Saturday, we showed up for the Halloween WOD at CFO just to watch. Because 1) I'm too lazy and uninterested to find a costume (required to do the WOD), and 2) I don't have any interest in doing Cindy. Ever. 20 minutes of bodyweight hell.
I could also add a very legitimate 3) My legs were destroyed from this week. That stupid metcon on Thursday pushed me a bit over the edge, I think. My hip flexors were super tight and every time I sat down for more than 30 seconds, I had a hard time walking again.
After a delicious, yet depressing breakfast at Farmhouse (delicious because my omelette had 3 kinds of pork. depressing because everyone around me was literally speeding toward their inevitably untimely deaths with plate after plate of insulin resistance. Rule #1 for living past 40: soda is not a breakfast drink.), we headed to UNO for some Ultimate Frisbee. Maybe not the best idea with my legs the way they were, but it felt good to move around. They didn't feel bad while I was moving, but every time I stopped, they were talking to me.
Add some post-game lunch and adult beverages followed by an evening of football and ribs, and we had ourselves a nice little Saturday. A little ice cream hangover this morning, but otherwise feeling pretty damn good. Now I just have to find the motivation to plan some food for the week, go grocery shopping, and otherwise be at least minimally productive. Meh.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Log 10/29
Update: Ricky posted a video of today's class...
Another new batch of exercises - and it's a good one. Friday = favorite, once again.
A: Floor press
w-upx5 44
w-upx3 54
w-upx2 64
5x5 74 - 93 - 120 - 130 - 135
I think I could maybe have squeezed out 140, but 135 was plenty heavy for the first time around.
B: Seated box jumps
We worked up to a quick 1RM first (24" plus 4 red bumpers and 1 green for me. No idea what the total inches would be.), then took Ricky's rough estimation of 30% off the top. Not terribly scientific, but it did end up being just the right height for practicing the movement.
7x1 @30%ish (24" plus 3 reds and a yellow)
C: DB crossover stepups (20" box)
3x10 each leg w/ 25# DB
Not as bad as I thought they would be. I just need to concentrate on always keeping my shoulders and hips square with the box - I stayed square for the majority of the time, but had a tendency to let my mind wander (shocking) and then I'd start to drift to the side.
D1: Swiss ball plank holds
2x30 sec
superset w/
D2: Swiss ball hip extension/leg curls
2x10
The plank holds were not anywhere near as hard as I expected - my arms were shaky just from the instability of the ball, but the actual plank hold was not difficult. Ditto for the hip extension/leg curls.
Conditioning:
5rds
5 each arm of single-arm split snatch (35# DB)
10 pushups w/release (release hands at bottom and touch elbows to the floor)
20 sec (or "until [my] mood improves." Don't hold your breath, Ricky.)
As expected, the pushups were the hardest part. That, and remembering to split with my right foot forward when my left arm was overhead. Splitting with the left foot feels much more natural to me, and every time I started with the left arm, the first rep was with the left foot. Awkward. Pushups got tough for the last 2 rounds - they slowed down a bit, but I never had to stop.
Another new batch of exercises - and it's a good one. Friday = favorite, once again.
A: Floor press
w-upx5 44
w-upx3 54
w-upx2 64
5x5 74 - 93 - 120 - 130 - 135
I think I could maybe have squeezed out 140, but 135 was plenty heavy for the first time around.
B: Seated box jumps
We worked up to a quick 1RM first (24" plus 4 red bumpers and 1 green for me. No idea what the total inches would be.), then took Ricky's rough estimation of 30% off the top. Not terribly scientific, but it did end up being just the right height for practicing the movement.
7x1 @30%ish (24" plus 3 reds and a yellow)
C: DB crossover stepups (20" box)
3x10 each leg w/ 25# DB
Not as bad as I thought they would be. I just need to concentrate on always keeping my shoulders and hips square with the box - I stayed square for the majority of the time, but had a tendency to let my mind wander (shocking) and then I'd start to drift to the side.
D1: Swiss ball plank holds
2x30 sec
superset w/
D2: Swiss ball hip extension/leg curls
2x10
The plank holds were not anywhere near as hard as I expected - my arms were shaky just from the instability of the ball, but the actual plank hold was not difficult. Ditto for the hip extension/leg curls.
Conditioning:
5rds
5 each arm of single-arm split snatch (35# DB)
10 pushups w/release (release hands at bottom and touch elbows to the floor)
20 sec (or "until [my] mood improves." Don't hold your breath, Ricky.)
As expected, the pushups were the hardest part. That, and remembering to split with my right foot forward when my left arm was overhead. Splitting with the left foot feels much more natural to me, and every time I started with the left arm, the first rep was with the left foot. Awkward. Pushups got tough for the last 2 rounds - they slowed down a bit, but I never had to stop.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Scaring the members
I ended up staying at work today for a 10:30 lesson, which gave me an extra hour-plus to kill. My legs and hips are a little tight and sore from the squat-mania this week, so I thought I'd head over to the fitness center and do a little something quick to loosen them up. The set-up in there is not particularly convenient for the things I like to do, so I designed it around what would be in the least crowded (with machines) area, but would still make me feel bad-ass. Because that's important, I guess. I wanted to do double-unders and pistols, but the legs were not feeling the pistols. (Why I thought they would, I have no idea.) So, for some unknown reason, I switched them out for single-arm DB overhead squats. Because OHS always make me feel awesome. Always. Didn't necessarily make my legs feel better, but it wasn't terrible either, and it got my heart rate up plenty.
I went with 25# mainly because it was the heaviest dumbbell on the side of the gym where I was set up. I could have walked all of 40 m to get something heavier, but decided against it. 30 or 35 would have been a good weight if I wanted to kill it, but I didn't feel the need to push the legs or the shoulders any harder than necessary today.
50-40-30-20-10
double-unders
10-8-6-4-2 (each arm)
single-arm DB OHS (25#)
5:29
Double-unders felt pretty good but not rock solid. The second round tripped me up a bit, but I did a better job than usual of stopping to take a couple breaths, calming down the nerves a hair, and then jumping right back in. When DUs go south, I tend to get frustrated and it all goes downhill fast. The last half of 40 was smooth, and 30-20-10 were more of the same. The squats felt pretty good - it wasn't super-light, but my shoulders and core were definitely not challenged. My tired old legs were glad I stayed light, though.
Cooled down with a really easy 500m row (2:15ish, I think) and headed back to get ready for the lesson. Still had 20 minutes left, and it felt obscenely hot in there after the workout, so I swam a bit - mostly breaststroke and some kicking with fins. Tried to take it nice and easy.... pretty easy, since I suck at swimming. I actually ended up swimming longer than I have in probably a year. Not that says much, but I think being warmed up helped a lot.
I went with 25# mainly because it was the heaviest dumbbell on the side of the gym where I was set up. I could have walked all of 40 m to get something heavier, but decided against it. 30 or 35 would have been a good weight if I wanted to kill it, but I didn't feel the need to push the legs or the shoulders any harder than necessary today.
50-40-30-20-10
double-unders
10-8-6-4-2 (each arm)
single-arm DB OHS (25#)
5:29
Double-unders felt pretty good but not rock solid. The second round tripped me up a bit, but I did a better job than usual of stopping to take a couple breaths, calming down the nerves a hair, and then jumping right back in. When DUs go south, I tend to get frustrated and it all goes downhill fast. The last half of 40 was smooth, and 30-20-10 were more of the same. The squats felt pretty good - it wasn't super-light, but my shoulders and core were definitely not challenged. My tired old legs were glad I stayed light, though.
Cooled down with a really easy 500m row (2:15ish, I think) and headed back to get ready for the lesson. Still had 20 minutes left, and it felt obscenely hot in there after the workout, so I swam a bit - mostly breaststroke and some kicking with fins. Tried to take it nice and easy.... pretty easy, since I suck at swimming. I actually ended up swimming longer than I have in probably a year. Not that says much, but I think being warmed up helped a lot.
Log 10/27
A: Zercher squat (I had a PVC pipe over the middle of the barbell - made it more comfortable to hold, but put the load out further in front of my midline, which made it much more difficult to move any appreciable amount of weight. I didn't choose it so much for the comfort as for the increased challenge to my core strength and balance. I'd really really really like to think I could have moved quite a bit more weight without it. Please let that be true. Please.)
w-upx5 44
w-upx3 64
w-upx2 88 (here's where it starts to get heavy. already. awesome.)
5x5 93 - 103 - 103 - 108 - 113
The zerchers actually felt better in the 4th and 5th set than in the 2nd and 3rd. I think my body was just adapting to the new movement. I know my ego still won't like my numbers for next week's 5x3, but I think I can get quite a bit more now that my body knows what to do.
B: Pause press w/purple bands
8x3 @ 33# - These were supposed to work initial speed out of the bottom - no rebound on 2nd and 3rd reps. My long arms did some funky things on the lock-out, and it was hard for me to keep the speed through, but the last few sets were starting to feel pretty decent. These should be a lot better next week, too.
C: Rope climbs
4x4 w/ foot lock, 90 sec. rest between sets - I've tried the foot lock a couple times before, without much luck. Went okay this time - my second set was a little sloppy and I jumped down a couple times instead of lowering, but the third and 4th were starting to feel a little more natural and the lowering was more fluid, too. I get a good lock in - just need to trust it more. The lowering still needs plenty of work.
D: Med-ball clean/wall ball (because our legs just really haven't done any work at all this week.)
3x20 (14#) w/60s rest between sets - Actually, not as bad as I thought in the lactic acid department, but metabolically I was a little wrecked at the end. Perfect, since we don't do conditioning on Wednesdays. Definitely not looking forward to 30s next week.
We also had on our program for today some supine glute-ham holds (whatever those are. my google-fu is too lazy to figure it out today.) and supine hip extensions, but ran out of time. With any luck, those will replace clean/wall balls next week. Fingers crossed.
w-upx5 44
w-upx3 64
w-upx2 88 (here's where it starts to get heavy. already. awesome.)
5x5 93 - 103 - 103 - 108 - 113
The zerchers actually felt better in the 4th and 5th set than in the 2nd and 3rd. I think my body was just adapting to the new movement. I know my ego still won't like my numbers for next week's 5x3, but I think I can get quite a bit more now that my body knows what to do.
B: Pause press w/purple bands
8x3 @ 33# - These were supposed to work initial speed out of the bottom - no rebound on 2nd and 3rd reps. My long arms did some funky things on the lock-out, and it was hard for me to keep the speed through, but the last few sets were starting to feel pretty decent. These should be a lot better next week, too.
C: Rope climbs
4x4 w/ foot lock, 90 sec. rest between sets - I've tried the foot lock a couple times before, without much luck. Went okay this time - my second set was a little sloppy and I jumped down a couple times instead of lowering, but the third and 4th were starting to feel a little more natural and the lowering was more fluid, too. I get a good lock in - just need to trust it more. The lowering still needs plenty of work.
D: Med-ball clean/wall ball (because our legs just really haven't done any work at all this week.)
3x20 (14#) w/60s rest between sets - Actually, not as bad as I thought in the lactic acid department, but metabolically I was a little wrecked at the end. Perfect, since we don't do conditioning on Wednesdays. Definitely not looking forward to 30s next week.
We also had on our program for today some supine glute-ham holds (whatever those are. my google-fu is too lazy to figure it out today.) and supine hip extensions, but ran out of time. With any luck, those will replace clean/wall balls next week. Fingers crossed.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Log 10/25
I decided today that I need to find a place to organize my paper copies of my log - at least the strength class sheets. Grabbed my old 1RM binder from the gym, took it out to the truck, and promptly broke it in half. WTF. So, I guess I'll be digging through the basement looking for a sturdier model in my old teaching stuff.
On a happier note, all the exercises changed this week. I'll miss a couple (sword pulls, single-arm push press, and yes - even you, bulgarian split squats!), but I get excited about new shit, so I was a little giddy reading over the new sheet today. Some look terribly fun (rope climbs! ring pushups!), and some just look terribly frightening (DB crossover step-ups - I don't know what you are, exactly, but I suspect we won't be friends). Looking forward to the new pain.
A: Hang power clean
w-upx5 64
w-upx3 74
w-upx2 88
5x3 110-125-132-142-147 Debated whether to do 147 or 154 - I think 147 was just right - 1st rep was ok, 2nd rep felt pretty decent, and the 3rd rep was bordering on slop. Next week is 5x2, and I think the 154 will be just right.
B: Box Squat
12x2 110 - 60 sec. rest
I've done these a couple times before, but without any real instruction. Took a couple sets to get the feel for it, but I like these and I can tell they'll make a difference in my squats. I need to remember to reach back to keep my shins perpendicular. I'm sure my knees could press out a little further, too.
C1: Ring pushups
3xmax reps 12-9-8 I had the rings set a little high (easier) the first set, then Ricky lowered them to box height before the second. It's hard to tell when to stop these - If I fail, I eat floor. Don't want to lose a tooth, but I don't want to sell myself short either. Tricky.
superset w/
C2: Strict pullups
3xmax reps 6-4-5
D1: DB supine shoulder ext/int rotation
10 @ 10#
10 @ 15# I probably should have stayed with the 10#. My shoulder capsules are fairly tight (not new information), so my shoulders kept raising off the floor. I definitely need to do some shoulder mobility work.
superset w/
D2: Glute-ham raises
6 (HARD! My legs forgot which muscles to fire when. Hamstring death.)
8 (Still tough, but more appropriately so.)
Stretched my glutes and hamstrings out pretty well while everyone else was finishing. My left glute/hip were bothering me all night, and I can tell that whole area is pretty knotted up. Quality time with the lacrosse ball and foam roller is definitely on the agenda tonight.
Conditioning:
not for time (but, as always, to beat Zack and whoever else is reasonably in reach)
4 rounds -
run to curb and back
20-15-10-5 ball slams (20#)
Couldn't catch Reba (or even come close), but I just managed to scrape past Shelley in the last round.
On a happier note, all the exercises changed this week. I'll miss a couple (sword pulls, single-arm push press, and yes - even you, bulgarian split squats!), but I get excited about new shit, so I was a little giddy reading over the new sheet today. Some look terribly fun (rope climbs! ring pushups!), and some just look terribly frightening (DB crossover step-ups - I don't know what you are, exactly, but I suspect we won't be friends). Looking forward to the new pain.
A: Hang power clean
w-upx5 64
w-upx3 74
w-upx2 88
5x3 110-125-132-142-147 Debated whether to do 147 or 154 - I think 147 was just right - 1st rep was ok, 2nd rep felt pretty decent, and the 3rd rep was bordering on slop. Next week is 5x2, and I think the 154 will be just right.
B: Box Squat
12x2 110 - 60 sec. rest
I've done these a couple times before, but without any real instruction. Took a couple sets to get the feel for it, but I like these and I can tell they'll make a difference in my squats. I need to remember to reach back to keep my shins perpendicular. I'm sure my knees could press out a little further, too.
C1: Ring pushups
3xmax reps 12-9-8 I had the rings set a little high (easier) the first set, then Ricky lowered them to box height before the second. It's hard to tell when to stop these - If I fail, I eat floor. Don't want to lose a tooth, but I don't want to sell myself short either. Tricky.
superset w/
C2: Strict pullups
3xmax reps 6-4-5
D1: DB supine shoulder ext/int rotation
10 @ 10#
10 @ 15# I probably should have stayed with the 10#. My shoulder capsules are fairly tight (not new information), so my shoulders kept raising off the floor. I definitely need to do some shoulder mobility work.
superset w/
D2: Glute-ham raises
6 (HARD! My legs forgot which muscles to fire when. Hamstring death.)
8 (Still tough, but more appropriately so.)
Stretched my glutes and hamstrings out pretty well while everyone else was finishing. My left glute/hip were bothering me all night, and I can tell that whole area is pretty knotted up. Quality time with the lacrosse ball and foam roller is definitely on the agenda tonight.
Conditioning:
not for time (but, as always, to beat Zack and whoever else is reasonably in reach)
4 rounds -
run to curb and back
20-15-10-5 ball slams (20#)
Couldn't catch Reba (or even come close), but I just managed to scrape past Shelley in the last round.
Log 10/22
A: Bench Press
w-upx5 74
w-upx3 88
w-upx2 98
5x3 110-120-132-142-154 (last set was tough, but I think I maybe could have squeezed out 1 more rep if I were going for max. exciting news, since this was my last 1RM!)
B: Split Jerk
w-upx3 88
4x6 115 - I was pooped, and the lowering was tough. Jon Day so helpfully suggested right before my 3rd set that it would be easier in the jerk rack. Why the hell didn't I think of that?! Since I was almost done, and the jerk rack was covered in stuff (reverse hyper, broken dumbbell, assorted clothing items, etc.), I just sucked it up and finished where I was.
Didn't have time to do my lunges, sword pulls, and good mornings. Intended to go in Sat. morning to finish those up and hit some conditioning, but the Fostersens' wedding festivities inspired me to sleep in and do nothing. Probably should have gone - didn't feel shitty, just lazy. Meh.
w-upx5 74
w-upx3 88
w-upx2 98
5x3 110-120-132-142-154 (last set was tough, but I think I maybe could have squeezed out 1 more rep if I were going for max. exciting news, since this was my last 1RM!)
B: Split Jerk
w-upx3 88
4x6 115 - I was pooped, and the lowering was tough. Jon Day so helpfully suggested right before my 3rd set that it would be easier in the jerk rack. Why the hell didn't I think of that?! Since I was almost done, and the jerk rack was covered in stuff (reverse hyper, broken dumbbell, assorted clothing items, etc.), I just sucked it up and finished where I was.
Didn't have time to do my lunges, sword pulls, and good mornings. Intended to go in Sat. morning to finish those up and hit some conditioning, but the Fostersens' wedding festivities inspired me to sleep in and do nothing. Probably should have gone - didn't feel shitty, just lazy. Meh.
10/20 Log
Last week we were working on one of the rentals, hustling to get it ready to sell, so I didn't have much time to keep up with the log. I'll catch up through today, and then I'll pretend to be able to promise that I'll keep up at least the rest of the week.
A: Front Squat (gamed my warm-up a little smarter this week)
w-upx5 88
w-upx3 98
w-upx2 110
5x3 120-132-142-154-164
B1: "Weighted dips" (ha! still not adding weight, but I DID do all 4 sets w/o assistance. My previous pr was 4 consecutive, so this was pretty damn exciting.)
4x6 strict!
superset w/
B2: Chest-supported rows
3x15 35#
C: Jumping bar dips (8th notches showing on rack)
3x30 1st set unbroken, 2nd = 22/8, 3rd = 15/8/7
D1: Seated DB power cleans
20 15#
20 20# (15 was too easy last week - not terribly easy this week, but thought I'd give 20# a whirl - it was HARD, but I got through them. 15# probably would have sufficed.
superset w/
D2: Band leg curls (boo! hiss! Still my least favorite.)
2x20 tan band
A: Front Squat (gamed my warm-up a little smarter this week)
w-upx5 88
w-upx3 98
w-upx2 110
5x3 120-132-142-154-164
B1: "Weighted dips" (ha! still not adding weight, but I DID do all 4 sets w/o assistance. My previous pr was 4 consecutive, so this was pretty damn exciting.)
4x6 strict!
superset w/
B2: Chest-supported rows
3x15 35#
C: Jumping bar dips (8th notches showing on rack)
3x30 1st set unbroken, 2nd = 22/8, 3rd = 15/8/7
D1: Seated DB power cleans
20 15#
20 20# (15 was too easy last week - not terribly easy this week, but thought I'd give 20# a whirl - it was HARD, but I got through them. 15# probably would have sufficed.
superset w/
D2: Band leg curls (boo! hiss! Still my least favorite.)
2x20 tan band
Monday, October 18, 2010
Log 10/18
Original titles, no?
Check it out - all caught up and just logging today! I'll get right to it, but I can't promise that I won't digress. A lot. By now, this should be no surprise.
Monday, Oct. 18
A: Clean DL from riser (blue bumper)
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 120
w-upx2 @ 154
5x2 @ 179 - 203 - 223 - 242 - 262
I was planning on 257 for the last set, but 242 felt really solid so I went for a little more. I probably could have gone up to 267, but form would have suffered just a bit. 262 felt pretty good.
B: Bulgarian Split Squat (finally feeling good about these - no hip flexor pain! only lost balance once!)
w-upx5ea @ 25
4x6ea @ 40 - 45 - 45 - 45
40 felt pretty easy. 45 felt decent, but probably could have gone up to 50 for at least one set.
C1: Single-arm DB Push Press
3x:25 ea @ 18r/19l - 21r/21l - 19r/18l
The first set I was just a little rusty, knocking down the cobwebs and all that. The 2nd set felt awesome, as the numbers might suggest. The last set, my arms were shot from a combination of the 2nd set and the inverted ring pullups.
superset w/
C2: Inverted ring pullups
3x15 w/ rings set at just above navel. feet were close enough to below the rings to put me at a pretty steep incline. I think I found just the right resistance - the first two sets were okay, and the last one was really tough, but just barely managed to go unbroken.
D1: DB Reverse Flys (just found out today I didn't have to do these unbroken. still awkward and hard, but less emotionally stressful.)
2x20 @ 8 (still humiliating to struggle with the smallest dumbbells in the gym. This is another exercise I really hope works, and quickly. I hate having glaring weaknesses. Weaknesses-in-progress are tolerable, sometimes even enjoyable if the progress is really noticeable. But weaknesses that aren't improving are annoying... annoying isn't quite strong enough, but I can't think of the right word just yet.)
superset w/
D2: Weighted Hip Extensions
2x10 @ 35 - still a little easy, but not quite too easy. 40 would have been just about right.
Conditioning:
3 rounds not for time:
jog length of gym and back twice
10 burpees
goal = just keep moving. Success. Took the opportunity to work on a little POSE technique (really starting to feel natural and easy) and, more importantly, my mental burpee game. Burpees mess with my head (a lot), but when I have a decent strategy I can manage them a little better. I usually change it just a little each time, trying to find the perfect head game. Tonight's was especially good. I thought of the landing from the jump as the first part of the drop to the floor - this kept me from pausing on the way down. It was pretty magic. If I can get my ass on the ground, I'll always come back up. So I focused on not pausing with my feet on the ground, and the rest just kind of took care of itself. Must. Remember. This. The reps and the intensity were low today, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of a whole new burpee world for me.
Came home and had a bacon-wrapped sirloin filet, a hot mess of roasted veggies (onions, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, guatemalan blue banana squash), and a couple glasses of cabernet. Now downstairs to watch a little Monday night sitcom with Josh and then early to bed. I'm looking forward to my massage and adjustment tomorrow. Not so much to the ceiling painting and other odds-and-ends I have to do at the rental.
Check it out - all caught up and just logging today! I'll get right to it, but I can't promise that I won't digress. A lot. By now, this should be no surprise.
Monday, Oct. 18
A: Clean DL from riser (blue bumper)
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 120
w-upx2 @ 154
5x2 @ 179 - 203 - 223 - 242 - 262
I was planning on 257 for the last set, but 242 felt really solid so I went for a little more. I probably could have gone up to 267, but form would have suffered just a bit. 262 felt pretty good.
B: Bulgarian Split Squat (finally feeling good about these - no hip flexor pain! only lost balance once!)
w-upx5ea @ 25
4x6ea @ 40 - 45 - 45 - 45
40 felt pretty easy. 45 felt decent, but probably could have gone up to 50 for at least one set.
C1: Single-arm DB Push Press
3x:25 ea @ 18r/19l - 21r/21l - 19r/18l
The first set I was just a little rusty, knocking down the cobwebs and all that. The 2nd set felt awesome, as the numbers might suggest. The last set, my arms were shot from a combination of the 2nd set and the inverted ring pullups.
superset w/
C2: Inverted ring pullups
3x15 w/ rings set at just above navel. feet were close enough to below the rings to put me at a pretty steep incline. I think I found just the right resistance - the first two sets were okay, and the last one was really tough, but just barely managed to go unbroken.
D1: DB Reverse Flys (just found out today I didn't have to do these unbroken. still awkward and hard, but less emotionally stressful.)
2x20 @ 8 (still humiliating to struggle with the smallest dumbbells in the gym. This is another exercise I really hope works, and quickly. I hate having glaring weaknesses. Weaknesses-in-progress are tolerable, sometimes even enjoyable if the progress is really noticeable. But weaknesses that aren't improving are annoying... annoying isn't quite strong enough, but I can't think of the right word just yet.)
superset w/
D2: Weighted Hip Extensions
2x10 @ 35 - still a little easy, but not quite too easy. 40 would have been just about right.
Conditioning:
3 rounds not for time:
jog length of gym and back twice
10 burpees
goal = just keep moving. Success. Took the opportunity to work on a little POSE technique (really starting to feel natural and easy) and, more importantly, my mental burpee game. Burpees mess with my head (a lot), but when I have a decent strategy I can manage them a little better. I usually change it just a little each time, trying to find the perfect head game. Tonight's was especially good. I thought of the landing from the jump as the first part of the drop to the floor - this kept me from pausing on the way down. It was pretty magic. If I can get my ass on the ground, I'll always come back up. So I focused on not pausing with my feet on the ground, and the rest just kind of took care of itself. Must. Remember. This. The reps and the intensity were low today, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of a whole new burpee world for me.
Came home and had a bacon-wrapped sirloin filet, a hot mess of roasted veggies (onions, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, guatemalan blue banana squash), and a couple glasses of cabernet. Now downstairs to watch a little Monday night sitcom with Josh and then early to bed. I'm looking forward to my massage and adjustment tomorrow. Not so much to the ceiling painting and other odds-and-ends I have to do at the rental.
Log 10/11-10/15
I was hoping to be caught up to day-by-day logging by last week, but life got busy. So I'll catch up through Week 3 and then I'll be set to go. I'll skip the chit-chat and get right to it.
Also of note, I'm sadly caught up on my regular podcast listening, so I'm listening to All Things Considered. I don't have a radio in my truck, and I sometimes forget how much I miss the voices on NPR. Hint: it's a lot.
Monday, Oct. 11
A: Clean Deadlift from riser (blue bumper)
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 110
w-upx2 @ 147
3x5 @ 174 - 198 - 218 - 235 - 252
1st 2 work sets superset w/unbroken knees-to-elbows touching toes-to-bar (pull the knees all the way through until the foot hits the bar)
10 - 8
B: Bulgarian Split Squat
w-upx 5 ea @ 25
4x12 ea @ 25
C1: Single-arm DB push press (35#)
3x25 sec ea arm 17r/17l - 17r/17l - 19r/18l
superset w/
C2: Inverted ring pullups
3x12 - I set the rings so my body was at a decent incline in hopes of getting them unbroken. No dice. Got 11/1 the 2nd round, and the 3rd round I stopped FOUR TIMES and raised the rings twice. Brutal.
D1: DB Reverse Flys (awkward)
2x15 @ 8#
D2: Weighted Hip Extensions
2x8 @ 30#
Conditioning: Mini-mini-Disposable Heroes WOD minus a bunch of lunges
400 m run
15ish m walking lunges (supposed to be 40. I declined.)
25 knees-to-elbows (KTE)
25 pushups
25 burpee-pullups
8:58 - Doing my burpee-pullups next to Ricky (even though he finished when I was on #7... and he did all the lunges... and we used the same height bar even though he's approximately 1/3 my height) definitely helped me stay on-task. Because I really wanted to quit after #2.
Wednesday, Oct. 13
A: Front Squat
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 110 (x5 - oops! it's been a while since I've front squatted, so apparently I got a little excited)
w-upx2 @ 120
5x5 @ 125 - 132 - 142 - 154 - 142
I probably didn't game my weights quite right. I had no idea what I'd be able to do for 5. My squat clean 1RM is only 154, but that's well over a year old. And how exactly that would translate anyways is a mystery to me. 154 felt damn hard. I wouldn't have gotten that again, but I maybe could have hit 147 for the last set. The last set of 142 felt just easy enough to make me think I could have gotten a little more.
B1: Weighted Dips
4x12 w/ tan band held at 2" from end (and hitched over other ring)
superset w/
B2: Chest-supported rows
4x12 @ 35#
C: Jumping Bar Dips (too. much. fun.)
3x20 w/ bar on power rack set at 8 notches up
Loved the jumping bar dips. The last set was unbroken - it was that rare magical combination of exhausting and exhilirating.
D1: Seated DB power cleans
2x15 @ 15# - still too easy. next time, this goes up in reps, but I think I'll go up in weight, too
superset w/
D2: Face-down band leg curls (I was really hoping this one would go away)
2x15 w/tan
The first set was relatively easy, but the second set was slow and painful. I hope these damn things do magical things for my hamstrings, because these make me hate life.
Friday, Oct. 15
A: Bench Press (Fa-fa-fa-favorite)
w-upx5 @ 64
w-upx3 @ 74
w-upx2 @ 93
5x5 @ 103 - 115 - 125 - 132 - 142
I may or may not be low-balling myself on bench. The last set is always tough, but I usually feel like I could have squeezed out 5 more pounds. Either way, I always feel more satisfied after benching than after any other lift. Plus, any exercise I can do while sitting or, even better, lying down (bench! rowing!), I'm all over it. I like to exert as little effort as possible whilst working out. (Hey - remember when I said I wasn't going to chat? I was going to be all business? Here's where that officially goes off the tracks.)
B: Split Jerk (Almost as favorite as bench. Best day ever.)
w-upx3 @ 64
4x6 @ 110
The goal here is speed under the bar, which is a weakness for me in all my Oly lifts. I had a few slow, sloppy jerks here and there, but overall I was happy with my performance. The jerks felt pretty light, but my arms were all swolled up from bench and lowering the bar for the next rep was HARD.
C: Walking DB Lateral Lunges
3x10ea @ 20 - 25 - 25
These. sucked. I was supposed to use 35#, but my jankety right knee had other ideas. On the second rep, My leg bones went one direction, and my kneecap when the other, trying like hell to wrench all the surrounding tendons and ligaments with it. I bailed before it did any real damage, but it shook me up a little. Took a little break and then came back with the 20s. Way too easy. I felt nothing. The 25s weren't much better, but I didn't want to push it if my knee was going to be all dainty and shit. Better luck next time.
D1: DB Sword Pulls (If it weren't for those damn lunges, today would be capital-P Perfect.)
2x14 @ 15#
superset w/
D2: Band Good Mornings
2x12 w/ green and purple (these get more awesome every week)
Conditioning:
3 rds not for time:
7 yds leg drag (seal walk)
10 air squats
This was supposed to be 5 rds, but my core pooped out quickly, I was moving the opposite of quickly. This was really tough. I really should have toughed out the last 2 rounds, but I had to shower and get to work. Convenient excuses. :)
Saturday, Oct. 16
Team Tire Fun
In teams of 4, get as many flips as possible (AMFAP? I like it.) in 3 min. at each tire. My team was fairly stacked - me and 3 big dudes (including my husband and this guy*) - and I really like winning, so this as doubly fun. We went 2 people on each side and just flipped it back and forth.
Wrapped it up with 1 trip through with burpee-tire jumps.
Spent the rest of the weekend at one of the rentals houses - mudding, sanding, and painting. So. Much. Painting. My forearms are still jacked. Nothing a little cabernet won't solve.
Also of note, I'm sadly caught up on my regular podcast listening, so I'm listening to All Things Considered. I don't have a radio in my truck, and I sometimes forget how much I miss the voices on NPR. Hint: it's a lot.
Monday, Oct. 11
A: Clean Deadlift from riser (blue bumper)
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 110
w-upx2 @ 147
3x5 @ 174 - 198 - 218 - 235 - 252
1st 2 work sets superset w/unbroken knees-to-elbows touching toes-to-bar (pull the knees all the way through until the foot hits the bar)
10 - 8
B: Bulgarian Split Squat
w-upx 5 ea @ 25
4x12 ea @ 25
C1: Single-arm DB push press (35#)
3x25 sec ea arm 17r/17l - 17r/17l - 19r/18l
superset w/
C2: Inverted ring pullups
3x12 - I set the rings so my body was at a decent incline in hopes of getting them unbroken. No dice. Got 11/1 the 2nd round, and the 3rd round I stopped FOUR TIMES and raised the rings twice. Brutal.
D1: DB Reverse Flys (awkward)
2x15 @ 8#
D2: Weighted Hip Extensions
2x8 @ 30#
Conditioning: Mini-mini-Disposable Heroes WOD minus a bunch of lunges
400 m run
15ish m walking lunges (supposed to be 40. I declined.)
25 knees-to-elbows (KTE)
25 pushups
25 burpee-pullups
8:58 - Doing my burpee-pullups next to Ricky (even though he finished when I was on #7... and he did all the lunges... and we used the same height bar even though he's approximately 1/3 my height) definitely helped me stay on-task. Because I really wanted to quit after #2.
Wednesday, Oct. 13
A: Front Squat
w-upx5 @ 88
w-upx3 @ 110 (x5 - oops! it's been a while since I've front squatted, so apparently I got a little excited)
w-upx2 @ 120
5x5 @ 125 - 132 - 142 - 154 - 142
I probably didn't game my weights quite right. I had no idea what I'd be able to do for 5. My squat clean 1RM is only 154, but that's well over a year old. And how exactly that would translate anyways is a mystery to me. 154 felt damn hard. I wouldn't have gotten that again, but I maybe could have hit 147 for the last set. The last set of 142 felt just easy enough to make me think I could have gotten a little more.
B1: Weighted Dips
4x12 w/ tan band held at 2" from end (and hitched over other ring)
superset w/
B2: Chest-supported rows
4x12 @ 35#
C: Jumping Bar Dips (too. much. fun.)
3x20 w/ bar on power rack set at 8 notches up
Loved the jumping bar dips. The last set was unbroken - it was that rare magical combination of exhausting and exhilirating.
D1: Seated DB power cleans
2x15 @ 15# - still too easy. next time, this goes up in reps, but I think I'll go up in weight, too
superset w/
D2: Face-down band leg curls (I was really hoping this one would go away)
2x15 w/tan
The first set was relatively easy, but the second set was slow and painful. I hope these damn things do magical things for my hamstrings, because these make me hate life.
Friday, Oct. 15
A: Bench Press (Fa-fa-fa-favorite)
w-upx5 @ 64
w-upx3 @ 74
w-upx2 @ 93
5x5 @ 103 - 115 - 125 - 132 - 142
I may or may not be low-balling myself on bench. The last set is always tough, but I usually feel like I could have squeezed out 5 more pounds. Either way, I always feel more satisfied after benching than after any other lift. Plus, any exercise I can do while sitting or, even better, lying down (bench! rowing!), I'm all over it. I like to exert as little effort as possible whilst working out. (Hey - remember when I said I wasn't going to chat? I was going to be all business? Here's where that officially goes off the tracks.)
B: Split Jerk (Almost as favorite as bench. Best day ever.)
w-upx3 @ 64
4x6 @ 110
The goal here is speed under the bar, which is a weakness for me in all my Oly lifts. I had a few slow, sloppy jerks here and there, but overall I was happy with my performance. The jerks felt pretty light, but my arms were all swolled up from bench and lowering the bar for the next rep was HARD.
C: Walking DB Lateral Lunges
3x10ea @ 20 - 25 - 25
These. sucked. I was supposed to use 35#, but my jankety right knee had other ideas. On the second rep, My leg bones went one direction, and my kneecap when the other, trying like hell to wrench all the surrounding tendons and ligaments with it. I bailed before it did any real damage, but it shook me up a little. Took a little break and then came back with the 20s. Way too easy. I felt nothing. The 25s weren't much better, but I didn't want to push it if my knee was going to be all dainty and shit. Better luck next time.
D1: DB Sword Pulls (If it weren't for those damn lunges, today would be capital-P Perfect.)
2x14 @ 15#
superset w/
D2: Band Good Mornings
2x12 w/ green and purple (these get more awesome every week)
Conditioning:
3 rds not for time:
7 yds leg drag (seal walk)
10 air squats
This was supposed to be 5 rds, but my core pooped out quickly, I was moving the opposite of quickly. This was really tough. I really should have toughed out the last 2 rounds, but I had to shower and get to work. Convenient excuses. :)
Saturday, Oct. 16
Team Tire Fun
In teams of 4, get as many flips as possible (AMFAP? I like it.) in 3 min. at each tire. My team was fairly stacked - me and 3 big dudes (including my husband and this guy*) - and I really like winning, so this as doubly fun. We went 2 people on each side and just flipped it back and forth.
Wrapped it up with 1 trip through with burpee-tire jumps.
Spent the rest of the weekend at one of the rentals houses - mudding, sanding, and painting. So. Much. Painting. My forearms are still jacked. Nothing a little cabernet won't solve.
Friday, October 15, 2010
10/4-10/8 Log
The second week of Barbell II was just as exciting, and way less painful. Win. Here's the synopsis...
Monday, Oct. 4
A: Power clean
warmupx5 @ 64#
w-upx3 @ 88#
w-upx2 @ 98#
Rest 3 min b/w sets :
5x2 @ 110 - 120 - 132 - 147 - 157#
That last set at 157# was a little sloppy - when power cleans feel heavy, I start to catch with my knees kind of turned in a little, and with my body a little crooked. I got under it fine, and I stood it up without trouble, but it wasn't prett.
B: Bulgarian split squat
w-upx5 ea @ 25#
Rest 2 min b/w sets:
4x8 ea @ 35#
So much easier this week! The first week, my balance was off and I kept having to bring my back foot down to catch myself. What a difference a week makes - still a little wobbly and they were tough, but by the last set I was cranking the little turds out. And the resulting muscle soreness wasn't even a fraction of what I had the first week.
C1: Single arm DB bench press
Rest 1 min b/w sets:
3x15 @ 30#
superset w/
C2: Weighted kip pullups
3xmax reps:
10 w/20# vest
8 w/20# vest
9 w/20# vest
The vest made a huge difference - not having to worry about holding onto the dumbbell allowed my legs to do their thing during the kip.
D1: Kneeling band scarecrows
2x20 w/purple bands (still awkward. Learning to live with that.)
superset w/
D2: Weighted hip extensions
2x10 w/20# DB (still. too. light. Sad problem to have, right?)
Wednesday, Oct. 6
A: Back Squat
w-upx5 @ 88#
w-upx3 @ 98#
w-upx2 @ 115#
5x3 @ 130 - 142 - 159 - 175 - 190#
B1: Weighted Dips
4x8 w/purple 1" - 1/2 purple 1"x2 - 1/2 purple 2" (" = number of inches held from end of band; 1/2 = knees just in one strand of the band)
superset w/
B2: Chest Supported Rows
4x10 @ 35#
C: DB Thrusters (35# for time)
3x12 - :24 - :29 - :27
The extra 2 reps really threw me. The first round felt awesome. The second set, I dropped a dumbbell on the way up and almost fell over. The third round was just capital-H Hard.
D1: Seated DB power cleans
2x12 @ 15# (a little tougher toward the end of the set, but still not terrible)
superset w/
D2: Face-down band leg curls (ow.)
2x20 w/ purple band - still letting those hips come up.
Conditioning: 6 prowler sprints w/40# in the driveway. Tons of fun. Loved watching Zack's son, Owen, riding the prowler - fearless!
Friday, Oct. 8
A: Press
w-upx5 @ 44
w-upx3 @ 54
5x3 @ 64 - 74 - 79 - 88 - 93x2 (fail)
I let the bar go out around my head on the last set, and that was the end of that. Rested a while and then tried again, but didn't get it off my shoulders once - arms were shot! Need to take smaller jumps week-to-week, I think.
B: Hang Split Snatch
w-upx3 @ 44
4x6 @ 49
Love, love, love these. Getting under FAST is definitely something I need to work on, and I can tell this is helping. Still not as consistent as I'd like, but improving!
C: DB Step-ups (22" box)
3x12ea @ 35 - 30 - 25
D1: DB Sword Pulls
2x12ea @ 15# (These feel badass.)
D2: Band Good Mornings
2x15 w/green band (These were a little tricky the first week, but even with the added reps it was far easier this time around.)
Conditioning:
5 sets
Unbroken double-unders
Rest 2 min.
50 - 41 - 28 - 62 - 11 = 192 total
I could have kept going the first round, but wanted to 'save' my shoulders for the other rounds. In retrospect, I wish I had just gone all out - that set felt money and I think I could have hit a big number.
Saturday, Oct. 9
CFO Ultimate Med-Ball @ Lewis and Clark
My team lost all 3 games, but we had some good plays and an awesome time. I was feeling like death when I got up that morning, but I felt so much better by the end. The running got my body warmed up and helped clear out some sinus shit.
Went out for Crystal's birthday that night, and underwent what I'm calling a "vodka cleanse." Call me crazy, but I think it was good for me. Sunday morning I woke up with clear sinuses and a decent amount of energy considering the late night.
Monday, Oct. 4
A: Power clean
warmupx5 @ 64#
w-upx3 @ 88#
w-upx2 @ 98#
Rest 3 min b/w sets :
5x2 @ 110 - 120 - 132 - 147 - 157#
That last set at 157# was a little sloppy - when power cleans feel heavy, I start to catch with my knees kind of turned in a little, and with my body a little crooked. I got under it fine, and I stood it up without trouble, but it wasn't prett.
B: Bulgarian split squat
w-upx5 ea @ 25#
Rest 2 min b/w sets:
4x8 ea @ 35#
So much easier this week! The first week, my balance was off and I kept having to bring my back foot down to catch myself. What a difference a week makes - still a little wobbly and they were tough, but by the last set I was cranking the little turds out. And the resulting muscle soreness wasn't even a fraction of what I had the first week.
C1: Single arm DB bench press
Rest 1 min b/w sets:
3x15 @ 30#
superset w/
C2: Weighted kip pullups
3xmax reps:
10 w/20# vest
8 w/20# vest
9 w/20# vest
The vest made a huge difference - not having to worry about holding onto the dumbbell allowed my legs to do their thing during the kip.
D1: Kneeling band scarecrows
2x20 w/purple bands (still awkward. Learning to live with that.)
superset w/
D2: Weighted hip extensions
2x10 w/20# DB (still. too. light. Sad problem to have, right?)
Wednesday, Oct. 6
A: Back Squat
w-upx5 @ 88#
w-upx3 @ 98#
w-upx2 @ 115#
5x3 @ 130 - 142 - 159 - 175 - 190#
B1: Weighted Dips
4x8 w/purple 1" - 1/2 purple 1"x2 - 1/2 purple 2" (" = number of inches held from end of band; 1/2 = knees just in one strand of the band)
superset w/
B2: Chest Supported Rows
4x10 @ 35#
C: DB Thrusters (35# for time)
3x12 - :24 - :29 - :27
The extra 2 reps really threw me. The first round felt awesome. The second set, I dropped a dumbbell on the way up and almost fell over. The third round was just capital-H Hard.
D1: Seated DB power cleans
2x12 @ 15# (a little tougher toward the end of the set, but still not terrible)
superset w/
D2: Face-down band leg curls (ow.)
2x20 w/ purple band - still letting those hips come up.
Conditioning: 6 prowler sprints w/40# in the driveway. Tons of fun. Loved watching Zack's son, Owen, riding the prowler - fearless!
Friday, Oct. 8
A: Press
w-upx5 @ 44
w-upx3 @ 54
5x3 @ 64 - 74 - 79 - 88 - 93x2 (fail)
I let the bar go out around my head on the last set, and that was the end of that. Rested a while and then tried again, but didn't get it off my shoulders once - arms were shot! Need to take smaller jumps week-to-week, I think.
B: Hang Split Snatch
w-upx3 @ 44
4x6 @ 49
Love, love, love these. Getting under FAST is definitely something I need to work on, and I can tell this is helping. Still not as consistent as I'd like, but improving!
C: DB Step-ups (22" box)
3x12ea @ 35 - 30 - 25
D1: DB Sword Pulls
2x12ea @ 15# (These feel badass.)
D2: Band Good Mornings
2x15 w/green band (These were a little tricky the first week, but even with the added reps it was far easier this time around.)
Conditioning:
5 sets
Unbroken double-unders
Rest 2 min.
50 - 41 - 28 - 62 - 11 = 192 total
I could have kept going the first round, but wanted to 'save' my shoulders for the other rounds. In retrospect, I wish I had just gone all out - that set felt money and I think I could have hit a big number.
Saturday, Oct. 9
CFO Ultimate Med-Ball @ Lewis and Clark
My team lost all 3 games, but we had some good plays and an awesome time. I was feeling like death when I got up that morning, but I felt so much better by the end. The running got my body warmed up and helped clear out some sinus shit.
Went out for Crystal's birthday that night, and underwent what I'm calling a "vodka cleanse." Call me crazy, but I think it was good for me. Sunday morning I woke up with clear sinuses and a decent amount of energy considering the late night.
Dietary Indiscretions
Eventually I plan to start keeping a more detailed food log, but not yet. I'm focusing on finding a nice balance between solid, clean food and still indulging when I want. I have kicked gluten to the curb for now because it makes me feel like death, but I'm enjoying a little cheese and sugar now and then.
What I DO want to do for now is just keep track of foods that cause noticeable differences in my mood, energy, performance, and just how I feel - whether those differences are awesome or not-so-awesome.
Yesterday was not-so-awesome.
I went to Columbus, NE, yesterday with my mom to install a tree she built for Columbus High's art club. The weather was perfect, and the students were awesome. (One is a powerlifter. How cool is she, you ask? Really, really cool, I reply.) On the way out of Omaha we stopped through the Jimmy John's drive thru for a double-meat #12 unwich. Forgot to ask for no cheese, but it wasn't a big deal. Probably would have felt better without it, but I didn't really notice anything.
For dinner, though, we hit Applebee's in Columbus. Not the easiest place to get clean food, but Mom was paying and I figured I'd find something decent. Got the steak fajita skillet - steak, veggies, sour cream, salsa, and I added guac. I would skip the tortillas and rice and use just a little of the cheese. Easy, right? Meh. The steak and veggies were covered in a sauce - it was fairly tasty, I guess, but loaded with sugar and salt. The side of guac was miniscule, but it was just okay so I wasn't too disappointed.
The after-effects were far from disastrous, but not exactly ideal. When we left, I was super-thirsty and had a weird, mild stomachache. This morning woke up with the same stomachache and thirst, plus some bonus bloating and gassy feelings. Hit a solid breakfast of eggs, apple, and almond butter, and by 8 or so things were mostly back to normal. Now I'm devouring a tasty lunch of grass-fed ground beef sauteed with brussel sprouts, garlic, and onion with some roasted squash (guatemalan blue banana squash from my garden). It might just be in my head, but I swear I can feel the omega-3s pumping through my veins fixing me up.
For dinner, though, we hit Applebee's in Columbus. Not the easiest place to get clean food, but Mom was paying and I figured I'd find something decent. Got the steak fajita skillet - steak, veggies, sour cream, salsa, and I added guac. I would skip the tortillas and rice and use just a little of the cheese. Easy, right? Meh. The steak and veggies were covered in a sauce - it was fairly tasty, I guess, but loaded with sugar and salt. The side of guac was miniscule, but it was just okay so I wasn't too disappointed.
The after-effects were far from disastrous, but not exactly ideal. When we left, I was super-thirsty and had a weird, mild stomachache. This morning woke up with the same stomachache and thirst, plus some bonus bloating and gassy feelings. Hit a solid breakfast of eggs, apple, and almond butter, and by 8 or so things were mostly back to normal. Now I'm devouring a tasty lunch of grass-fed ground beef sauteed with brussel sprouts, garlic, and onion with some roasted squash (guatemalan blue banana squash from my garden). It might just be in my head, but I swear I can feel the omega-3s pumping through my veins fixing me up.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Catching Up
I've been meaning to get a training log going for a while, and after 3 years of "meaning to" it's become clear that it's not going to happen with pen and paper. Since I decided to do my damnedest to qualify for the 2011 Games, I think it's probably a good idea to finally get my act together so I can track my progress and see what's working.
Coincidentally, I also enjoy spending way too much time listening to podcasts and watching CrossFit videos. Up to now, I've been 'multitasking' by also playing stupid online games. (What's up, Facebook apps and zylom.com?) Well, I've finally connected the dots. Post my training log here whilst listening/watching. And give my hands a break from the hours I've spent playing Burger Shop 2. (note: I just took a break to start an episode of CF Radio and play a game of BS2. Lame.)
(Couldn't I just write it down on paper whilst listening/watching, you ask? Sure. But that's no fun.)
In any case, here's a recap of training since the 2010 Games.
End of July/Early August:
After the Games, I gave myself a mental break (physically, I didn't feel too wrecked, but I was mentally drained from the pre-Games training, the travel, and the competition itself) and just showed up to CF classes when I liked the day's workout and felt like doing something. I didn't keep any record, but I'd guess I went in 3 or 4 days a week or so, and probably kind of half-assed a lot of the workouts. It felt great to relax and enjoy myself, but I knew that I wanted to make a run at qualifying as an individual for 2011, so I was mentally preparing myself to start thinking about how to train for that - making mental lists of weaknesses, etc.
Barbell I:
I don't have most of my log for Barbell I, and this is going to be plenty long as it is, so I'll just post an overview and my thoughts.
I signed up for Ricky's Barbell I class in August. It was an 8-week class comprised of 2 4-week cycles of his 15 program. I'm somewhat familiar with Rip and Wendler's programs, but had never really followed any dedicated strength program before. I liked the way the two were combined, and I always enjoy an opportunity to bench more. There was also self-selected assistance work - 2-4 exercises per day. The schedule broke down like this : Monday = Press, ring rows, weighted dips; Wednesday = Deadlift, pistols, glute-ham raises; Friday = Squat and Bench. I don't remember my Friday assistance work - I know I played a little with reverse hypers and did some chest-to-ring pullups, but didn't record anything for some reason.
I signed up for Ricky's Barbell I class in August. It was an 8-week class comprised of 2 4-week cycles of his 15 program. I'm somewhat familiar with Rip and Wendler's programs, but had never really followed any dedicated strength program before. I liked the way the two were combined, and I always enjoy an opportunity to bench more. There was also self-selected assistance work - 2-4 exercises per day. The schedule broke down like this : Monday = Press, ring rows, weighted dips; Wednesday = Deadlift, pistols, glute-ham raises; Friday = Squat and Bench. I don't remember my Friday assistance work - I know I played a little with reverse hypers and did some chest-to-ring pullups, but didn't record anything for some reason.
I definitely saw a lot of improvement in my technique for all 4 lifts, and a big increase in strength on the bench press. (Not surprising - my upper body strength, like most women, lags far behind my lower body.) I suspect my squat increased a bit, too, but didn't get a max set the last week due to a hip injury. While I enjoyed learning the assistance work, I don't feel like I really knew enough about how to choose the exercises and the sets/reps. Surprisingly, I'm not sure I got as much out of it as I could have. Overall, I thought 15 was great, but not necessarily the best for my lazy, unfocused personality.
Barbell II is the new Barbell I (9/29 -10/1 log)
I. Love. Barbell II. I'm not a fan of routine, so changing up the lifts and some of the assistance work every two weeks has been keeping me a little more motivated. The assistance work is much more structured, and I definitely notice a difference. (One of the things I love most about CrossFit is not having to make any decisions myself if I don't want to. I show up, someone tells me what to do, I talk back, and then I usually do it.) I'm more sore than I ever was in the first class, but I'm also more excited about training and I think I'll see better results. Here's the log from Week 1:
Monday, Sept. 29
A: Power clean
warmupx5 @ 64#
w-upx3 @ 88#
w-upx2 @ 98#
Rest 3 min b/w sets :
5x3 @ 110 - 120 - 132 - 142 - 154# - need to get under faster! (story of my oly life)
B: Bulgarian split squat (These DESTROYED me for the entire week - I remember reading a comment on a blog recently something along the lines of "they're excruciatingly painful, but you can feel yourself getting stronger while you do them." I can't say I disagree.)
w-upx5 ea @ 20#
Rest 2 min b/w sets:
4x10 ea @ 30#
C1: Single arm DB bench press
Rest 1 min b/w sets:
3x12 @ 20#
superset w/
C2: Weighted kip pullups
3xmax reps:
7 w/20# DB
6 w/20# DB (dumbbell dropped, or would have had more)
8 w/15# DB
D1: Kneeling band scarecrows
2x15 w/purple bands (really hard!! no surprise there - my shoulder strength is way out of balance - definitely need to keep working this)
superset w/
D2: Weighted hip extensions
2x8 w/15# DB (these were way too light - I'm still learning how to judge what to expect from myself)
Wednesday, Sept. 30
A: Back Squat
w-upx5 @ 80#
w-upx3 @ 99#
w-upx2 @ 110#
5x5 @ 120 - 137 - 154 - 169 - 184#
B1: Weighted Dips (words of wisdom from Ricky: "You have to go from shit to suck before you can get to average." And how.)
w-upx5 w/blue band
4x10 w/tan 2" - tan 2" - tan 1" - tan 1" (" = number of inches held from end of band)
superset w/
B2: Chest Supported Rows
w-upx5 @ 30#
4x8 @35#
C: DB Thrusters (35# for time)
3x10 :22 - :24 - :23 (Not nearly as bad as I expected.... this week. The next Wednesday had a little more fallout... literally.)
D1: Seated DB power cleans (Ricky warned us to start super light, and it would still be hard. I love it when he's wrong.)
2x10 @ 8# (too light!) - 10# (still too light!)
superset w/
D2: Face-down band leg curls (ow.)
2x15 w/ purple band - need to remember to keep hips down!!
Friday, Oct. 1
A: Press
w-upx5 @ 44
w-upx3 @ 49
5x5 @ 54 - 64 - 74 - 79 - 88
B: Hang Split Snatch (FUN!)
w-upx3 @ 33
w-upx3 @ 38
4x6 @ 43
C: DB Step-ups (22" box)
3x10ea @ 35 - 30 - 25
D1: DB Sword Pulls
2x10ea @ 15#
D2: Band Good Mornings
2x12 w/green band
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