So I’ve been MIA for a little while … I’ve been working my ass off to get my Training business off the ground. The good news is that I’m rolling and everything is good so far. Please head over and take a look at the website forestvancetraining.com.
For the workout today, I combined the WOD from the CrossFit main from a couple of days ago with a little running. Here was the workout:
Warm-Up:
Run 1 mile
Overhead Squat x 10, Pull-Up x 6, Bar dip x 6, sit-up x 10, RDL x 10 - 2 times thru
Workout:
Row 250 m
Sumo deadlift high pull x 21, 95#
15 Pull-ups
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
Killer workout! Made it through 3 times, felt like my arms were going to fall off. The Overhead squat is a great movement; it challenges your core strength, flexibility, and balance. It’s an advanced move, just to warn you; I’ve posted a video below to illustrate:
Javorek Complex - upright row, high pull snatch, squat to overhead press, rdl, bent-over row - 2x thru
Deadlift 5,5,5
Step-up 10,10,10
Pull-up 10,10,10,10
DB Push Press 10,10,10,10
Barbell curl 3,5,7,10,20
Really didn’t even push that hard on the deads today … got up to about 225. Most likely it was the Spike I took before the workout that made me crash so hard afterwards. The stuff is seriously insane (I’m not affiliated with the product in any way, I promise :) If you look at the label, it’s got like 350 milligrams of caffiene and 33,333 % of your daily value of B 12. It gets you going - but not reccommended for the faint of heart.
For more product reviews, diet tips, workout advice, and more, please head over and take a look at my other blog at thefitnessmonster.com.
Energy level for today’s workout really just wasn’t there … got it done, but that was really about it. I think some good reflection on this is to first look at the importance of recording your workouts! If we don’t write our workouts down in some form, we’re not really able to look back and really even realize that we had a sub-par workout. Second, we can ask ourselves why - was it too little sleep, improper nutrition, dehydration, etc. I think in this case for myself it was likely a combination - but my daily routine wasn’t really that different. If anything, I didn’t have my normal pre-workout energy drink! So in the future I need to A.) have my energy drink or B.) ween myself off of them because I’m really becoming depended on them to a degree.
For a little more on the good and bad of caffeine, take a look at this article I wrote for Ezinearticles.com.
Did the Workout of the Day from the CrossFit main site; consisted of the following:
foam roll hams, calves, piriformis, it bands
7 mins on elliptical
static/dynamic stretch combo
And for the meat of the workout:
For time:
10 GHD Sit-ups
10 Hip & Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 30 reps
50 Pull-ups
30 GHD Sit-ups
30 Hip & Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 20 reps
35 Pull-ups
50 GHD Sit-ups
50 Hip & Back Extensions
95 pound Thrusters, 10 reps
20 Pull-ups
This was really a fantastic workout - will have to keep around for the future. Ended up having to do assisted pull-ups towards the end of the workout; also subbed weighted dips for the thrusters. Was a great combo of resistance training and cardio in one workout - was a very good intensity, but didn’t totally destroy me, which I liked
Today’s workout is an interval run … it’s going to be short and sweetWalk/dynamic stretch
Jog 5 min
Run 120 sec
Walk 60 sec
Repeat 6 times
This workout was a lot tougher that I thought it would be! High intensity anaerobic work is always going to be more beneficial than low intensity aerobic work with regards to changes in body comp. I got this workout idea from CrossFit Endurance; I would highly recommend taking a look at this website.
For a more in-depth look at why interval training is better than steady-state cardio for burning body fat, take a lot at my Stop Doing Cardio post over at The Fitness Monster Blog.
Back on schedule today … should be a killer workout!
Dynamic warm-up:
Static stretch: hams, calves, hip flexors, piriformis
Dynamic stretch: prisoner squat, lunge, push ups
Hanging leg raise: 10,10,10
Workout:
Deadlift 5,5,5,5
Step-up 10,10,10
Close-grip chin 8,6,6
Push press 8,8,8
DB Curl 10,10,10
Run 20 minutes
Tough workout today! Actually felt a little sick afterwards … possibly because it was the first really hard workout since I have been feeling better. This is something I’ve always wondered about; it happens to my clients fairly frequently. What makes someone feel queasy or dizzy or sick after or during a tough workout? Head over to The Fitness Monster Blog and read my lastest post to find out why!
Today was a suped-up version of ‘Elizabeth’; did the WOD from the crossfit main site:
foam roll, dynamic warm-up, core work
15 155 pound power cleans
30 dips
12 155 pound power cleans
24 dips
9 cleans
18 dips
6 cleans
12 dips
3 cleans
6 dips
For time!
Also added some direct arm work afterwards. This workout was a killer; I feel like it’s doing a lot towards improving my Elizabeth time. Did regular dips instead of ring dips. While high rep weightlifting is controversial in a lot of strength and conditioning workouts, one thing I know is that’s it’s really, really hard - which is one good thing it’s got going for it!
For those of you who don’t know, here is a link to a great article from the crossfit journal about the original ‘benchmark’ workouts: what they are, their importance, why they are structured the way they are, etc. ‘Elizabeth’ is one of them; it consists of 21-15-9 reps each of cleans and ring dips performed for time. This is a bear of a workout! Look to the article for more details.
‘Cindy’ (CrossFit workout) on the schedule today. Workout was structured as follows:Dynamic warm-up: neck rolls, arm swings, dynamic quad, dynamic ham, leg cradles
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 bodyweight squats
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
Finished with 40 minute fast-paced walk outside
Still easing back into full workout intensity; finished 10 rounds of Cindy. It can be amazing how much easier you get winded when getting back into the mix after being sick. I paid special attention to my form on the kipping pull-ups; pushing away from the bar at the top of the movement seems to be so key to doing an efficient kip. The kipping pull-up looks like a cheating pull-up at first glance; it’s really a legitimate but different movement from a regular pull-up. I’ve posted a video that gives a great explanation. Enjoy!
Easy workout planned for today … feeling much better, but still plan on easing back into it.
Warm-Up:
10 Mins elliptical
Foam Roll: Calves, Hams, IT Band, Quads, Piriformis
Wall squat, 1 leg RDL, lunge w twist, dynamic calves
Stretch hip flexors, hams, calves
Workout:
Front squat 8, 8,8
Lunge 10,10,10
Seated Row 10,10,10
Dips 10,12,12
Hanging knee to elbows 10,10
Sit-Ups 15,15,15
Cable curls 12,12
Workout lasted about 45 minutes which was perfect for what I was trying to do. Wanted to share a link to a Crossfit Journal article about the importance of squatting. It’s a great read and really goes in to depth about why everyone needs to squat! Also has some great instruction and cues to help you out with your technique, some picture examples of good and bad technique, and some nice progressions to get you squatting properly in no time. Be sure to check it out.
It’s been a really long time since I’ve missed three days in a row! Like I said before, I normally try and just power thru my workout routine and end up being sicker so much longer - so I’m resolving to take it easy until I feel better. Another thing we should be focusing on when we’re sick - and when we’re well, for that matter - is drinking water! Here is a good article on the importance of drinking enough water over at freedrinkingwater.com. According to the article, water makes up more than two thirds of the weight of the human body. We can go weeks without food but only about three days without water. Mild dehydration is one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue, and an estimated 75% of Americans suffer from chronic, mild dehydration. A few other things that water does:
Serves as a lubricant
Forms the fluids that surround the joints
Serves as a detox agent
Regulates metabolism
Interestingly, when we look at the research, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive amount of water that needs to be consumed on a daily basis. A good guideline I try to follow myself and that I recommend to my clients is to shoot for half of your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. So drink up!
