Ugh, barf.

With this heatwave, I think we are getting a sense of how Josey feels during her workouts.

As I did my workout, I toyed with possible titles for my post. At first, the title said something about "run", then I changed it to something highlighting "heat"... but finally settled on a more visceral description. The workout was extremely, er, taxing.

I did this before, at Easter. I think my total time is comparable, a few runs faster (the mile), one was slower (1200m), though I have a nagging feeling I misremembered the route on that one. Anyway (previous results in parentheses):

Run
1600 m = 6:56 (6:59)
rest 3 min
1200 m = 5:52 (5:46)
rest 2 min
800 m = 3:25 (3:29)
rest 1 min
400 m = 1:43 (1:47)

Total = 23:56 (24:01)

I'm not sure if 5 seconds total faster than last time is actually true... That tiny margin can certainly be attributed to human error. Nonetheless, given that the temperature was in the neighbourhood of 15 degrees hotter today than last time (plus beating sun and humidity), shall we give me the benefit of the doubt and call it an improvement?

Oh yeah, and I finished with 56 push-ups (in leisurely sets of 8) while Tim played naked in the backyard.

Cherry picked WOD

I check the Crossfit site regularly to get ideas for workouts, but rarely do them full-on, and even only occasionally do them carefully scaled. I admit to cherry picking the ones that suit me. Like today. It was just what I like!

4 rounds for time:
Run 400 m
50 squats

My time: 14:20.

(I like that my time is within the range of what people are posting on the crossfit site.)

I want to try to remember to come back to this one, because I think I can do it faster. I was able to do each set of 400's at about the same speed (1:43 give or take a couple seconds); same with each set of squats (1:10). I took 15-20 seconds off between each exercise, and I wonder what would happen if I didn't. In other words, I could've tried harder!

Also, I did 30 or 35 push-ups afterward in sets of 5, superset with gardening.

Jerry runs and rows

Today was an experiment to see if Jerry is good for DOMS:

Run 1 mile (7:10)
Row 2K (9:15)
Run 1 mile (7:55)
= 28.5 ish (including breaks between)

I didn't have a watch to track the time I spent between exercises, but I estimate about 2 minutes between. Time for a sip of water and to move between treadmill and erg.

Given that I didn't feel completely killed after this, I think I could shave a minute or two off the total time. Rest less, and definitely run the 2nd mile faster.

A go at Annie before breakfast

Double unders(tuck jumps) and situps 50-40-30-20-10 rep rounds for time

total - 15:09

finished with
max rep push-ups: 9 from feet (shocked the heck out of me!) 15 from knees
bench dips: 9

now free to trapse around the market, and stop for a tasty bevvie leaving annie as only a memory. I will come back to her. She's the only one who doesn't ask for a bar or pull ups. Classy lady.

When I saw the Crossfit WOD today

I was actually excited. Now, not so much.
For time:
50 x 24 inch box jumps (did 40 as I got the boot from the room, fucking yoga nazi bitch).
50 pull ups (did 30 strict, 5 chins, 15 jumping pull ups)
50 25 lb db swings (1 POOD?)
50 walking lunges
50 Knees to elbows (did sit ups)
50 45 lb push press
50 wall ball toss, 20 lb ball (did 50 thrusters with 20 lb bar, throwing the bar violently upward)
50 burpees (did 25 as the bile was rising)
50 double unders (did 25 tuck jumps because of fucking yoga nazi bitch and time was running out. andiwastired.)

time = 31:44. Not quite like the super people.

Excuse me

I burpeed.

Ha. Ha ha ha.

Oh be quiet. I spent my days with a semi-verbal being who thinks it's hilarious when I make animal sounds.

When Josey posted about burpees, I thought "Hmm." Or rather "Hmm!" And then the very next day, I checked out the WOD and there they were!

Plans for the gym fell through, so I had to wait until naptime to do this one. In lieu of the 150 double-unders, I did 75 tuck jumps plus regular skipping for the amount of time it took to do the 75 (4:15 min, it turned out).

So:

Row 500 m (2:04)
75 tuck jumps
4:15 min skipping
50 burpees
= 17:45

Man, I SUCK at burpees. Even going slow enough to attempt an adherence to proper form results in only a vague resemblance to the real thing. They were hard though, and I guess that's what counts. I did them pretty much 5 at a time, and the push-up part from the knees. Though next time I'd try regular push-ups for as long as possible.

I'm also very out of practice in the skipping department. But it's good therapy for certain muscles that are still recovering from that little incident we occasionally refer to as "childbirth".

nicole

i did nicole tonight but i don't like her.

400m run/max rep pull-ups As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 20 minutes.

but first i worked on the cleans:
95x5, 115x5, 125x5, 130x5. next time add another set at 132.

nicole.
6 rounds. total of 18 pull-ups. 3 per round. i thought i could do more but somehow my third kip always killed the momentum.
my speeds were 10, 10, 9, 9, 8, 8 mph on the dreadmill.

Easter crossfit run

We do like the run-based crossfit workouts because we can not only run them as prescribed, but also because our results are not far off what real crossfitters are posting (in fact we often find ourselves mid-pack0. Makes us feel like we're not as wimpy as our press numbers show. :-)

So, on Easter Sunday, Overunder and I took turns running this:

1600 m, rest 3 min
1200 m, rest 2 min
800 m, rest 1 min
400 m

We mapped the routes and came up with the following results:

Overunder:
6:26
5:19
3:17
1:37
Total = 22:37 (including rests)

Hedda
6:59 (I did NOT fudge that to come in under the wire!)
5:46
3:29
1:47
Total = 24:01

Then we had cocktails.

1/2 a murph

squats: 245x5, x5, x5. someone suggested i use a belt - wow, what a difference. i used it in the third set and my issues of rolling forward on to my toes went away. mostly.
bench: 148 x5, x5, x5.

1/2 murph
(run a 1/2 mile, 50 pullups, 100 pushups, 150 squats, run a 1/2 mile)
ran a 1/4 mile because i'm bad at math (9mph)
50 pullups/126 pushups/189 squats (started with sets of 3/6/9, dropped to 2/6/9 after 7 rounds, maintained that 'til the end - 21 rounds + 1 last pull up) (i arbitrarily chose to start a new round when my heart rate dipped to 155 again)
ran 3/4 of a mile to make up for my start (6mph)

48:45/165bpm

Mini Murph

I'm adding a new tag: "SOC". Stands for "Spirit of Crossfit". As in, inspired by a crossfit workout, is relatively short and potentially puke-inducing, but scaled down and altered to the degree that a mere mortal (such as myself) could actually complete it.

I did an SOC workout today. Based on Murph (and the "Smurph" title was already taken; I guess someone did one a few years ago), but I not only halved the number of reps, but also cheated on a few other levels.

Mile run (7:25, flat treadmill)
50 pull-ups (75 lb on the pull-up machine, and I even kipped a little)
100 push-ups (from the knees)
150 BW squats
Mile run (8 min and change)

(The middle part partitioned as 10 sets of 5, 10, 15.)

Total time, over 30 min (I forgot to stop the clock at the end!)

Question: On the pull-up machine, I assume the weight you set it at is the amount you offset from your bodyweight? If that's the case, I was doing 60 lb pull-ups. That's pathetic.

Even managed to wear a T-shirt

Fight Gone Bad, scaled and tweaked for weaker folk, such as myself.

Three rounds, one minute for each exercise (number of reps completed in the final round):

Wall ball*, 12 lb ball (27)

Box jump, 15" (28)

Sumo deadlift high-pulls, 32 lb (23ish)

Push press, 32 lb (26)

Walking lunges** (35)

* With no wall off of which to bounce the ball, I just threw it up and caught it. A little easier than actual wall ball.

** The rower was far from the scene of action, so I planned to sub in skipping, but couldn't find any ropes. Lunges were an act of desperation.

Also, I stopped the clock between exercises so each exercise lasted a full minute, but I got a small break in between. I figure I averaged a 30 sec break between each exercise, and didn't take any extra breaks between rounds. I think I will continue to do it this way the next few times I try it because the equipment is not all in proximity, and also this workout is already really hard! It's about time I got red-faced.

Finished off with eccentric chin-ups (chin-downs?). Just three, and tried to descend over the course of a 20 count.

Damn you, MacLean

Making me work hard on a Tuesday.

3 rounds:

21 right arm db snatches (22 lb)
20 sit-ups on the ball
5 push-ups on the ball
21 left arm db snatches
20 sit-ups on the ball
5 regular push-ups

21:00.

And time left in the nap to stretch.

Half-assed Cindy

Thwarted by an uncooperative infant, only half of us was able to complete the Cindy we had planned, and my heart was hardly in it. Nonetheless:

8 rounds (in just under 20 min)

10 sit-ups
5 jumping chin-ups
15 BW squats

Overunder managed 5 pull-ups and one squat before heading back out with the stroller. We were going to do some rowing, but headed in for spritzers instead.

Double trouble

Backyard box again; Overunder and I two-timed today's crossfit:

21, 15, 9 reps of cleans and dips

We didn't time it. We took turns doing each round so we could switch up the weight on the bar (I used 65, he did 95), and because I did bench dips and needed someone to hold the back of the chair I was using.

I could pretty much do 12 dips in a row, then had to do the rest in sets of 3. My partner is the master of dips and powered through, making it look easy.

Lat blaster

I did what he did. With additional scaling.

In a more parse-able format, the workout cycles through:
Row - 1000, 750, 500 m
Thrusters (95) - 21, 15, 9
Pull-ups - 21, 15, 9

My result:
Rowing pace for each set - 2:20/500 m
Thrusters - scaled to 45 lbs
Pull-ups - scaled to 10, 7, 5 jumping chin-ups.

In 23:50 minutes. (Less time than McPie because of the pull-up reduction. His rows were much faster than mine.)

It was really hard. But a really full friggin' body workout. Based on that, it will likely be one I pull out on a regular basis.

Murph for girls

Looks like I'm kissing my sub-7 mile good-bye for now. See you next summer!

Today, a scaled down Murph. My Rx:

Mile
"50 pullups" (ie: as many assisted pull/chin ups as I can manage)
100 pushups
150 squats (12 lb body bar)
Mile

I partitioned the reps into 5 rounds of 10 pull-ups/20 push-ups/30 squats. Because I'm realistic, pull-ups were actually as many assisted (legs on bar) as I could do in each set. I planned a fast first mile and "easy" last mile (both on 1% grade).

Result:

Mile - 7:10 (would have been 6:59 if the treadmill could magically start up at 8 mph.)
Pull-ups - 8 pu, 6 pu, 6 chins, 6 pu , 7 chins (33)
Push-ups (regular/knees down) - 20, 12/8, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10 (62/38)
Squats - 30 x 5 (150 - easy!)
Mile - 8:10

Total time: 45 minutes.

I didn't really push to do it "for time" - I took the breaks I needed between each exercise because my heart rate was ridiculous (especially after the first mile!) Also intended to run the 2nd mile at 7 mph the whole way, but geez it was taking a long time, so I upped the speed eventually to 8.5 mph.

Then I ate a giant date square. (With my bunless burger, of course! I'm all about balance.)

Friday fightclub

Good thing there was nobody else in the gym today, or they'd have been sprayed by my sweat.

"Fight Gone Bad"

Crossfit Rx:
Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20" box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

Move from each of the five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of "rotate", the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point."

What *I* did:

Wall-ball, 8.8 lb ball (it's the heaviest we have)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 35 lb
Box jump, 13" (the highest I dared stack the stepbench)
Push-press, 45/35/35 lb
Row (tension set to 8)

Each station = 1 min. I did reset the clock for each one set, but only rested (for 1 min) between full rounds. Results:

WB: 40, 32, 31
DL: 21, 20, 19
BJ: 29, 31, 32 (wtf?)
PP: 15, 16, 15
Row: 10, 10, 12 cal

Just to be sure I could, I did some chin-ups: 4 consecutive (I think that's the most I've done in a row without a spot!) Just one set - I had to get home before I starved to death.

Run home: 6 km (35 min)

Mowed lawn. (Noted that this activity is the opposite movement to rowing...)

Three more chin-ups. Just to be really, really sure.

Then, sweet sweet lunch. I may never be sated...

Extended Cindy

I've been trying to do one crossfit workout a week. This week, the one that suited me best was:

"Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
15 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
45 Squats"

Which is essentially an amplified Cindy. And also CRAZY.

More realistically (er, idealistically?) I tried for:

10 pull-up-type-movements (that fell apart quickly)
20 push-ups
30 squats (with 12 lb body-bar)

In twenty minutes.

Short story = 4 rounds

Long story...

Assisted pull-ups (feet lifted onto a bar on the squat rack*):
10
8+1
4 (this is approximate; I wrote it down but left the paper at work)
2 chins-ups + 1 negative pull-up

+ 6 x 80 lb shoulder-width-grip lat pulls. (I had a minute left after the 4th round.)

* I experimented with different levels, from way below my hips to a happy medium. It was all hard. I'm not sure this is a good way of training pull-ups- I think it contorts the movement. But still, hard! Next time, I will try jumping pull-ups.

Push-ups (regular/girlie):

18/2
10/10
10/5+5
5/10+5

Squats:

30 reps with a bit of weight gets hard real fast! I was able to do them continuously, and with my heels slightly propped, I can get my hams to my calves. (The main obstacle between me and ATG is my ankle flexibility. I think. Probably a varietly of inflexibilities, but the ankle thing I can fudge.)

Finished with some back extensions and ball crunches (one-legged of course - if you guys aren't doing 'em like this, you are seriously missing out.)

I'd have tried a mile if I'd had time, just to try to improve my time. I can't let Uncle G get too far ahead of me!

A lovely day to kick some ass

McPie, you are so buying me dinner.

I attempted the May 27 WOD. I planned chin-ups for pullups, and intended to not time that part.

Mile: 6:54

2 min each:

Rowing: never done this before - set the erg to 10 and, uh, tried hard. Don't worry, I pulled right to my chest. Way harder on the shoulders than I expected. Couldn't find the calorie meter. Rowed @ 500 m. Assume that is lame.)

Thrusters: 10 lb dbs. I didn't count, but estimate 35 (15 to start, then mini-sets of 5)

Med ball cleans: 4 kg (That's the heaviest we have. Focused on form. My quads nearly died.)

Skipping: not double-unders. I skipped as fast as I could. Attempts at DU's resulted in getting my ass whipped by the rope.

Total time @ 30 min, including run. (Took 5 min to get back to the gym from the run, and I did rest a minute between exercises.) Slow, I know, but finishing is good.

Pullups: Assisted (feet up) - 7, full - 1+1+1+1 = 4

Yes, you are reading that right. PULLUPS. Kind of accidental, in fact.

Rather than chin-ups, I decided to try quasi-pullups: assisted with my feet up on the barbell, then a set of negatives. But when I lowered myself for the first negative... Allee-oop! Up I went. (Shocked, quite frankly.) I lowered and dropped, then had to try another to see if it was a fluke. Nope.

After a few fist-pumps, I had to try another, to really be sure. Yah pullup! Just when I thought I was done, I had to throw down one more, cherry-on-top style. Frankly, I didn't get my chest to the bar or anything, but my chin was over every time. In fact, as least once I believe I was hanging by my chin.

I'm not displeased that the ensuing 6 km run took 36 whole minutes. It was not part of the workout; it was the only way I could get home.

Then I mowed the lawn.

I won't lie to you, I'm writing this lying down. With a beer.

This week...

Sunday was a day of (wine club) recovery. At about 5pm guilt or something got the better of me. I threw down a Cindy (20 minutes of reps of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats).

I managed 11 rounds, one better than the last time. Whoop! I'll admit that I sipped a rum and coke while doing it...but that's not the best part! When I was finished Ms Hedda had prepared a delish steak dinner with steamed chard and grilled mushrooms. H-E-A-V-E-N.

Monday and Tuesday were Frisbee games. Wind sprints really. I like.

Today was the 5k with a fast mile at lunch-ish time. Best time ?ever? Well, 3:50 on the first km, 6:13 on the mile (yay!) and then - Geezus didn't I neglect to hit the lap time button on the watch. I have no clue how long it took -the watch still said 10:03 at the end. F! me! It felt good though, fast, and I didn't stop after the mile, just slowed down, a lot, for a bit, then kept on truckin'. I am going to guess I did it in 22:10. It felt faster than 22:30, but really, who am I kidding. I'll never know.

Before showering afterward, a little lifting: shoulder press: 80lbs x 8, 6, 5 and Pull ups 3x 10reps.