay for anything these days, including a back injury. I'll be lucky if I spend 2 sessions on the rower per week.
Mountain Biking
Nothing noteworthy happening over the weekend, but I did get in a good moutain bike ride on Friday afternoon. I had a funeral to go to on Monday, and seeing as I had already taken the full day off, I headed out into the Wissahickon on sunny, 70F day. Since I've been living in Conshohocken, I've been sticking mainly to the NorthWestern side of the park. Unless I'm out for a longer trail run, I don't tend to venture out past Valley Green Inn too often. It's just easier to park on NorthWestern and there are some pretty good loops that start and end from there. Some of the trails are pretty technical on this side, and there are some pretty steep and rocky hills that can bring a beginner like myself to tears. Sometimes I find myself spending more time walking my bike than actually riding it. So I figured I'd see if there was any easier terrain on the other side.
Trails were defintely better for mountain bikers, if you happen to be looking for a smooth ride with some challenging, albeit doable hills that can be easily mastered in a few tries. I was pushing through a couple of creeks
and sailing some some good hills before I got sidetracked onto an unmarked trail that was clearly not intended for bikers. Rather than turn back, which is something I should defintely start doing more, I pushed forward knowing that the turn off would be just up ahead. All in all, it was a great ride. If I could get over the mental hump of packing up the bike and making the drive over to the park, I think I would definitely start doing this much more often. Maybe I'll just have to start bring the bike to work, so I won't have to go home beforehand.
It lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Distance unknown, but I would say roughly 10 miles.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Some new trails...
Well not exactly new. My new job assignment has me working in Malvern for the next few months. One of the great things is the group of guys have made it a ritual to run almost every day at lunch. I've gone out with these guys once or twice before and there are a series of trails that are comprised of nothing more than some trailblazed single tracks and some construction utility roads that wind next to a sprawling nature reserve. The trails are not well-groomed by any means. In fact, on my trip out with John W. yesterday, we got a lost a few times because it was tough to tell what exactly was a "trail." I felt like I needed to hone my tracking skills in order to navigate through here, but I guess John has been through enough times to get a sense of what is what. After a slight detour, we were in the nature reserve and some more defined trails. To say the going was getting easier was an understatement. There were a few creek crossings that made things pretty interesting.
I couldn't help but think about the amount of running fitness that I've lost over the past several months. What should have been an easy run in the park turned into an arduous task. It's still enjoyable to be out running, especially on trails, but I can't help but remember what it was like to be to power up a steep hill and still have tons of energy left in the tank. It's frustrating to say the least. Hopefully I can start putting in some more miles over the next few months and build up a solid base again.
Today it was about 5 miles in about 50 minutes.
I couldn't help but think about the amount of running fitness that I've lost over the past several months. What should have been an easy run in the park turned into an arduous task. It's still enjoyable to be out running, especially on trails, but I can't help but remember what it was like to be to power up a steep hill and still have tons of energy left in the tank. It's frustrating to say the least. Hopefully I can start putting in some more miles over the next few months and build up a solid base again.
Today it was about 5 miles in about 50 minutes.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
CrossFit Main Site DB WOD
After the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th by Carlos Ruiz...
Early afternoon
WU: Shoulder dislocates, various calisthenics, quad and calf stretching.
Workout: CrossFit Main Site WOD
5 Dumbbell deadlifts
5 Dumbbell hang cleans
5 Dumbbell push presses
5 Dumbbell squats
Increase the load each round. Rest as necessary between rounds. Do not drop weights during each round.
Loads: 45lbs, 50lbs, 55lbs, 60/65lbs*, 65lbs (f)
Late afternoon
Stopped into the afternoon session of the Central Bucks Crossfit class in Spring House. Was headed back there anyway and they typically run their classes outside this time of year anyway. It was awesome outside, to say the least.
Workout: A mish mosh of different movements. I typically don't like workouts without a set number of reps or time to work against. I can push myself as hard as I like, but without a goal or a light at the end of the tunnel, it is mentally draining. Plus it really leaves you no room to repeat the workout at a later date under similar conditions to gauge your improving (or deteriorating) fitness. I'll do my best to describe what happened. There were 5 stations and 10 people.
1. Farmer's walk: ~50 meters out with 35# and 53# KBs. 20 KB swings at the far point (53#) and then return with both KBs.
2. Situps with Abmat
3. Pushups
4. Parallette shoot throughs
5. C2 Rower
Here is an example of a parallette shoot through:
The time spent at each station was determined by how long it took the team performing the farmer's walk to finish. Since there was only 1 rower, we did about 8 stations per round so there was a few stations to double up. The goal was to perform as many reps as possible at each station. Again, there was no way to remember or record your reps, so it was purely based on how much pain you wanted to put yourself through. The first round took approximately 12 minutes, followed by about 2 minutes rest, and then another round.
Workout comments: Did this workout with John W. in Malvern. I think I'll be spending most of my time here now, which means limited Boot Camp and CrossFit group workouts. Their gym here is a bit nicer than the one in Spring House, though. For one, they have dumbbells that range all the way up to 100 lbs. Plus they have a solid group of guys that run during lunch almost 4 days a week. Plus some trails and varying terrain in the area that could be good over the summer.
4th round was interesting. I didn't know that I had different weights in each hand. I had a hard time finishing, with a few near drops during the hang cleans. I dropped the weights during the last rep of the hang cleans during the 5th round.
Body: I have been extrememly groggy and sore upon waking up in the morning the past several days. Just an overall sense of stiffness that usually goes away by mid-morning. I'm not sure if I'm still dehydrated from Sunday, or the quality of sleep I have been getting. I get around 8 hours, but maybe that's not right for me.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Bench Press, Boot Camp
Early afternoon
Bench Press: 5, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3
Loads: 175, 195, 205, 215, 220, 225 (PR)
Approximately 2 minutes rest between sets
Boot Camp
5 Rounds for Time:
21 Front Squats (77#)
15 Pushups
9 Situps
At the bottom of every round:
Round 1: 30 Lateral High Jumps (Side to side jumps over a cone)
Round 2: 30 Box jumps (24 in.)
Round 3: 30 Double Unders
Round 4: 30 In and Outs (Air Squat up into a jump with feet landing in a narrow stance. Jump back out into a wide stance and down into a full squat. Repeat)
Round 5: 60 Bear Walk Steps (Basically both feet and hands on the floor and walk across room)
5 min rest
Partner workout: 3 rounds for time:
30 KB Swings, Planks
Partner performs KB swings while other partner holds plank. Rest accordingly.
7:39
Workout comments: All front squats were done without dropping the bar. Rest was minimal. Double unders are getting better. Started with a 50# KB for the first round, then performed 15 reps the following two round then switching to a 35# KB. I was defintely poring out sweat during and after this workout. Pretty intense.
Bench Press: 5, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3
Loads: 175, 195, 205, 215, 220, 225 (PR)
Approximately 2 minutes rest between sets
Boot Camp
5 Rounds for Time:
21 Front Squats (77#)
15 Pushups
9 Situps
At the bottom of every round:
Round 1: 30 Lateral High Jumps (Side to side jumps over a cone)
Round 2: 30 Box jumps (24 in.)
Round 3: 30 Double Unders
Round 4: 30 In and Outs (Air Squat up into a jump with feet landing in a narrow stance. Jump back out into a wide stance and down into a full squat. Repeat)
Round 5: 60 Bear Walk Steps (Basically both feet and hands on the floor and walk across room)
5 min rest
Partner workout: 3 rounds for time:
30 KB Swings, Planks
Partner performs KB swings while other partner holds plank. Rest accordingly.
7:39
Workout comments: All front squats were done without dropping the bar. Rest was minimal. Double unders are getting better. Started with a 50# KB for the first round, then performed 15 reps the following two round then switching to a 35# KB. I was defintely poring out sweat during and after this workout. Pretty intense.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
2010 Broad Street Run
A few days before the race I received an email from the Broad Street Run race organizers warning that a weather advisory was in effect for race day. Immediately I thought there was a thunderstorm or some degree of flash flooding that was imminent. But I continued to read and found out that it would be extreme heat that would slow runners up on Sunday. Extreme heat. Upwards of 90 degrees in early May. Yes this wasn't hoax. Unfortunately, it had been just as hot in the days prior to the race, so the low for the previous night hadn't even dipped below 70. I could tell easily that was the case when I woke up in the middle of the night in the sauna that I call a bedroom. Had to turn on the AC for the first time of the season.
Brigid and I woke up and got our gear ready before heading down with the rest of the masses to stadium area. With all my recent complaining about the race organization in the past few days, I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the overall race day scene. My heart almost dropped after we approached a mile long traffic back-up waiting to exit 76. But Brig suggested taking the next exit onto Packer and luckily there was not a single car in line to get off the highway. However, we did get a view of the cause of the back-up and it was the same as in years past: no traffic cop to direct the huge influx of cars into the area. A single lane, a long traffic light, and no opposing traffic is something that should definitely be taken care of. Still, we got to our parking spot relatively unscathed.
We hurried into the train station at approximately 7:30 AM and there wasn't a single person down there. The train was relatively full, but I remember the last few years that the station was as packed as the ending scene in Crocodile Dundee. The train ride was a quick 15 minutes and we were at the starting line by 7:50, plenty of time to get ready. That was until we saw the lines for the bathrooms. I'm not overestimating when I say there was probably 150 people in line. I've learned from previous years that it's best to deal with this before even getting to the race start.
Now on to the race. I've been dealing with a nagging ankle problem the past few months and it would be accurate to say that I really haven't run over 5 miles in that time, let alone any decent interval or tempo runs to build up my fitness. I was hoping that the CrossFit workouts I have been accumulating would at least give me a decent level of fitness to go out and hammer down a decent time. Not a PR, but something I could hang my hat on for future reference. CrossFit is a broad workout regime that aims to train all aspects of fitness in a very general, unspecified manner. By constantly varying workouts, they claim to prepare the body for numerous types of challenges. I've been tinkering with the workouts so as to focus mostly on my legs, hoping that this would prepare me somewhat for a longer distance foot race. I had no idea what to expect when I approached the line. I ran into John at the start and saw some other familiar faces in my corral. I think we were both unsure of our upcoming performance. He has a more miles racked up in the past few months than I did, but he has been following a similar CrossFit regimen also.
The gun went off precisely at 8:30 and we were off. I decided to stick to myself during the race, not wanting to be goaded into running the first few miles faster than I should. First mile came in at approximately 6:30, which was the average pace I held for last year and I felt OK. Second mile came in at 6:48 and I was quickly feeling my body's resistance. You can never be sure how the first few miles are going to stack up, because even though the race has a pretty significant net drop in elevation, there are some portions of the first few miles that have some minor uphill stretches. I put it out of my mind and continued on.
That was the best portion of the race for me. The mile splits continued to decline, first into the low 7:00 and then gradually making their way into the low 8:00 for the 8th and 9th miles. I was hoping to at least break 7:00/mile, but I knew this wouldn't be the case and soon found myself hoping for at least 7:30/mile. It's really amazing how you make compromises with your body during races like these, first demanding that you run a certain pace, then forgiving yourself and setting the bar a little lower, and a little lower, and a little lower...
I know I definitely pulled back a bit during the last 5 miles of the race. I knew if I wasn't going to finish anywhere near my time from last year, then I might as well pull back and not risk aggravating my foot. The heat made this an easy decision to make. I remember trying to consciously lower my heart rate from 185 down to at least 175 and could not make the transition, despite my lowering splits. Just goes to show the effect weather has on the body.
I finally finished in 1:15:27. Even though this was my slowest time to date, I wasn't that disappointed. I came in with low expectations and minimal running miles over the last several months. When I took a step back and realized how few miles I actually ran, it was surprising that I was able to hold onto this pace for a solid 10 miles. The Crossfit regimen may not provide you with the fitness necessary to be truly competitive in your field, but it definitely gives you a solid foundation to go out and perform well, regardless of the sport. Once I am back to 100%, I will start to incorporate more CrossFit Endurance workouts into my training plan. Hopefully this will provide me with the proper stimulus to set a new PR next year.
Brigid and I woke up and got our gear ready before heading down with the rest of the masses to stadium area. With all my recent complaining about the race organization in the past few days, I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the overall race day scene. My heart almost dropped after we approached a mile long traffic back-up waiting to exit 76. But Brig suggested taking the next exit onto Packer and luckily there was not a single car in line to get off the highway. However, we did get a view of the cause of the back-up and it was the same as in years past: no traffic cop to direct the huge influx of cars into the area. A single lane, a long traffic light, and no opposing traffic is something that should definitely be taken care of. Still, we got to our parking spot relatively unscathed.
We hurried into the train station at approximately 7:30 AM and there wasn't a single person down there. The train was relatively full, but I remember the last few years that the station was as packed as the ending scene in Crocodile Dundee. The train ride was a quick 15 minutes and we were at the starting line by 7:50, plenty of time to get ready. That was until we saw the lines for the bathrooms. I'm not overestimating when I say there was probably 150 people in line. I've learned from previous years that it's best to deal with this before even getting to the race start.
Now on to the race. I've been dealing with a nagging ankle problem the past few months and it would be accurate to say that I really haven't run over 5 miles in that time, let alone any decent interval or tempo runs to build up my fitness. I was hoping that the CrossFit workouts I have been accumulating would at least give me a decent level of fitness to go out and hammer down a decent time. Not a PR, but something I could hang my hat on for future reference. CrossFit is a broad workout regime that aims to train all aspects of fitness in a very general, unspecified manner. By constantly varying workouts, they claim to prepare the body for numerous types of challenges. I've been tinkering with the workouts so as to focus mostly on my legs, hoping that this would prepare me somewhat for a longer distance foot race. I had no idea what to expect when I approached the line. I ran into John at the start and saw some other familiar faces in my corral. I think we were both unsure of our upcoming performance. He has a more miles racked up in the past few months than I did, but he has been following a similar CrossFit regimen also.
The gun went off precisely at 8:30 and we were off. I decided to stick to myself during the race, not wanting to be goaded into running the first few miles faster than I should. First mile came in at approximately 6:30, which was the average pace I held for last year and I felt OK. Second mile came in at 6:48 and I was quickly feeling my body's resistance. You can never be sure how the first few miles are going to stack up, because even though the race has a pretty significant net drop in elevation, there are some portions of the first few miles that have some minor uphill stretches. I put it out of my mind and continued on.
That was the best portion of the race for me. The mile splits continued to decline, first into the low 7:00 and then gradually making their way into the low 8:00 for the 8th and 9th miles. I was hoping to at least break 7:00/mile, but I knew this wouldn't be the case and soon found myself hoping for at least 7:30/mile. It's really amazing how you make compromises with your body during races like these, first demanding that you run a certain pace, then forgiving yourself and setting the bar a little lower, and a little lower, and a little lower...
I know I definitely pulled back a bit during the last 5 miles of the race. I knew if I wasn't going to finish anywhere near my time from last year, then I might as well pull back and not risk aggravating my foot. The heat made this an easy decision to make. I remember trying to consciously lower my heart rate from 185 down to at least 175 and could not make the transition, despite my lowering splits. Just goes to show the effect weather has on the body.
I finally finished in 1:15:27. Even though this was my slowest time to date, I wasn't that disappointed. I came in with low expectations and minimal running miles over the last several months. When I took a step back and realized how few miles I actually ran, it was surprising that I was able to hold onto this pace for a solid 10 miles. The Crossfit regimen may not provide you with the fitness necessary to be truly competitive in your field, but it definitely gives you a solid foundation to go out and perform well, regardless of the sport. Once I am back to 100%, I will start to incorporate more CrossFit Endurance workouts into my training plan. Hopefully this will provide me with the proper stimulus to set a new PR next year.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Rest Day
Almost rest...
4 X Max Pushups with full rest
43, 33 (only took about 5 minutes rest on this one), 46, 42
Tomorrow is the 10 mile Broad Street Run. I wish this run was supposed to benefit something, because then at least I could rationalize the clusterf*** that goes on prior to and during this race. They capped the race at 30,000 people this year, which is almost 7000-8000 more than last year. I thought last year was unbearable. 45 minute waits for bathrooms, weekend warriors who drastically over-estimate how fast they'll run, endless traffic jams, and a long, stressful journey up the Broad Street subway line. If I was allowed to piss on the street, I would consider this the closest resemblance to a cattle herding as humanly possible.
My aggravation really started this year with the drive down to Lincoln Financial Field: gear grinder #1. Charge me a couple extra bucks and mail the damn race bib to my house. What ever happened to finishers picking up their T-shirts AFTER they finish the race. I sat in an immovable, unavoidable traffic line while trying to park at the football stadium because everyone was fighting for the closest spot to the entrance. Only one aisle over, there was at least 100 empty spots, but people were more content to sit in their air conditioning then walk an extra hundred yards. Maybe I'm wrong and they are taking every effort to taper.
I soon realized why they want you to drive all the way down to the stadium. Upon picking up your race bib and T-shirt, you have to traverse the gauntlet of race sponsors. This is an adventure in and of itself. I had a few close calls with the skin chaffing cream guy and the massage stick girl, but I made it out all right. At least it was better than the Philly Distance Run expo, held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. They expect thousands of paying customers to drive into center city and find parking just to pick up their race essentials. What a crock.
Still, this race is becoming one of the most popular races in the country, mostly because of its face straight haul down Broad Street. The elevation is a net decline, which makes for some of the fastest 10 mile times out there, and tons of PRs if you can stick close to the front of the herd.
With all this being said, it's hard to miss this race. It really is a great chance to see the city during a Sunday morning run. Unfortunately, I haven't run more than 5 miles in almost 3 months and while my ankle feels good for now, I'm sure I would re-injure it if I pushed myself during the latter portion of this race. With all advice to the contrary, I'm sure that's just what I'll do.
4 X Max Pushups with full rest
43, 33 (only took about 5 minutes rest on this one), 46, 42
Tomorrow is the 10 mile Broad Street Run. I wish this run was supposed to benefit something, because then at least I could rationalize the clusterf*** that goes on prior to and during this race. They capped the race at 30,000 people this year, which is almost 7000-8000 more than last year. I thought last year was unbearable. 45 minute waits for bathrooms, weekend warriors who drastically over-estimate how fast they'll run, endless traffic jams, and a long, stressful journey up the Broad Street subway line. If I was allowed to piss on the street, I would consider this the closest resemblance to a cattle herding as humanly possible.
My aggravation really started this year with the drive down to Lincoln Financial Field: gear grinder #1. Charge me a couple extra bucks and mail the damn race bib to my house. What ever happened to finishers picking up their T-shirts AFTER they finish the race. I sat in an immovable, unavoidable traffic line while trying to park at the football stadium because everyone was fighting for the closest spot to the entrance. Only one aisle over, there was at least 100 empty spots, but people were more content to sit in their air conditioning then walk an extra hundred yards. Maybe I'm wrong and they are taking every effort to taper.
I soon realized why they want you to drive all the way down to the stadium. Upon picking up your race bib and T-shirt, you have to traverse the gauntlet of race sponsors. This is an adventure in and of itself. I had a few close calls with the skin chaffing cream guy and the massage stick girl, but I made it out all right. At least it was better than the Philly Distance Run expo, held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. They expect thousands of paying customers to drive into center city and find parking just to pick up their race essentials. What a crock.
Still, this race is becoming one of the most popular races in the country, mostly because of its face straight haul down Broad Street. The elevation is a net decline, which makes for some of the fastest 10 mile times out there, and tons of PRs if you can stick close to the front of the herd.
With all this being said, it's hard to miss this race. It really is a great chance to see the city during a Sunday morning run. Unfortunately, I haven't run more than 5 miles in almost 3 months and while my ankle feels good for now, I'm sure I would re-injure it if I pushed myself during the latter portion of this race. With all advice to the contrary, I'm sure that's just what I'll do.
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