It's Been Awhile

It has been quite some time since my last post.  It doesn't mean that I haven't been working out, it just means that I haven't been writing about it because I have been doing a half ass effort.  I am good about working out for a week or so, then fall off the wagon, and so on.  I am very disappointed with myself.  I am not trying to lose weight for anyone but myself, and basically, I have let myself down up to this point.  Like most people, I have lost and gained the same 10-20 lbs for the last year.  Not gaining past where I started, but not keeping off what I lose either.  It is all part of my journey, and how I move on from here is up to me.

I am going to try and start doing 2 workouts a day, meaning some cardio and olympic lifting practice for one workout, and a crossfit wod for the other.  Now this won't be every day, but if I can do this 3 days a week and just one workout the other days, whether it be crossfit or cardio, I will be on the right track.  My buddy asked me to do a strong man competition with him in April, so the oly lifting will help with that.  I have no intentions of winning, but I think it will be fun to compete in it and from what he has told me, it is a team competition.  This gives a purpose to my training, which might be the push that I needed.  We shall see.

I Repeat...Burpees Suck!

Today's workout once again had burpees in it.  I HATE BURPEES.  And these weren't regular burpees.  They were bar facing burpees.  Meaning, you do a burpee facing the bar, and then jump and turn so you land on the other side facing the bar, hence the name.  There is nothing like burpees in a wod to wear me out so fast.  And why should this one be any different.  The workout was 5 rounds of 15 push press (95lbs) and 15 bar facing burpees.  My original goal was to finish under 30 min.  About halfway through, I realized that was going to be very reachable.  I finished in 23:40.  Better than I had thought, but still not where I want to be.  The only way to get better with the workouts and burpees is to do them.  My body is pretty worn out from the last 2 weeks of wods.  The programming from Crossfit Militia has been great and really kicked my butt.  I am thinking 2 days rest for the holiday weekend.  Or maybe just a light jog on Sat.   A little R & R will be a good thing.

AMRAP = Oh Crap

Today's wod, an AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible).  15 min of 20 double unders and 225 lb deadlift.  These type of wods always suck, and today was right on point.  I was fairly sore/worn out from the last few workouts, so today was pretty tiring.  I was hoping for 8 to 9 rounds.  I got either 6 or 7, I am not sure because I lost track in the middle.  So, I am going with that I got 6 rounds rx'd.  The deadlifts definitely got heavy by the end of the 15 min.  The double unders weren't really a problem.  I am good at jumping rope, so those usually aren't a problem.  I have noticed that my endurance has been getting better.  My recovery time after a workout has been getting shorter my wind is getting a better.  I still collapse in a puddle of sweat gasping for air, just not as long as I was.

Lions, Tigers and Oh S**t, a Bear Complex

Today's workout was a bear complex, meaning it is a sequence of exercises done with one barbell.  It was a power clean, front squat, push press, back squat and a push press.  That is 1 sequence, done seven times for 1 round.  Take a minute rest, add 20 lbs, and do it all over again 4 more rounds, adding 20 lbs. each round.  You start with just the bar, and end up doing 125 lbs for the last round of 7 reps.  If you drop the bar or let it rest on the ground, it is not rx'd.  I did the first 3 rounds without a problem, rx'd.  Then the 4th round hit and so did the wall that goes with it.  I had to put the bar down, so my workout was not rx'd.  The weight was, but I can't claim rx because I had to set the bar down.  I finished in 20:09.  Not good, not bad. While it wasn't rx, at least it wasn't a DNF (did not finish), which is worse.  I love the bear complex workouts, even if it nearly ate me alive.

The Tingling means that it is Working

So I recently decided to try a pre-workout supplement.  I started taking Jacked, which I like.  My friend Man-baby, the one who the bet is with, sent me some RSP Fast Fuel and Beta Alanine and told me to try that.  I must say, I love that stuff.  The first time that I took it, I kind of got freaked out because I have never taken anything like that before.  I got a tingling feeling in my arms and back, almost like it was itching.  I asked my buddy about it, and he said that is normal, because it is opening up your blood vessels.  I have now come to grips with that and it lets me know that the supplement is working.  My workouts have been great since taking them and I sweat like no other.  Also I have been taking some fish oil pills and a multi vitamin.  It all seems to be working as I am feeling great all day and recovering well from my workouts.  I think I'll keep using it.

As the Chalk Dust Settles

As the chalk dust settles, I am lying on the ground gasping for air.  That is how pretty much all my workouts end it seems.  Like many crossfitters, I use chalk to help with gripping the bar instead of hand wraps or gloves.  It really helps considering that during the workouts I am dropping pools of sweat.  The chalk helps to keep my hands dry and keep my grip on the bar.  And it helps to keep my hands from ripping.

Today's workout was no different.  3 sets of 3 reps for DL and then on to the wod.  I was able to do 315-365-385.  Not great by any means.  The workout was 21-15-9 reps of Power Cleans, Burpees, Power Snatch.  The rx'd weight was 95lbs, not bad.  I didn't have an issue with the cleans or snatches, but when you add burpees in the mix it absolutely kills me.  Today's workout should take me less than 15 min.  I did it in 22:23.  Terrible!  It's the burpees in the middle that get me every time.  As I finished, the chalk dust settled around me, like a chalk dust outline.

Expose Your Weakness

That is the great thing with Crossfit.  With it being constantly varied, there will come a time when you find a big weakness.  Then, it will get exposed for the entire workout.  Today was that day for me.  It was finding a Snatch 1 rep max in 10 min.  I have done power snatches, but I haven't really done full squat snatches.  Today that all changed.  I was able to get up to 135 lbs.  I failed twice at 145 because my balance was off.  Before I knew it the 10 min. was up and I hit a disappointing 135 max.  Take a 5 min rest then the wod was 15 min AMRAP with 70% of your snatch max, 105 lbs.  The main focus was to concentrate on form and making sure I get a deep full squat.  20 reps is where I ended up at, but my form and squat depth were kept in tact, which is what I was really going for.  Form is more important for me with movements that I am not used to or good at.  The weight will come.  Today I had a big weakness of mine exposed.  The only thing to do now is to practice it to make it a strength so that I can move on to the next weakness.  And believe me, I have plenty of them.