As a quick update, in August Jim posted some YouTube videos of CrossFit workouts that looked like hella fun. About the same time, Carol did up a Team Asylum (my online fitness team peeps at Tracker) team thread about trying new things and not being a chicken shit. So, I decided to give CrossFit a try and, luckily, a box had just opened up in Regina in May. Signed up for Foundations and gave my first workout a try (it was 1000 Islands) and have been hooked ever since.
I've been blogging my workouts over on Fitcysters and I'm going to drag them all over here so I have my info all in one place... It'll take me a while as I've blogged every workout from late September 08 to Feb 09 and I go five days a week.
September 25, 2008 - Hey Runners - Try this one!
Wow, just, wow. My hamstrings are toasted. My hip flexors are done. The runs reminded me of nightmares I used to have as a kid where someone is chasing you and you're running as hard as you can but you're moving sooooo very, very slowly. I'm a runner and I'm pretty fast but this workout so completely exhausted the muscles I use to run so I ended up barely able to do the measly 800 meters at a pace where old people and possibly turtles and even sloths could have passed me easily. It was ridiculous. I am hoping I will be able to walk tomorrow. I LOVE CROSSFIT!
3 rounds for time:
800 meter Run
50 Good Mornings - 45/35lb
50 Situps (sit ups, not crunches)
I am very happy to say that I completed this monster is 28:20 and as Rx'd. Yes!
As for if I could do a chin up - sorta. I could do it from a 20" box but not from a dead hang. So, they're coming along. I was also able to do a static ring hold for almost 20 seconds, which is the first step to being able to do a ring dip!
As for the burpee challenge, I am short 20 today. I got half done before my workout and was able to do about seven after before I fell on the floor and couldn't get back up.
September 24, 2008 - Cleans on the Minute
Today's WOD was fabulous! I LOVE power lifts. We did power cleans on the minute. You do one power clean on the first minute, two cleans on the second minute, three cleans on the third minute, etc until you can no longer complete the required number of reps within 60 seconds. I made 11 rounds with an additional six cleans before I konked out. I used a 65 pound barbell - next time I'll go for the prescribed weight of 75 pounds for women. Finished it all up with a timed 2k run - did the first lap with the hubby and then took off on my own for the second so I was a bit slower than I'd like at 10:30. I also did my 55 burpees (from the knee) for the burpee challenge this morning before work and then threw an additional 50 (rx'd from plank) into my warm up before the workout. My knees are getting cranky so I think I'm done for the day.
For a demo of the power clean, here you go!
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_RipBBPowerCleanJump.wmv
Tomorrow, I am going to make an attempt at an unassisted chin up before my workout when I do my negatives. I think I'm pretty close. Pull ups, on the other hand, not so much. :)
September 23, 2008 - Running Burpees - First workout as Rx'd!
Today's workout was a gooder and CrossFit Regina's puke bucket was finally christened by some poor guy at the 6:00 a.m. session. Here's the workout of the day, for time:
400m run
15 burpees
200m run
12 burpees
200m run
9 burpees
200m run
12 burpees
200m run
15 burpees
400m run
I did the push up portion of the burpees from a plank position instead of from the modded knee position so I finally accomplished a workout as Rx'd. Yay! My time was 17:54. I'm feeling pretty good tonight so, once my supper settles I might try and knock a hundred or so burpees off what's left of my buy in amount (400 left of 820) for the burpee challenge.
08-09-22 - A bell, a box and a skipping rope (and 53 non modded burpees)
Oh, and a pistol squat. Woot!
Here was today's CrossFit workout.
AMRAP in 20 minutes:
(AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible)
10 Bell Swings -55lbs/35lbs
20 Box Jumps - 24"
30 Double-Unders
I used 30lbs for the first round and it was easy so I switched to the 35lb bell for the rest of the workout. Box jumps I modded down to a 20" box because there were only two 24" available and the class was full up so I left them for the folks who were going for the workout as Rx'd. I did 30 skips and 30 tuck ups for the double unders until I can get that skill down. Managed to make 4 rounds plus all swings, box jumps, skips and 19 tuck unders - so I was close to getting in five. Also got in 53 burpees for the challenge and I didn't have to modify the push up portion - woot! I'm getting stronger!
As for the pistol squats, which are part of the gym challenge, I was able to do them with my left leg but not my right. I thought that was pretty cool!
General enthusiast of sweaty activities. Cave girl foodie. This is a blog about that. And sometimes cats.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Day One
Yesterday I woke up with a food hangover with a giant new zit on my chin and cranky as hell. Anyhoodle, a workout and some yummy, healthy food and the last four episodes of Dexter Season 1 did the trick and, as of this morning, I’m feeling human again (but sleepy – meh, I was up late all worried about Kurt, who stayed with his mom last night at the hospice).
Nutrition
Breakfast:
Omega Egg Whites with 0.5 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 cup blueberries, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 tbsp crushed walnuts
Brunch
Homemade chicken, vegetable and black bean soup
Lunch
Omega Egg Whites with 0.5 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 orange
Supper
4 ounces chicken breast with habanero pepper sauce, lime and 1 tsp canola oil
½ can black beans cooked with more habanero sauce and seasoning
Roasted red pepper spears tossed in 1 tsp canola oil
Post Workout Meal:
Omega Egg Whites with 1 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 cup blueberries, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 tbsp crushed walnuts
1 orange
2 ounces roasted chicken
The last meal, I was still hungry so I had two servings of eggs (that’s why there’s an ounce of gouda) and the extra piece of fruit and a wee snorgle of chicken.
My workout was kinda lame. I decided to try out the 1st stage of workouts in the New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women and, today, I’m not feeling like I did something different. That’s generally NOT how I feel after I’ve tried a new Alwyn Cosgrove workout. I took a peak at Stage 2 and, yep, it looks like a body masher so I think I’m going to skip ahead a bit.
Nutrition
Breakfast:
Omega Egg Whites with 0.5 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 cup blueberries, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 tbsp crushed walnuts
Brunch
Homemade chicken, vegetable and black bean soup
Lunch
Omega Egg Whites with 0.5 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 orange
Supper
4 ounces chicken breast with habanero pepper sauce, lime and 1 tsp canola oil
½ can black beans cooked with more habanero sauce and seasoning
Roasted red pepper spears tossed in 1 tsp canola oil
Post Workout Meal:
Omega Egg Whites with 1 ounce gouda and Salsa
1 cup blueberries, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 tbsp crushed walnuts
1 orange
2 ounces roasted chicken
The last meal, I was still hungry so I had two servings of eggs (that’s why there’s an ounce of gouda) and the extra piece of fruit and a wee snorgle of chicken.
My workout was kinda lame. I decided to try out the 1st stage of workouts in the New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women and, today, I’m not feeling like I did something different. That’s generally NOT how I feel after I’ve tried a new Alwyn Cosgrove workout. I took a peak at Stage 2 and, yep, it looks like a body masher so I think I’m going to skip ahead a bit.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Late Night Ponderings and a Light Bulb Moment
I’ve been doing some poking around lately and I stumbled across a couple of articles/suggestions and had a little eureka moment last night while I was all bemoany about the change in rules where Canucks will no longer be eligible for consideration in the big EAS BFL challenge.
The first was a suggestion from Kat Carney on Soulcysters to take 90 days and write down exactly what you’re doing and then take that info to your doctor if you aren’t losing weight. Now, for me, I know I’ll lose, etc. but if I’m still not be regulated, zit free, etc. I’d like to use this to show my doctor I might need additional intervention. Basically, the idea is to be your own science project.
The second was a phenomenal article about the Tao Athlete that I’m going to have to read a couple of times to fully digest. On first reading, there were a couple of things that really stood out to me.
“The Tao and the Tao nature is about the path, the fulfillment or filling you up from being on the path. It’s about YOUR path. It is unique. The Tao is about balance. It is beautiful in its context that it can be about pure devotion and commitment but at the same time not be about obsessive compulsive preoccupation with outcomes, or results or externals that take us off its path and away from balance.“
In the past, I’ve worked out because I want to achieve a certain result. I want to lose and inch off my waist; I want to fit into a certain sized pants by a certain date. And then I get obsessive and weird and start losing momentum. Workouts become a chore and I get cranky about eating clean. I forget that I also enjoy my time when I work out, the rhythm of my breathing, the quiet reflection when I’m lifting, the zing of energy mid workout that gets me up and dancing like a fool between sets (yay for working out at home without an audience). I like how the act of working out makes me feel both in the moment and in my life in general. It’s a part of who I am and how I live and why can’t the results be of no consequence?
The second part that really had me nodding and agreeing with my computer screen was:
“Like any house, the more I like the surroundings and lack of clutter and the more clean and organized that environment, than the more likely I am to think more clearly and “be” a better me.”
The whole idea of having measurable goals and never being happy with your results and eating only for fuel is great and all for other people but it ain’t for me. It doesn’t light a fire. Not all of us are cookie cutter molds of one another. I don’t need to fit it – it is extraneous to how I live my life. I don’t have to have another person’s feelings in order to feel like I’m doing right.
The last bit was my initial, aformentioned bemoaniness at the BFL challenge changes. I was pissed! And then, after a while it dawned on me - this could be good. No more official starts. No more official ends! No more freaking if I'm PMSing in my last week and my photos won't show enough definition. No more four week freak out. No more start weights and no more cholking down EAS protein powder at least once so I can officially enter. No more feeling bad about hating a.m. cardio! Woohoo! The best is NO MORE COMPETITION. I don't have to try and fit my square, type B peg into a round type A hole (hee) and set SMART goals and measure against and pretend like I get off on all that shit. I never again will do another “challenge” or step on a scale or measure myself to see if I'm "succeeding" or not or take photos at set times and submit a package.
Anyhoo, I took all of this, swirled it around in my noggin for a few days and, last night, it all mashed itself up and turned into this…
I’m going to enjoy myself and the process. Now, because I need some baseline data to take to my doctor to see if I need some extra oomph in managing my PCOS, I’m going to track what I do but, for myself, I'm going to track how I feel. For me, this is about feeling great, and allowing that to help me be a better me. Am I feeling excited? Energized? Fulfilled? Am I having fun? How does my body feel? Is my physical self happy? If not, do I need to do something different?
The first was a suggestion from Kat Carney on Soulcysters to take 90 days and write down exactly what you’re doing and then take that info to your doctor if you aren’t losing weight. Now, for me, I know I’ll lose, etc. but if I’m still not be regulated, zit free, etc. I’d like to use this to show my doctor I might need additional intervention. Basically, the idea is to be your own science project.
The second was a phenomenal article about the Tao Athlete that I’m going to have to read a couple of times to fully digest. On first reading, there were a couple of things that really stood out to me.
“The Tao and the Tao nature is about the path, the fulfillment or filling you up from being on the path. It’s about YOUR path. It is unique. The Tao is about balance. It is beautiful in its context that it can be about pure devotion and commitment but at the same time not be about obsessive compulsive preoccupation with outcomes, or results or externals that take us off its path and away from balance.“
In the past, I’ve worked out because I want to achieve a certain result. I want to lose and inch off my waist; I want to fit into a certain sized pants by a certain date. And then I get obsessive and weird and start losing momentum. Workouts become a chore and I get cranky about eating clean. I forget that I also enjoy my time when I work out, the rhythm of my breathing, the quiet reflection when I’m lifting, the zing of energy mid workout that gets me up and dancing like a fool between sets (yay for working out at home without an audience). I like how the act of working out makes me feel both in the moment and in my life in general. It’s a part of who I am and how I live and why can’t the results be of no consequence?
The second part that really had me nodding and agreeing with my computer screen was:
“Like any house, the more I like the surroundings and lack of clutter and the more clean and organized that environment, than the more likely I am to think more clearly and “be” a better me.”
The whole idea of having measurable goals and never being happy with your results and eating only for fuel is great and all for other people but it ain’t for me. It doesn’t light a fire. Not all of us are cookie cutter molds of one another. I don’t need to fit it – it is extraneous to how I live my life. I don’t have to have another person’s feelings in order to feel like I’m doing right.
The last bit was my initial, aformentioned bemoaniness at the BFL challenge changes. I was pissed! And then, after a while it dawned on me - this could be good. No more official starts. No more official ends! No more freaking if I'm PMSing in my last week and my photos won't show enough definition. No more four week freak out. No more start weights and no more cholking down EAS protein powder at least once so I can officially enter. No more feeling bad about hating a.m. cardio! Woohoo! The best is NO MORE COMPETITION. I don't have to try and fit my square, type B peg into a round type A hole (hee) and set SMART goals and measure against and pretend like I get off on all that shit. I never again will do another “challenge” or step on a scale or measure myself to see if I'm "succeeding" or not or take photos at set times and submit a package.
Anyhoo, I took all of this, swirled it around in my noggin for a few days and, last night, it all mashed itself up and turned into this…
I’m going to enjoy myself and the process. Now, because I need some baseline data to take to my doctor to see if I need some extra oomph in managing my PCOS, I’m going to track what I do but, for myself, I'm going to track how I feel. For me, this is about feeling great, and allowing that to help me be a better me. Am I feeling excited? Energized? Fulfilled? Am I having fun? How does my body feel? Is my physical self happy? If not, do I need to do something different?
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