Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tuesday

Long warm-up
KB swings
Light deadlifts

Deadlift
1 set of 3 @335# PR
1 set of 15 @185#

Monday, August 24, 2009

Creaky bones


After three days off, I feel almost recovered from the overhead squat day. My shoulder and hip have been hurting quite a bit, but I took a long time to warm up and that seemed to do the trick. I am SO lazy about proper recovery and warming up. NO MORE! I was rewarded for my proper warm up with a back squat PR.

20 minute warm up

Back squat
2 sets of 5 @135#
1 set of 5 @235#
1 set of 5 @245#PR

Then:
As many reps as possible in 10 minutes of sanbag get-ups.
(44 reps)
I don't know the weight of the bag, but I will weigh it tomorrow. It felt real heavy.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hip replacements for the elderly.

Thursday
5 rounds for time of:
15 pull-ups
15 overhead squats @95#
(10:35)

Deep in my right hip, there resides a pain. I can't tell if it's my joint or the muscle.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday

Deadlift
3 sets of 3
320# PR/ 325# PR. Done.
15 @185#

Bench press
3 sets of 3
185#/ 190#/ 195#

No time for the met-con today.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Strength bias week 4

I'm halfway through the strength bias program and feeling good. My original plan of leaning out while doing this has gone out the window. I can't seem to recover well without eating a ton. I have been POWERFUL hungry!

A.M
Back squat
3 sets of 5
225#/230#/235#

Weighted pull-ups
2 sets of 3 @35# overhand grip
2 sets of 3 @35# underhand grip

P.M
4 rounds for time of:
400 m run
15 ghd sit-ups
(15:11)

Did some monkey swings on the pull-up bar and walked sideways on my hands back and forth against the wall.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Sabado Gigante

Press
2 sets of 5 @65#
3 sets of 5 @
120#/ 125#/ 130#PR
1 set of 8 @95#

I've been eating like a bear and sleeping like one too. I'm up to 193 pounds and I'm still in the same size pants. Sweet. Maybe I'll shoot for 200 pounds just to say I've been there. It could be interesting, or it could be an excuse for gluttony. I've got three more weeks on this program. I've decided to spend six week chunks trying different training programs. Which one will be next? Catalyst, Mountain Athlete, Gym Jones? If I'm going to learn I have to be able to break outside of the Crossfit box. I can't think of a better foundation than Crossfit, but there's so much more.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Thursday and Friday strength

Thursday
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
10 bench presses @135#
10 hang power cleans @115#
10 pull-ups
(7 rounds)

Friday
Front squats
3 sets of 5
175#/ 185#/ 195#PR
Back squats
1 set of 20 @135#

The strength bias program is going well, and I continue to make gains. I think maybe I started too conservatively, because I'm making gains easily. However, I am extremely tired, so maybe it's just right.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Still getting stronger

Deadlift
5 @ 135# warm up
5 @ 225# warm up
3 @ 315# PR
15 @185#
Then:
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of
With a 35# KB in each hand
4 lunges
1 hang power clean
5 push presses
(20 rounds in 9:46)

I've had a great time today implementing my new coaching tools. Everything went smoothly during the noon class, and I think everyone really got it. Nice!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Mark Rippetoe is the Dr. Phil of strength training.


Wow, what a weekend. I spent more time at the gym this weekend than I do in an average week. It was a very informative weekend spent learning barbell movements from the real deal, Mark Rippetoe. This guy and his staff know their power lifts, and presented them in a way that anyone could get. It will almost totally change the way I teach the squat, deadlift and press. His cues and set up are concise and to the point, and I often find myself talking too much when trying to teach. I expect my coaching and my own lifts to improve dramatically. I wish I could learn from people like him every weekend. I'm really looking forward to the Crossfit nutrition cert in October. It's a one day lesson from Robb Wolf on the theory and practice of zone and paleo nutrition principles. I know from reading his site that it will be pretty technical, but I think I can handle it. Plus, I'm really excited for the practical application portion.
On the training front, the weekend was long, but we did get quite a bit of training in. So here it is.

Saturday
Back squat
2 sets of 5 @45#
5 sets of 5 @
95#/ 135#/ 155#/ 185#/185#
I could have gone up more, but the last set was being watched and critiqued by everyone in the room, and I didn't want to make an ass of myself. This goes for the rest of the weekend as well.

Press
2 sets of 5 @45#
5 sets of 5 @
65#/ 75#/ 85#/ 95#/ 115#

Bench press
1 set of 5 @45#
5 sets of 5 @
95#/ 135#/ 185#/ 195# fail/ 195# fail

Sunday
Deadlift
2 sets of 5 @95#
5 sets of 5 @
185#/ 205#/ 225#/ 245#/ 255#

Power clean
2 sets of 5 @45#
5 sets of 3 @
95#/ 115#/ 135#/ 155#/ 155#

Monday
Pull-ups
1 set of 20 kipping
2 sets of 10 kipping
3 sets of 5 strict
5 sets of 1 weighted @35# (5 second eccentric)
Pretty tired from the weekend.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Stronger





A.M
Front Squats
3 sets of 5
165#/ 175#/ 180#
Back squat
1 set of 20 @135#

P.M
Donkey Kong (Heavy and high)
12-9-6 reps for time of:
Burpees
KB swings @70#
Box jumps @36"
(6:30)

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Just the facts

Ran to the gym. I think it's 2.35 miles.
Deadlift
3 sets of 3
295#/305#
Stopped at two sets, because 305# is a PR, and the program says stop at PRs.
1 set of 15 @185#
Took the train home.

Tara and I had our first Chi Running session with Murray today and it was awesome! He took video of us running (to be critiqued later) and we learned a lot about posture and body positioning. Murray makes running look effortless, and that's is what I want. It's going to be hard work but I think it will pay off big.
I also learned that I will indeed be able to attend the basic barbell certification with Mark Rippetoe. Time to sharpen my lifting and teaching skills! Rippetoe has over 30 years of lifting experience and has a big personality , so it should be interesting.

Monday, August 3, 2009

More boring strength training

Back squat
3 sets of 5
195#/195#/205#
Weighted pull-ups
5 sets of 3 @35#
Later:
Feeling tired
5 minute row @<1:55/500m pace
1375 meters rowed
400 meter farmer's carry @53# kb in each hand
(4:10)

I put some miles on the bike today as well, and the hill going home is steep!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

The past few days

A little catch up.

Thursday
Rest. I needed it.

Friday
Front squat
3 sets of 5
135#/ 155#/175# still tired
Back squat
1 set of 20 @135#
Shoulder press
3 sets of 5
95#/ 115#/120#
1 set of 15 @75#
I had to pack two days of the strength bias program into one day, because I would not be able to make it to the gym on Saturday.

Saturday
Volunteering at the Katcina Mosa 100k mountain run. Tara and I got to run an aid station (at mile 23) for this race and it was a blast. It really gets me fired up to be there to help the runners along in their journey. I like watching the veterans come through, and I like to try and pick up tips from the way they operate. I had intended on resting this day and just enjoying helping out in the mountain air, but I got in some surprise training.
There were families at the aid station waiting for loved ones and just hanging out. Most of the runners had come through. The wife of one of the runners who had not come through, hiked up the trail a bit only to find her husband unconscious beside a stream. She was able to wake him up and get him down to the aid station. He said he had been throwing up everything he ate or drank for most of the race. This race is hard. It starts at 3 in the morning. We were at mile 23 when this guy was brought in, and it was 10:30a.m. Seven and a half hours on the trail, pushing hard and puking the whole way. He still wanted to continue and the race director told him only if someone went with him. I offered to go and he accepted. We pushed on for about 45 minutes. I had to convince him to turn back and call it off. I have never seen someone vomit so hard. He would drink 5 ounces and vomit what looked like 20 ounces. He was retching so hard that he was shaking. It occurred to me then that I have never really suffered during a race. This guy was obviously in dire need of medical attention, and all he wanted to do was run 40 more miles uphill in the heat. That's one tough S.O.B. I had to tell him he had no choice but to turn back. He was pretty crushed, and as he got weaker he realized it was the right choice. Getting him to safety, however, was another adventure. By the time we made it back to the aid station, everyone was packed up and gone. This area is 3.3 miles up a dirt road that is gated and locked at the bottom. No one on the road to help and no cell phone service. I set him up in the shade, got him a little hydrated and ran to the bottom of the road. At the end of this dirt road you turn left, and it's still 5 miles to cell phone service. I kept on running, finally hitched a ride, got in touch with Tara and she drove us to safety. The locals were a sinister bunch of savages and (other than the outdoorsy couple that gave me a ride) were totally unconcerned. I'm fairly certain they wanted to make me into chili. After this adventure we got to catch the finish of the race listen to the runner's stories. All in all I got in about 10 miles.

Sunday
Salt Lake City Crossfit Running
A group of us went up to the top of Red Butte. Nice and easy. Good people and nice scenery.