Day 57-58: Break
Day 59: 21-15-9 Overhead squats (65#) and pull ups. 12:29
Not much else to say about the workout.
We are starting to seriously tie up our Denver operations, though, but I will certainly post more about this later. I am sad to move, because I love my friends here and also the place, but looking forward to the adventure.
Mixed.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Day 58: Who hit me with a stick?
I woke up this morning feeling as if I had done three hours of Jiu Jitsu, and for good reason. My lower body felt great, but my neck and shoulders were somewhat of a wreck. I got most of one class in today, and it appears that Matt and I have begun our taper off of the main site. It has been a blast, and although it is not yet over, we have let June be a bit more loosey goosey. Don't go away, though, as there is sure to be some excitement coming up in the next couple of weeks, and anyway, I am not yet ready to do a full post op summary.
Day 57: Feels like home
Tonight was my blue belt test for Jiu Jitsu. The test went well, and I spent far less time under the blanket than I thought. I was the skinniest little monkey at the test, and this can be a bit strenuous. We started off by rolling to warm up, and one of us rolled with the professor, while the others rolled with one another. This went on for a full half hour, and half hour of that can get your breath pumping. After that, we each were asked for our go-to escapes and submissions from each position. The professor asked us to explain thoroughly (didn't anybody warn him about me?) as we showed him our moves. I found myself talking a bit more than the others, but that is just because it is me. I used to be really uncomfortable with the fact that I speak almost without pause, but at one point about 6 years ago I learned to deal with it. I would say things like "I will not talk so much starting tomorrow!" It never worked, so I finally gave up and started liking myself. Anyway, I explained thoroughly, and it seemed to go well. I did a little over three hours of BJJ this day, and it felt like I was right where I should be on a regular basis, just rolling for the sheer joy of it. I am looking forward to a blue belt, though.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Days 51-56:
Day 51: or, why must we deal with stupidity?
The prescribed workout: Skip once, do a crossword puzzle, chew a raw root vegetable 71 times, climb a ladder with your teeth, say the Hail Mary twice, throw a Hail Hary pass once, trim your big toenails. Repeat, following the pattern of cutting toenails biggest to smallest, until all toenails have been clipped.
Actually, it was three rounds for time of:
60 seconds L-sit
45 pound barbell Good mornings, 30 reps
60 Abmat sit-ups
25 pound plate Back Extensions, 30 reps
But considering that this seemingly simple workout requires three sets of mobile gear for each person doing the workout, my version would have been easier to pull off.
Instead, we did skill work on the rings (dips and muscle up progression) and parallettes (l-sits to handstands [Ha!]). I was so sore the next day, that I almost wished I had been clipping my toenails and climbing a ladder with my teeth.
Day 52: Rest
Day 53: Deez Nutts
Apparently somebody else died, because we got to do a hero workout today. It is called "Nutts" after a Canadian (what's that all aboot?) Lt. who died in an IED attack. In crossfit, when a dead hero's name pops up, it means it's going to be a bad day.
For time My numbers in parentheses:
10 Handstand push-ups
250 pound Deadlift, 15 reps (I did 185#)
25 Box jumps, 30 inch box (25 @ 24")
50 Pull-ups (35)
100 Wallball shots, 20 pounds, 10' (70 @ 14#)
200 Double-unders (60)
Run 400 meters with a 45lb plate (25#)
This hurt, but most of all, I let my cockiness get the best of me (shocker!) I tried double unders instead of jumping over an obstacle, and it took long enough that I actually felt myself age. I should keep working on them, I suppose.
Day 54: Goin' off the res again.
We, except Scott, all went off the main site today, and back to one of the most basic beginner Crossfit workouts: 7 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible), 7 burpees and 7 thrusters (65#) I got 4 rounds and 10 reps. That was pretty painful and humbling, and reminded me that "much to learn, have [I]."
Day 55: Resting up for this week's blue belt test.
Did a little skill development (double unders) while Petra and Scott suffered through a disgusting excuse for exercise, called "The Seven." Look it up on crossfit.com, because it hurts even to write it down.
Day 56: My blue belt test should be either today or tomorrow. The academy was closed for the entire three day weekend, so there is more rust on top of an already impressive accumulation of rust on my Jiu Jitsu skills. The gist of the test is supposed to be as follows: Do and explain (are they searching for teachers, perhaps?) your main go-to moves from each fundamental position. I should be able to attack from the mount, feet, guard (the sexiest of Jiu Jitsu positions, almost, but not quite rivaled by the "gift wrap") and back, and also to defend from the opposite of all these positions. Then we train for an hour, and I am sure that this is where the professor, affectionately known as "The Wet Blanket" will crush us for extended periods of time. I am not sure if I will like that part yet, because, as you might have guessed, it feels like a wet down comforter has come to life, and no matter what you do, there is still an inescapable, oppressive presence everywhere you go. Wish me luck. (fade in main theme from Rocky)
The prescribed workout: Skip once, do a crossword puzzle, chew a raw root vegetable 71 times, climb a ladder with your teeth, say the Hail Mary twice, throw a Hail Hary pass once, trim your big toenails. Repeat, following the pattern of cutting toenails biggest to smallest, until all toenails have been clipped.
Actually, it was three rounds for time of:
60 seconds L-sit
45 pound barbell Good mornings, 30 reps
60 Abmat sit-ups
25 pound plate Back Extensions, 30 reps
But considering that this seemingly simple workout requires three sets of mobile gear for each person doing the workout, my version would have been easier to pull off.
Instead, we did skill work on the rings (dips and muscle up progression) and parallettes (l-sits to handstands [Ha!]). I was so sore the next day, that I almost wished I had been clipping my toenails and climbing a ladder with my teeth.
Day 52: Rest
Day 53: Deez Nutts
Apparently somebody else died, because we got to do a hero workout today. It is called "Nutts" after a Canadian (what's that all aboot?) Lt. who died in an IED attack. In crossfit, when a dead hero's name pops up, it means it's going to be a bad day.
For time My numbers in parentheses:
10 Handstand push-ups
250 pound Deadlift, 15 reps (I did 185#)
25 Box jumps, 30 inch box (25 @ 24")
50 Pull-ups (35)
100 Wallball shots, 20 pounds, 10' (70 @ 14#)
200 Double-unders (60)
Run 400 meters with a 45lb plate (25#)
This hurt, but most of all, I let my cockiness get the best of me (shocker!) I tried double unders instead of jumping over an obstacle, and it took long enough that I actually felt myself age. I should keep working on them, I suppose.
Day 54: Goin' off the res again.
We, except Scott, all went off the main site today, and back to one of the most basic beginner Crossfit workouts: 7 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible), 7 burpees and 7 thrusters (65#) I got 4 rounds and 10 reps. That was pretty painful and humbling, and reminded me that "much to learn, have [I]."
Day 55: Resting up for this week's blue belt test.
Did a little skill development (double unders) while Petra and Scott suffered through a disgusting excuse for exercise, called "The Seven." Look it up on crossfit.com, because it hurts even to write it down.
Day 56: My blue belt test should be either today or tomorrow. The academy was closed for the entire three day weekend, so there is more rust on top of an already impressive accumulation of rust on my Jiu Jitsu skills. The gist of the test is supposed to be as follows: Do and explain (are they searching for teachers, perhaps?) your main go-to moves from each fundamental position. I should be able to attack from the mount, feet, guard (the sexiest of Jiu Jitsu positions, almost, but not quite rivaled by the "gift wrap") and back, and also to defend from the opposite of all these positions. Then we train for an hour, and I am sure that this is where the professor, affectionately known as "The Wet Blanket" will crush us for extended periods of time. I am not sure if I will like that part yet, because, as you might have guessed, it feels like a wet down comforter has come to life, and no matter what you do, there is still an inescapable, oppressive presence everywhere you go. Wish me luck. (fade in main theme from Rocky)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Day 50: Does the whole gym have to watch me squat?
5 x 5 Back Squat (We did box squats)
I don't even want to talk about it. Light. I couldn't get any weaker, so why would I bother posting my loads? Some day I might disclose, but I am just not ready yet. I will just say that Matt chose a very light weight, and made me do it correctly. The journey of a thousand steps, yada, yada, blah, blah.....
I don't even want to talk about it. Light. I couldn't get any weaker, so why would I bother posting my loads? Some day I might disclose, but I am just not ready yet. I will just say that Matt chose a very light weight, and made me do it correctly. The journey of a thousand steps, yada, yada, blah, blah.....
Monday, May 24, 2010
Days 43-49: Is this really making me stronger?
I am not sure if I am getting stronger or weaker, but on the positive side, I am sore a good chunk of the time.
Day 43: "Tommy V" (scaled). 12-9-6 Thrusters (85#), rope climbs or 4 strict pull ups (Scott!!!) for each rope climb. This sucked so bad that I decided to stop writing about exercise forever. I got over it. I don't remember the time, but it was not impressive, unless, of course, you are an endurance athlete.
Day 44:"Annie" 50-40-30-20-10 Double unders and sit ups. 7:45 (Matt was our bitch*, see below)
I never started working on double unders until the day after this workout (they are coming along nicely now, thank you), so I set up two 45# plates flat on the ground, and put a loaded (or is it laden, I always hated this distinction. I am loaded, I shouldn't drive, but my truck is laden. Should it drive? Should I stop loading my truck?) bar on top. This makes a 15 inch or so obstacle to jump back and forth over, and if you say "whoosh, whoosh!" really fast and loud every time you jump, it feels like a very strenuous double under. This is, according to BrandX, a legit substitute.
*Matt had a dilemma to ponder. Should he do double unders and risk being torn up by Scotty and having no excuse, or should he go the obstacle route, and try to beat Rob at the only event he comes close to owning, sit ups. Watching him do double unders is like watching one of those movies where a child valiantly struggles through some terminal disease, eventually cheating death, but looking really rough in the process. There are points in the film where we are sure the brave boy will never make it, cries of "what will we do without him," and "we won't give up on you, Billy" are uttered, and yet nobody ever pulls the plug. A dog in the same condition would have been put down long before, and yet the audience, while sad, still derives some measure of sick pleasure from the suffering it witnesses. Cathartic, to say the least, yet draining. Such is the nature of Matt's double unders.
The brave boy chose double unders, and when we look at the times (Rob: 7:45, Scott: 8:36, Matt: Still going [18 minutes and change, I think), we might say it is time for him to go the obstacle route, or start practicing his double unders, because there is no way to explain his way out of this.
Day 45: Rest
Day 46: Humility returns to Rob's game
Prescribed: 20 x 185# shoulder to overhead, 40 Burpees for time. Rob: 95#, Scott: 135#, Matt: 115# (I think).
I thought I was going to die. Matt and Scott were very encouraging cheering me through my last 25 burpees, but then again, they had already caught their breath by that time.
Day 47: Sinister. 4 rounds for time 400 meters, 30 Squats (Rx'd 50 squats)
Came in dead last. This workout is twisted and cruel. My legs felt surprisingly good the next day, though.
Day 48: 21-15-9 Handstand push ups (band rig, two bands), ring dips (one band) and push ups (the old-fashioned way).
15 minutes and change. This is the upper body version of yesterday's cruel excuse for a workout.
Day 49: Rest.
Day 43: "Tommy V" (scaled). 12-9-6 Thrusters (85#), rope climbs or 4 strict pull ups (Scott!!!) for each rope climb. This sucked so bad that I decided to stop writing about exercise forever. I got over it. I don't remember the time, but it was not impressive, unless, of course, you are an endurance athlete.
Day 44:"Annie" 50-40-30-20-10 Double unders and sit ups. 7:45 (Matt was our bitch*, see below)
I never started working on double unders until the day after this workout (they are coming along nicely now, thank you), so I set up two 45# plates flat on the ground, and put a loaded (or is it laden, I always hated this distinction. I am loaded, I shouldn't drive, but my truck is laden. Should it drive? Should I stop loading my truck?) bar on top. This makes a 15 inch or so obstacle to jump back and forth over, and if you say "whoosh, whoosh!" really fast and loud every time you jump, it feels like a very strenuous double under. This is, according to BrandX, a legit substitute.
*Matt had a dilemma to ponder. Should he do double unders and risk being torn up by Scotty and having no excuse, or should he go the obstacle route, and try to beat Rob at the only event he comes close to owning, sit ups. Watching him do double unders is like watching one of those movies where a child valiantly struggles through some terminal disease, eventually cheating death, but looking really rough in the process. There are points in the film where we are sure the brave boy will never make it, cries of "what will we do without him," and "we won't give up on you, Billy" are uttered, and yet nobody ever pulls the plug. A dog in the same condition would have been put down long before, and yet the audience, while sad, still derives some measure of sick pleasure from the suffering it witnesses. Cathartic, to say the least, yet draining. Such is the nature of Matt's double unders.
The brave boy chose double unders, and when we look at the times (Rob: 7:45, Scott: 8:36, Matt: Still going [18 minutes and change, I think), we might say it is time for him to go the obstacle route, or start practicing his double unders, because there is no way to explain his way out of this.
Day 45: Rest
Day 46: Humility returns to Rob's game
Prescribed: 20 x 185# shoulder to overhead, 40 Burpees for time. Rob: 95#, Scott: 135#, Matt: 115# (I think).
I thought I was going to die. Matt and Scott were very encouraging cheering me through my last 25 burpees, but then again, they had already caught their breath by that time.
Day 47: Sinister. 4 rounds for time 400 meters, 30 Squats (Rx'd 50 squats)
Came in dead last. This workout is twisted and cruel. My legs felt surprisingly good the next day, though.
Day 48: 21-15-9 Handstand push ups (band rig, two bands), ring dips (one band) and push ups (the old-fashioned way).
15 minutes and change. This is the upper body version of yesterday's cruel excuse for a workout.
Day 49: Rest.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Day 42: Olympic lifting is not an easy day
Today: 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 Clean and Jerk
This means find your max, and I found the amount that is above mine 4 times.
115-125-1st failed attempts at 135, 2nd, 3rd,......
I had the weight almost to the top every time, but could not quite do it. Jason Cox, however, was into the ludicrous range (205# and kept trying 235#, but not quite, buddy!)
Petra PR'd at 95#, and I watched her get a kipping (well, kipping is kind of a strong word, here) pull up. That is her first one. Fire it up, baby!
This means find your max, and I found the amount that is above mine 4 times.
115-125-1st failed attempts at 135, 2nd, 3rd,......
I had the weight almost to the top every time, but could not quite do it. Jason Cox, however, was into the ludicrous range (205# and kept trying 235#, but not quite, buddy!)
Petra PR'd at 95#, and I watched her get a kipping (well, kipping is kind of a strong word, here) pull up. That is her first one. Fire it up, baby!
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