The Inevitable Tear

Pretty much every crossfitter knows that some time or another you are going to rip the skin open on your hand or hands.  There are ways to try and combat that, either chalk, hand wraps, gloves, etc.  Yesterday's workout had 100 pull ups in it, so I was afraid of the dreaded tear.  The worst part about tearing your hand isn't the pain, but depending on the severity, the amount of time it takes to heal.  And since I took a month off, of course I tore my hand mid workout.

The workout was 10 rds of 10 pull ups/10 ring dips or 20 min., whichever comes first.  I had to use a band for assistance with the ring dips, but did the pull ups without a band.  A band for assistance is a giant rubberband that you stand in or for dips, string it between the rings and put a knee on it for assistance.  About round 5 is when I looked at my left hand and saw the dreaded tear, and it was a big rip.  I tried to continue with regular pull ups, but it kept ripping.  So, I changed for the next rounds to do jumping pull ups.  For me, pull ups with a band are a pain, so I decided to do jumping pull ups.  That's where I jump from the ground to over the bar while doing a pull up.  After 20 min, I got 7 full rounds and 10 pull ups.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't get all 10 rounds in, but I know next time I will.  I just need to let my hand heal up a bit before doing that many pull ups again.

No Shoes, No Problem

Today's workout consisted of squats and lunges.  First was strength work, 5 sets of front squats, 3 reps.  I got 215 lbs for my last set.  I'll take that since the last time I did it in Oct, I got to 185 lbs.  Then it was on to the actual workout, which today, was squats and lunges.  1000 m row, 100 m walking lunges, and 100 air squats.  Not too bad on paper, but sucked.  About 40 reps into my squats, I got a pain in my arch of my left foot.  So should I quit, nope, just take my shoes off.  I kicked my shoes off and finished the squats.  19 min 44 sec, done.

Now, in a globo gym, taking your shoes off mid workout would get you some strange looks.  People don't even look twice if you do that during a wod.  Whatever it takes to finish.  So no shoes, no problem, just as long as you finish the workout however you need to.

My Angel Has Returned

It has been awhile since I last posted anything.  The reason being is because I haven't done anything worth posting about, like working out.  Today I returned to the crossfit gym by my house, Coca Crossfit, for a daily wod.  I knew it was going to suck because let's face it, if you don't work out for a month, the first few workouts suck.  And today I was not disappointed.

The workout was 5 rds of 21 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDLHP), which is a combination of a sumo squat into an upright row, and 12 pushups.  I started out like a gator, quick right out of the gate.  Then the realization of my lack of working out kicked in.  I got through the first 2 rounds pretty quick.  And that is when I ran into the wall and slowed down.  I finished in 13 min. 44 sec.  Not great, but not terrible.  As I finished the workout, I yelled "Time" and collapsed onto the floor.  After a few minutes of catching my breath lying on the floor, I got up and there it was on the ground, my angel.  The angel I am referring to is my sweat angel.  For me it is a sign of a good workout, and today was no different.

You Are What You Eat

I found that out today when I went to Coca Crossfit for my morning torture/workout.  I would say that for the last 2 months or so, I have eaten like absolute garbage.  Bar food, beer, and pretty much nothing really that healthy.  At least not on a consistent basis.  I would eat a good meal or 2, but then I would eat garbage for a week or so.  Today's workout was 10 rounds of 10 pull ups, 10 burpees.  I knew it would suck.  The first 2 rounds weren't too bad, but then all my crap eating came into play and I only made it another 2 rounds.  Not even halfway.  I was disappointed to say the least.

Today proved that diet plays a vital role in my fitness.  I can't just workout and eat unhealthy food.  Not only do I feel like crap all day, but my workouts really suffer.  I was reminded this morning that it's not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times that you get back up.  I got back up today and I don't want to get knocked down anymore.

My New Kicks

Recently, I bought a pair of Nike Frees.  They are supposed to be more of a minimalist shoe, simulating the feeling of being barefoot.  I wasn't sure how I would like them, since I have been used to running shoes my whole life.  But, I must say, I am starting to really like them.  The shoes are good for pretty much most Crossfit workouts.  And today was the first time I tried running in them.

I am setting a goal for myself of running the half marathon in Cleveland this May.  So, with setting that goal, it was time to start running.  I ran a mile today in my Frees.  It took me 11 min.  Not great, but not horrific either.  My shoes were really comfortable to run in.  It made me excited to continue running.

Born to Run

That does not describe me or how I am built.  It is the book that I am currently reading.  It talks about finding the joy in running.  As I was reading it today, I came across a quote in the book that made me think of Crossfit.  The quote was describing a young breed of ultra runners and how they loved to push their bodies.  It was from William James:  "Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."

This quote describes a lot of my Crossfit workouts, and why I enjoy doing them in a group.  Working out by yourself is fine for some people, but I prefer to be in a group.  The reason is summed up in that quote.  When I am fatigued and feel like I have nothing left, there is someone telling me 1 more rep, just pick up the bar.  If I was working out on my own, I would stop.  I would never think that I could do more or really know what I was capable of.  Having a group there to help push me past anything I ever thought possible for me is why I enjoy the group workouts.

And if you haven't read the book Born to Run, I recommend it.

Lesson Learned

A big lesson I learned at the certification was to play around with your programming.  Some will be good, some will suck.  The key is to experiment and see what works and what doesn't.  My plan for today's workout was to do a Tabata style workout with deadlifts, push press, and front squat.  All I have at home is 115 lbs., so that is what I will use.  For those that don't know, Tabata workouts are 8 rounds of 20 sec. of work/10 sec. of rest.  There are 2 ways to keep track, you can count your lowest rep during the 8 sets, or you can total all of the reps.  I decided to use the lowest rep.  

There were 2 lessons learned today.  1. 115 lbs is too heavy for tabata push press and front squat for me right now.  Most importantly lesson 2.  Move your head out of the way before you push the bar up over your head.  Now I know that there are people that have cut their chin doing this.  Fortunately, I was lucky enough to just graze my chin, but hit it hard enough to not make that mistake again.  

Today's programming I don't consider a failure, but it definitely was not my best effort.  Next time I pair these exercises, I can just use a lighter weight, maybe 95 lbs.  For me, I enjoy the programming aspect of Crossfit, learn from your mistakes and make changes as needed.  The possibilities are endless.