kettlebellguy

Archive for July, 2009

CrossFit at 6AM. Yesterday was the foggiest day I remember for a long time and this morning was the rainiest day. Going down the country road to the box I was wondering if I was going to go under water a couple of times.

Once at the box it was clear something was different. No lights…no power. Would this keep Steve, Dave, Eric and I from doing our WOD? Nope. Brian moved his car so the headlights shown in one window, we opened a door that let a little light in (remember, it’s 6AM on an overcast rainy morning). That gave us enough light that we could see each other in the shadows and we did our WOD. I was hoping for Kettlebell tossing this morning but we decided against that.

Music, ambient lighting and stopwatches were provided by various cell phones.

I did OK on the rowing but the thrusters were a disaster, even with just the 45lb bar. My hips were not cooperating on the way down and my right bicep was shot on the way up so it was not a pretty sight and took me forever. The pull ups were a mess also, my arms were just not kicking this morning. So, I worked like a dog as far as using energy but was really disappointed in my form. Deadlifts are much more fun that this stuff but I try to keep focused on the fact that I need to work on my weakness.

You can see from the whiteboard that we just found a spot to show our results, using the light of an iPhone.

Today’s WOD
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With all the excitement of being without power this morning I forgot about doing my weigh in. Not a big issue, I can just do that next week. The number on the scale is not really going to change anything.

Eating—Staying on track 100 percent. All I have to do now is watch out for anything that takes me off my plan and schedule. The temptation of the doughnut is still around and I have to be on guard.

What hurts today—Back of right heel still a big problem. Something started up in my right bicep after rowing this morning that impacted the rest of my workout. Hopefully that will pass. Other than those issues I am feeling good.

CrossFit at 6AM. The fog was thick as pea soup. This was the heaviest fog I can remember in a very long time. Not just pockets of fog here and there but a solid blanket everywhere.

Stacia, Tina and Tom with Brian coaching. Have not seen Jerry for awhile. I noticed this morning that as I looked in the mirror I almost felt good about myself. Need to have Jerry back in the gym to help me deal with these strange feelings.

Not a very good night for me last night. Very restless and my right heel was really hurting, keeping me awake. I suspect that it was the double unders yesterday that has aggravated it even more than it was.

Our workout this morning had sets of 150 jump ropes and I considered doing some rowing as a substitute to give my heel a break however that would have taxed my arms which were going to have to work hard in the WOD. I went ahead and did the jump ropes but did the smallest jumps possible.

The WOD is very deceiving when you just read it. There was a lot of work. It comes out to

600 Jump Ropes
60 Push Jerk
60 Power Snatch
60 Push Ups

I seemed to be moving at extra slow speed this morning. My transition from the power snatch to the push up was very slow as I fought a lot of pain getting up and down and my jump ropes were very broken. I know this WOD was designed to be fast but I was not much of a sprinter this morning. Best news was that I did not quit and I finished everything with reasonable form using 95 lbs for the Jerk and Snatch.

Today’s WOD
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Eating—Staying on plan. Made another batch of red, green, yellow peppers and onion with ground turkey breast yesterday. Hard to believe that tomorrow is weigh in again (and also the last day of July).

What hurts today—Biggest issue it the back of the right heel. Other than feeling like I have been run over by a truck as a result of the WOD I am feeling great.

CrossFit at 6AM on a rainy Wednesday morning. Dave, Angie, Steve and Eric with Brian coaching.

Brian had some exciting news to share this morning. Coach Glassman (CrossFit founder) has confirmed that he will be visiting the CrossfitLegacy box on Saturday, November 28, 2009. This is really big news for our box and for the NE Ohio area. No details are set other than the date. More to come.

Worked on Hang Cleans as our skill. I think I am getting to the point where I actually understand how to do this.

Was successful with the Hang Cleans at 95 lbs during the WOD. My squats on the thrusters sucked today. You could put a thousand pounds on my bar today and I would not go down. The concrete was set hard in my hips this morning.

About beat myself to death with the jump rope on the double unders. It’s very frustrating because I know all the things I am doing wrong. Much of it has to do with my handling of the rope. I was able to get a couple in here and there but I never made the 10 per set. I would still be in the gym if I had waited until that happened.

Although all my movements were not the best this morning I sure worked hard for 24 minutes.

Today’s WOD
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Eating—Doing great on plan. Expecting at least some type of loss by Friday morning.

What hurts today—My hips were not squatting this morning. I was hopeful that after a couple of sets of thrusters they would loosen up but that did not happen today. All the jump rope work did a number on my already sore heels (back of heel). We will see how they are acting in the morning.

Here is a picture of the battle between Carl and I on this morning’s WOD.

CrossFit at 6AM. Steve, Noreen, Carl, Eric, Stacia and Tom with Brian coaching.

Another beautiful Ohio summer morning.

We lifted and moved heavy things this morning so I had a great time.

I felt especially good and strong this morning. I was even able to push out some decent ring dips (with assistance from bands). For the deadlifts I went with 230 lbs. Had to get 5 more lbs than Eric. I am just glad I am not a competitive type of person. Even the 230 lbs felt surprising light this morning. I should have gone heavier.

Carl and I were having our own little mini competition between each other. Although we spend the majority of the time harassing and annoying each other without mercy we made a really good team when it was time to workout this morning. I am really hopeful that we come up with a way to keep Carl coming a couple times a week, even when school starts. I know that he will benefit from the workouts.

Today’s WOD
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Eating—On plan. Feeling really good. Going into week three of Paleo. Does the different eating have anything to do with how I feel stronger and just generally more fit? With a lack of anything else to attribute my good health to I will go with the diet. I have to stay consistently on guard against the temptation of a doughnut but if I can keep that up I will be successful.

What hurts today—I slept well last night and no major issues. My right heel still causes a problem on some mornings. If I just keep moving it will finally loosen up.

CrossFit at 6AM. Eric, Kelly, Steve, Noreen, Carl, Stacia, Tina and Dave with Brian coaching. Beautiful clear sky this morning.

We worked on the press movement (shoulder, push, push jerk) and Med Ball Cleans this morning.

Today’s WOD
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Worked hard on the box jumps today and did every one as a jump up and down. Box was approximately 12 inches. This was a big thing for me as I get over my “reluctance” to jump.

Eating—On plan, doing well. Steve did his weigh in yesterday and was down three so Paleo is working for both of us.

What hurts today—Continuing to feel really good. Nothing major going on.

It’s hard to believe that is starts the last week of July. This summer is flying by.

CrossFit at 9AM. Big crowd with several new people this morning for the free Saturday workout. We had a real mixture of experienced CrossFitters, new CrossFitters and 1st Day CrossFitters.

Today was the 1 year anniversary of my walking into CrossFitLegacy for my first WOD on a Free Saturday Workout morning in July of 2008. Here is a reprint of what I wrote for the next Monday when I started for real on CrossFit.

A restless night. I was doing Crossfit all night long in my sleep in anticipation of my first class, so I was already exhausted by the time I got there. This morning I needed to be at the Crossfit gym at 6A.

Results for WOD
6am
10 Renegade Row
15 Wall Ball
20 Front Squat
50 Jump Ropes

**4 rounds for time**

Kelly–12:32
Sharon–13:35
Eric–11:00
Terry–16:47
Tomas–18:00
Erica–16:18

That WOD does not seem near as much of a challenge now as it did one year ago. Although I am never going to be a speed demon I know my capacity for work has increased tremendously over the year. I am able to lift heavy things and carry them long distances.

CrossFit was what I was looking for and I was lucky to end up with the best CrossFit affiliate, Coach’s and fellow CrossFitter’s just minutes away from me. Looking forward to year two.

A bit of excitement this morning as Pukey made an appearance. One of the new guys doing their first every CrossFit WOD this morning spewed forth the power of pukey. I was trying to finish up my sit ups with Charlie on one side of me screaming words of encouragement and pukey happening a few feet away from me on the other side. Tell me what regular fitness gym you can have fun like that in? I just kept going on my sit ups, finished them up and then did my last squats and was done. By that time the pukey clean up squat was in full action.

Although I have been very close to pukey a few time I have never been able to actually bring him forth during a workout.

I was slow, as I would expect, on this mornings WOD but I completed it. Out of a given group of people I will usually be among the slowest on a bodyweight WOD.
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Eating—On plan. Worked the Church Yard Sale Saturday and avoided all church lady goodies offered at the bake sale plus the hot dogs, sloppy joes and pepperoni rolls they had for lunch. I had taken a big container of grapes and a small bag of raw almonds with me for snacking and I went home for lunch. Avoiding those things is becoming easier and easier.

What hurts today–I have felt really good over the weekend, no major aches or pains. Worked on the yard first thing this morning and will be running errands this afternoon.

Crossfit Legacy Owner Brian Yoak Deadlifts 430lbs from Crossfit Legacy on Vimeo.

Good side by side demonstration of these three movemenets…