Jan 19 2010 - Run, run as fast as you can...

Snatch Drills
Following Greg Everett's progression for learning the snatch
Overhead Squat 15kg x 5 reps x 2 sets
Snatch-grip Deadlift 25kg x 5 reps x 5 sets
Mid-Hang Snatch jump 25kg x3 reps x 8 sets
M-H Snatch Jump + DL 25 kg x 1 rep x 5 sets
Working on developing better form.

2 hours Rest

GB WOD
100 Double-Unders
Press 80# x 5 reps, 90# x 3 reps, 100# x 10 reps
AMRAP 15 minites:
. 380m Run
. 15 Push-Press (95#)

Completed 5 rounds of the conditioning workout. The run felt good. I worked on a couple of running drills before we started. I was definitely working hard, but felt smooth and was passing people pretty regularly. I had to break the push-press up in to two or three sets each round. One of the other crossfitters was finishing the push-press way ahead of me each time, then I'd pass him on the run. Upper body strength is still a relative limitation for me.

Jan 14 2010 - Bench Day

GB WOD
1000m Row (3:36)
Bench 120#x3, 145#x3, 170#x11
Dips 2 sets of 12 reps
Ring Rows 2 sets max reps (16,10)
5 Hill Runs (10 to 12.5 sec)

Jan 12 2010 - Rip Van Winkle

Yesterday was hard work, as evidenced by my creaky, tired, old-man body this morning. I should have hit the sack an hour or two earlier.


GB WOD
50 Ab Mat Crunches
Press 75# x3 reps, 85# x3 reps, 95# x12 reps
As Many Rounds As Possible in 10 minutes
1 Round = 200m Sprint, 5 Burpees


Well, I managed 10 rounds of running & burpees. I am now ready for bed. Fortunately, my hamstrings are feeling fine today, even though I didn't stretch very much yesterday.

Jan 01 2010 - New Year, New Order of Magnitude

OK, so I haven't made a huge jump since the last workout, just the usual 2kg increase. But I've passed the 100 kilogram mark. It's not magic. It's only a nice, round number because I've been using kilograms the past couple months. But I'm a lot stronger than I used to be, and I'm happy about it.

Looking back through my training logs, I see that two months ago 95kg was my 1 rep max, and now I'm doing 101kg for reps. A year ago I had no idea what my 1RM squat was - I'd just returned from a month in Australia and two weeks of franticly moving my belongings across the country and catching up with family. Training wasn't a priority.

It doesn't have to be around the new year, but it's a good idea to take some time to look at one's training in longer spans than the current week or cycle. A bit of review lends perspective, allows one to appreciate how long progress can take, and celebrate aspects of improvement.

When asked about the intensity of his training, Greg Lemond once said "It never gets any easier, you just go faster." It's the same with weight training. It doesn't magically become easy, but the way we keep progressing is by pushing beyond comfort. Because it's always difficult, we can get discouraged. Keeping track of workouts in a log or journal lets us see how far we've come.

So keep a training log. Record your workouts. Once in a while, look back and celebrate the progress you've made. Have a safe and happy new year!

Strength
Squat 3 sets of 5 reps (101kg)

Conditioning
5 rounds for time
1 Round =
. 4x20m shuttle run
. 8 Kettlebell Swings (24kg)
. 16 Pushups
. 60 sec Rest

Happy with the squats. Pressed only 4 reps at 49kg. Scrapped it and moved on to conditioning for time management & mental health purposes. Conditioning rounds took from 52 to 56 seconds. Fast, fun workout.

DEC 17 2009 - Snatches & Sprints

Strength
Power Snatch 5 sets of 3 reps (51kg)

Conditioning
20 x 40m Sprints (on 20 sec rest)

This was a pretty light day by CrossFit Football standards. There's rumors of a CF Football Total tomorrow, so I'm avoiding any extra exercise and saving my energy for tomorrow.

DEC 11 2009 - Power(less) Cleans

Strength

Power Cleans 5 sets of 3 (67kg)

Strict Chin-ups 3 sets for max reps (7chest+7chin, 4+5, 5+4)

Conditioning

10 x 150m Sprints (on 60sec rest)

My form was a bit squiffy on the power cleans. I've been working up to a 65kg clean & jerk as a regular part of my warmup, but after yesterday's painfest I lacked the snappiness usually present in my cleans. I should have taken video to see how bad it was. But I didn't feel like messing with the camera today.

The chin-ups went better than expected. The fact that I did more than last time means at least I wasn't pulling with my arms on the clean (which is a cardinal sin of weightlifting).

Spirints took between 21.5 and 28 seconds. I have a slight grade on the street, which widened the gap between my splits. Happy it's over. I'm ready for a Guinness float tonight!

DEC 04 2009 - Runnity-Run-Run

Strength:
Power Snatch 5 sets of 3 reps (49kg)
Strict Chin-ups 3 sets for max reps (14,8,8)

Conditioning:
8x 200m Sprints on 2:30 rest

I tried the first set of power snatches at 55kg, but it was too heavy. Once I learn enough technique to get all the way under the bar in a full overhead squat I think I'll have no problem with that weight. But for now, it was too much to lift 15 times.

I did as many chest-to-bar chin-ups as I could before resorting to chin-over-bar. For some reason I find it easier to get strict chin-ups (palms facing me) chest-to-bar, than strict pullups (with palms facing away). Thinking back on it, I'm curious if it has to do with different grip width on the bar, range of motion from the wrist rotation, or different muscle involvement. Any guesses?

The sprints workout was more running than I'd done in a while. It totaled a mile. I ran up hill from my house 200m (each took between 41 and 44 seconds), and walked back for the next one. The return walk usually took about 2:15. I don't think it was the best rest pattern. I would have gained more benefit if I had lied down or sat for 2 minutes, but the workout took 25 minutes as it was, and more rest would have cut into my supper time. I could have rested at the far end of my sprint, and run the even sprints downhill, but I don't really care for downhill sprints. It's harder on my joints and gravity is doing most of the work.

It was interesting to note how long I could go all-out. It was only about 120 meters. After that my leg cadence slowed noticeably. I was able to keep my speed up longer towards the middle of the workout, once I focussed on it. Then I began decelerating sooner as I fatigued. Makes sense, but it was good to feel, so that I know to watch for it in others.

NOV 30 2009 - Press Progress

Squat 3 sets of 5 reps (85kg)
Press 3sets of 5 reps (47kg)
Rest
5 Rounds As Quickly As Possible:
. 7 L-Pullups
. 14 Ring Dips
. 100m Sprint

I was able to complete all 15 reps of the press at 47.2kg today! Last time I only got 11 reps. My squat feels strong, but heavy. I come up slowly. The conditioning workout took me 14 minutes, 30 seconds. The ring dips really slowed me down.

NOV 24 2009 -

Here's video of the first two reps of my deadlift. My butt rises a half second before the bar moves. This means my starting position is not right. Heavy deadlifts are great for pointing out flaws in technique. The bar doesn't come off the ground until you get it right. I'm in the habit of a more upright back from pulling cleans and snatches. But when it gets heavy, you have to be in an efficient position. Bar over the mid-foot, shoulders just in front of the bar, back set, chest up, and butt no lower than the tight torso dictates. If you pause the video right when the bar starts up, that's what you'll see. So all the movement before that is inefficient.



Deadlift 5 rep Max (129kg)
3 sets Pullups for Max Reps (13,10,9)
REST
As Quickly As Possible:
. 20 Thrusters (45kg)
. 100m Sprint
. 15 Thrusters
. 100m Sprint
. 10 Thrusters
. 100m Sprint
. 5 Thrusters
. 100m Sprint

The deadlift reps were HARD. If I can keep progressing on CF Football's linear progression I'll be back to setting PRs in a month. I'm looking forward to the chance to try a one rep max the next time the CFFB Total comes around.

I don't have dumbbells capable of holding 23kg each, so I used 45kg on the barbell. I missed out on some coordination & balance components in the workout, but was happy I got to go heavy. Not during the workout, of course. Any day that includes both deadlifts and thrusters is difficult. But it's great programming. If my nutrition and rest are dialed in, I can't help but get stronger in a hurry.

My finisher today was Tabata knees-to-elbows.
For knees-to-elbows hang from the pullup bar and touch knees to elbows. Try to keep from swinging. It's great for the abs & back.
Tabata intervals are 8x[20sec work, 10sec rest].
I got a total of 55 reps, spread between 8 and 6 reps.

NOV 23 2009 - Security

The workouts after rest days are always special. Today's was no exception:

Squat 3 sets of 5 reps (79kg)
Rest
3 Rounds As Quickily As Possible:
. 4x 53m Sprints (out,back, out,back)
. 12 Power Cleans (55kg)
. 6 Push Jerks (55kg)
Rest
As Many Rounds As Possible in 3 minutes:
. Medicine Ball Throw (20#)
. Broad Jmps to Med Ball
. Return to start carrying Med Ball Overhead

I finished the conditioning workout in 10:55. Looking at the CF Football site, maybe I scaled it too light. I chose 55kg because 65 seemed too close to my 1 rep max (70kg). If I'd used 65kg it would have turned into a 20 minute strength workout. At 55kg it was good for power production. I only had to set the weight down during the last round of push-jerks. Overall, this was an excellent workout. Lots of power production, a pull, a push, and sprints. Hits everything an athlete needs.

Today I added my first "Finisher" workout. I made a deck of cards with very short workouts that address one of my limiters or add core work. Today's turned out to be a fun combination of medicine ball throws and broad jumps.

Midway through my first round of power cleans a couple of door-to-door salesmen started asking me questions. I had no inclination to slow down my workout in order to more politely shatter their dreams of making a big sale. One guy was shouting what I think was encouragement as he approached. Fortunately (for them), before they could get within throwing range of my barbell, my lovely fiancee explained what I was doing and fielded all their questions. After I was done with the workout, I asked her what they were selling. Security systems. "Does it look like we need a security system?" she asked. I agree, it's much more fun to chase down criminals and beat them with a kettlebell. I wonder if there's a "Beware of CrossFitter" sign I can put up in the yard?

NOV 21 2009 - Burner!

Chin-ups weren't on the CFFB website, but I noticed that yesterday's were supposed to be strict (no kipping), so I did them strict today.

Strict Chin-ups, 3 sets for max reps (11,8,7)

Rest
As Quickly As Possible:

30 Back Squats with bodyweight (75kg)

200m Sprint

30 Burpees
Rest
Tabata Push-Press (25kg) - (12,11,10,9,8,9,8,9)


First time doing this workout with full bodyweight squats (I weighed 71kg this morning). Finished in 8:58. My goal was under 10 minutes. I broke the squats into sets of 5. The "sprint" felt like a slog. I had to stop for breath 3 times during the burpees. In Crossfit beware anything that's "only" one round. They burn!

I added Tabata Push-presses as a finisher, since I have a rest day tomorrow. Tabata intervals are 8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest. Do as many reps as possible. I use a weight that lets me go fast. Tabata work is great for building muscular endurance.

NOV 17 2009 - Discovering Weaknesses, Day 2

Yesterday forced me to address my jumprope skill deficiency. Today the problem was my whole left side. I'm right handed, so the left arm thrusters in the workout were a huge challenge.

Deadlift 5 Rep Max (125kg)

Max Rep Pullups 3 sets on 2 minutes of rest between sets (15,13,11)

Rest

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 minutes:

1 Round = [15 Right-arm KB Thrusters (20kg), 15 Left-arm Thrusters, 106 yard sprint]

Just to review, a thruster is a squat with a press at the top. You stand up, holding a weight in your hands, and push it all the way overhead. Moving the weight quickly through such a long range of motion is great for developing functional strength and power. Today the CrossFit Football site prescribed single-arm thrusters, which required me to balance a kettlebell on my shoulder and press it overhead. It was hard work for my right arm, but also a constant fight for balance with my left. I dropped the kettlebell a couple times, and was drenched in sweat by the end. Here's the sweat angel I left on the mat.

I managed 6 full rounds plus 15 R-arm thrusters and 15 L-arm thrusters.

To give yourself a glimpse of how much harder this workout was than traditional barbell thrusters try brushing your teeth with your less dominant hand tonight. It's maddening how alien a familiar activity can become when done with the other hand.

NOV 13 2009 - Power Cleans & Sprints

I got to run in the street in these:

I've been using Vibram Five Fingers shoes for all my weightlifting and the workouts involving short runs (400m or less). They take a couple weeks to get used to. I had to start by walking in them for 30 minutes at a time until my arches were strong enough for running. I run using the Pose method, which emphasizes landing on the forefoot and avoids "heel striking." The Vibrams definitely let me know if I ever land heel-first. In fact, I've only done it twice. For weightlifting, the Vibrams are great, I feel like they give me a much better feel for how and when my balance shifts. And I get much better power transfer through the thin, solid rubber sole than in running shoes.

Power Clean 5 sets of 3 reps (65kg)

Rest 5 minutes

Sprint 110m every minute, on the minute, 10 times.

I was happy to get all 15 reps up on the Power Cleans. I lost count on the sprints and accidentally did eleven. My fastest was just under 17 seconds, the rest were right around 20.

NOV 10 2009 - Rain Sprints

I did this workout in the rain in the dark, running through puddles. At least I stayed warm from all the hard work.

Deadlift up to a 5 Rep Max (119kg)
Rest
10 rounds As Quick As Possible:
5 Power Cleans (55kg)
5 V-pushups
50m Sprint

The workout posted on CrossFit Football called for powercleans at 75% of bodyweight. I weigh 70kg, which means I should have been lifting 52kg, but I don't have the right plates for that. On the other hand, the prescribed workout called for handstand push-ups, which I can't do yet. I substituted V-pushups. I put my feeet on a 24" tall box, my hands on the ground about 3 feet in front of the box, and bent my body into a V so that my torso was almost vertical. (I'll add a pic tomorrow.)
I thought the workout might take a really long time, so I imposed a cut-off time of 16 minutes to keep from losing intensity. Well, I finished in 15:01.