Tuesday, 01.27.14

WOD

Running Angie

50-40-30-20-10 

Double unders and sit ups with a 20 run between each set. 

Score:14:13

Tuesday, 01.15.13

Deadlift

90x5

120x4

150x4

180x2

210x1

190x2

170x5

Dips

Ring Dips

strict/neg

2/3

2/2

2/1

2

Bar Bwt/Band

5/0, 5/0, 5/0

Considering doing weighted bar dips next

WOD

3 Power Cleans 155/105

6 push-ups

9 sit-ups

I didn't record my time! 

Wednesday, 10.10.12

"21's"
20 double unders, 1 sit-up
19 double unders, 2 sit-up
18 double unders, 3 sit-up
etc.

Time 11:41  PR

Wednesday, 07.18.12

My CompoundLite class was doing a team workout today and they had an uneven number so I jumped in and did the run and sit-ups with them:

4X400m
and then I did abmat sit-ups until my partner came back from the 400m run.

Monday, 07.09.12

I'm baaaack...sort of. This past month, my workouts have been very sporadic and limited.  What started out as one of those pesky neck kinks that I get every so often, has turned into a month long injury that I am currently treating with pain meds and a muscle relaxer. 

In the mean time, I began working on:

Box Squats - once a week I have been doing 3x5 sets of box squats, where I begin in a wide stance and back squat down to the lowest box we have (12"? Maybe?) with a 10 lb. plate on top.  I squat back and sit down on the box and then immediately stand back up.  I started at 125 pounds and today I did 135 lbs, 3x5.  I plan on adding 5 lbs each week.

What I hope to accomplish with these is to improve not only my back squat, but my deadlift as well.  This type of squat forces me to use my glutes, hip flexors, and hamstrings, rather than my quads. 

I have also ran some sprints recently (6 rounds of 200m sprint with 2 min. rest in between, and last week 100m on the minute for 10 minutes).  I plan to continue doing something like this once a week.

Today I tried a metcon whcih was an extremely modified and abbreviated "Filthy Fifty"

50 Box Jumps
50 35# KB swings,  American style (shoulder height)
50 Walking Lunges
50 Sit-ups
50 Back Extensions
50 Air Squats
50 Double Unders
17:00

It felt good to get after it, and I tried to be careful and not strain my neck.  Hopefully I won't pay for this later!

Wednesday, 04.18.12

SWOD: 5x3 @ 115 (80% 1RM)

Max Rounds in 3 minutes of:
- 3 Hang Power Cleans @ 65% of today's weight
- 6 Sit Ups
- 9 Squats
5 rounds with 1 minute rest in between

25 Rounds +3 HPC + 1 sit-up

Wednesday, 3.21.12

Warm-up

I warmed up with some handstand hold practice.  I got some helpful pointers from Nick, a gymnast who used to coach gymnastics.

Some things I focused on were: 1.) not only point my toes, but actually try to pull and reach upwards through my toes 2.) Tighten my core.  Now this one should be a given and I've always thought that I was tightening my core.  This time however, I was transferring that hollow-body positioning that I practice on the floor, to my handstand position.  This meant I was pulling my belly-button in as far as I could and really focusing on tightening EVERYTHING. 3.) Looking forward

Thanks Nick!


SWAT Training

Jenna and I partnered up for some friendly competition against the Fairfield SWAT team.  The workout was:

800m Run
150 push-ups
150 sit-ups
150 squats
800m Run
*On the minute - 2 Pull-ups*

Partners start with 800m run.  Begin 150 push-ups as soon as the last partner completes the 800m. Partners collectively perform the 150 push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.  Both partners must stop and complete 2 pull-ups on the minute, every minute.  When all 3 sets of 150 reps have been completed, both partners must run the final 800m.  The clock doesn't stop until the last partner completes the run.

Our time: 22:25  Jenna and I came in 2nd place!! Jenna actually came in at 22:04 but I was behind so our final time was 22:25.  The 1st place team was 21:5? so we weren't too far behind!

Our strategy: We started off alternating 10 reps each of push-ups.  My last set of 10, I stopped at 5 and Jenna finished.  Then we alternated doing 15 sit-ups.  Finished alternating 25 squats.  At the end, I finished off Jenna's set of squats (I can't remember how many).

Saturday, 01.28.12

Conditioning: "Running Angie"
- Run 400m
- 100 Pull Ups
- Run 400m
- 100 Push Ups
- Run 400m
- 100 Sit Ups
- Run 400m
- 100 Squats
- Run 400m


This was run as a partner WOD.  There was an odd number of people in class at 9 am so I thought maybe I would get out of doing the workout but then Craig volunteered to be my partner.  I was intimidated to be his partner, but jumped in nonetheless.  Craig carried us through my two weakest events - pull-ups and push-ups!  We just switched off as we were fatigued and then ran the runs together.  


Time: 24:26

Thursday, 01.26.12

Strength: Bench Press 3-3-3-3-3
Got up to 85#
Conditioning: "Annie"
Reps of 50-40-30-20-10:
- Double Unders
- Sit Ups


8:10 RX


My previous PR was 8:36 and this time I was able to shave off almost 30 seconds.  I really need to work on stringing more of my double-unders together.

Thursday, 01.19.12

Strength: Shoulder Press 3x3
I worked up to 65 and did my 3 sets there.

Conditioning:

Metcon: "SWAT Op Gone Bad"  

1:00, :45, :30, and :15 rounds each of the following:

- Pull Ups

- Sit Ups

- Push Ups

- Squats

My total was 246 which was 4 shy of the required 250 reps for the Fairfield SWAT team.  This was my first time doing this workout.  Next time I plan to concentrate more on my transitions so I don't waste time there.  


I went into it expecting to struggle on pull-ups and push ups and then make up my numbers on the sit ups and squats.  However, the required form for sit ups was arms crossed over chest rather than arms extended overhead that I usually do.  This made a HUGE difference - probably cut the amount I normally could have done in half.  

Monday, 01.16.12

Strength:

Back squat 3-3-3-3-3

135, 155, 165, 175, 175 PR

My previous 3RM PR was 165.  On my fourth set at 175, it was feeling very heavy and I struggled on the last 2, so I decided to stay at 175 for my last set, which actually felt easier than my fourth set.

Metcon:
20, 15, 10, 5 of:
Wall ball 14#
Sit-up
Box jump
7:50 rx

Tuesday, 01.10.12

Warm-Up:
250m Row
400m Run
Romanian deadlifts
pull-ups
sit-ups

Strength:
1 RM power cleans - I got to my long standing PR of 125 and stopped there because I'm still taking it easy with my back.

Metcon:
On the minute for 12 minutes:

Clean Complex @ 60% of 1RM (Power Clean, Hang Clean, Clean)
Max Double Unders to finish the minute
Total Double Unders: 179

Friday, 01.06.12

Back is feeling a little better but I want to be careful and not over do it.  I decided against doing today's clean complex, and did the workout from Tuesday, instead.

Conditioning: 21,18,15,12,9,6,3 Reps of:

- Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75/55#) (I did 65#)
- Box Jumps (24/20")
- Sit Ups



Time: 14:03


I had already set up my bar to do cleans at 65# before I decided to switch workouts, so I went ahead and just left it for this one.  The SDHP were not so bad, but the box jumps were challenging.  

Friday, 11.25.11

SWOD: Push Press 5-4-3-2-1

65x5, 70x4, 75x3, 80x2, 85x3

Metcon: 21, 15, 9, 3

Jumping Pull-ups

Air Squats

Sit-ups

Weighted OH walking lunges

8:55

Thursday, 11.24.11

SWOD:  Turkish Get Up practice

Metcon:  For time:
- Row 500 meters
- 50 Box Jump (20")
- 50 Push Ups
- 50 Sit Ups
- 50 Jumping Pull Ups
- 50 Back Extension
- 50 Dips
- 20 Turkish Get Up, alternating arms (53/35#)



This was a tough one!  The push-ups and dips reminded me how weak my upper body is and the Turkish get ups got me! The first 5 TGUs I did Rx'd but then had to drop to 26 pounds.  

10.18.11

SWOD:


Today I made up yesterday's SWOD - 3x5 Front Squats @ 85% of 1 RM.  I can't remember the last time I front squatted so I really needed to hit this workout.


My previous 1 RM was 155 but as I did warm up sets, I didn't feel comfortable going up to 85% of my previous 1 RM, so I stuck with 115# which was 75%.  


The 3 sets were pretty difficult and I really concentrated on keeping my elbows up and pushing my knees out as I came up out of the squat.  I will definitely be feeling these tomorrow, and the next day, and the next....


METCON: 


Tabata Mash-up of Sumo Deadlift High Pulls and Abmat Sit-ups


20 sec on of Sit-ups
10 sec rest
20 sec on of SDHP
10 sec rest
 Repeated 4 more times


I was first introduced to the Tabata concept doing Spin class years ago. When I first heard about it, I couldn't believe it and was sure my instructor was misinformed.  So I researched it a bit and was shocked by what I learned. 


The concept was originally used by the Japanese national speed skating team.  When exercise scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata (for whom the protocol was named after), learned about it from the team's coach, he was intrigued. His research efforts focused on the effects of exercise intensity on fitness and he believed that intensity was just as, if not more important than exercise duration. (Hmm...sound familiar?)


So he developed a nifty study using stationary bikes rather than speed skates.  For six weeks, one group biked using the four-minute Tabata protocol five times per week.  The other group biked at a moderate intensity for an hour, five times per week. 


At the end of the six weeks, the moderate intensity group improved their VO2 max (the maximum capacity of a body to transport and use oxygen during a workout) by 9.5%.  Not bad, right?  Well the Tabata group improved their VO2 max by....14%!  


But wait...there's more!


He also measured both group's anaerobic capacity which is basically the amount of power the body can produce without oxygen.  The moderate intensity group increased their anaerobic capacity by ZERO and the Tabata group?  They increased anaerobic capacity by 28%.


As a runner at the time, logging 30+ miles a week, I could hardly wrap my head around the concept that just 4 minutes of exercise (and not really even a full 4 minutes, with rest times) could have such staggering results.


So which would I rather choose - a method that with 5 hours a week yields a 9.5% VO2 Max gain and a 0% anaerobic capacity gain? Or 20 minutes of work in a week for a 14% VO2 Max and 28% anaerobic capacity gain?  It sure doesn't take a super smart Japanese fitness and sports scientist to figure that one out.  Well, actually I guess it did but I've got one word for ya - TABATA!

9.24.11

This Metcon took 24 minutes to complete 313 total reps.  I think I could have done more reps but because I knew that after after 2 minutes, I would be done with the exercise, I didn't push myself as hard.  I was being lazy! 


Metcon: Move from each station after 2 minute:
-Walking Lunges
-Jumping Pull Ups
-Burpees
-Double unders
-Ring Dips
-Knees to Elbows
-Kettlebell Swings, 44/ 26#
-Sit Ups
-Thrusters, 35/18#
-Back Extensions
-Wall Ball, 20 lbs to 10'
-Rope Climb Ascents, 15 ft



I didn't keep track of reps of each exercise, but I do know I completed 2 Rope Climb Ascents which I'm happy about!  I practically jumped off the rope on my descent from the 2nd climb in order to make the 2 minutes.

Wednesday 9.14.11

I had a chance to watch some of the 2011 CrossFit Games women's competition that was broadcast on ESPN2 today.  So inspiring and motivating!

Two years ago I went and watched the CrossFit Games held at "The Ranch" in Aromas.  The setting was rustic and simple

Look at us now!

Catch the rest of the episodes the next two Wednesdays (Sept. 21 & 28) at 5 pm on ESPN2

METCON: "21's"

For time:
-20 For time:
-20 Double Unders and 1 Sit Up
-19 Double Unders and 2 Sit Ups
-18 Double Unders and 3 Sit Ups
-17 Double Unders and 4 Sit Ups
so on and so forth until...
-1 Double Under and 20 Sit Ups 

13:54 PR - Beat my last time by a big 6 seconds.  Woo hoo!

AND THEN...  Brad talked me into a training workout with the Fairfield SWAT Team!  

We did a partner WOD of:

 

A 300 meter row done concurrently with:

AMRAP in 15:00:

- 3 Burpee Pull Ups

- 6 Wall Balls Me 14#/10', Brad 20#/10'

- 9 Box Jumps (20")

Brad started out rowing while I started in on the AMRAP.  As soon as he hit 300 m we swapped and he picked up where I left off on the AMRAP while I rowed 300 m.  When I hit 300 m we swapped again and so on and so on for 15 minutes.

We came in 1st place!  

TOTAL: 12 ROUNDS + 3 BURPEE PULL-UPS

I had a great time competing with the SWAT dudes!  So, Fairfield PD, next time you have a SWAT call out, feel free to give me a call...