Training Adventures

My personal fitness log. Advice, support, constructive criticism, motivation, and other feedback welcome!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Push press, Pilates

Warm-up: 500m row

WOD 070128

Push press 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 reps

45
50
55
60
65
70
75 (failed the 2nd, completed the 3rd)

The bar should probably go pretty quickly from the bottom position to the top. When I did it with heavier weights, it got stuck about two-thirds of the way up, and the last third of the movement was much slower.

30 minutes of pilates.

Totally looking forward to CFDC tonight!

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Two days of running (jogging, really)

Went for a 38:30 run on Friday, since I was working from home. I felt sluggish.
Went for a 40 minute run on Saturday, since I was at my aunt and uncle's house, and they live across the street from a beautiful trail, and it was warm out. It felt like a better run than Friday's.

I like the idea of doing more track workouts instead. (Thanks SO much for your comments to the last post!) I should disclose that I generally hate and fear doing track workouts, but I feel great (exhausted and proud of myself for doing them) afterwards. Will have to figure out how to fit them into my schedule - go down to the Mall during the day? Stop at a track on my way home from work? Probably.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

I'm going to Paga this year!!!

I just got invited to play on a women's team at Paganello this year. It starts on April 5, exactly 10 weeks from today! Excited to have a goal for my training. Actually, I'll probably be playing in Fool's Fest, which is the weekend before. Not a very competitive tournament, but I'd like to be in good shape for it! Especially endurance-wise - that was a weak point in the fall. Any suggestions on how to spend these 9 weeks?

Diane (Deadlift, Handstands) + Pilates

Warm-up: 2 x 20 squats + down dog stretch

WOD 070124: "Diane"

21-15-9 reps of:
225 pound Deadlift
Handstand push-ups

12-13 minutes... not really sure.
I used 115# for the deadlifts, and did 30 second handstands against the wall instead of pushups. Quite challenging! Last time I did deadlifts, I used 95#. I had a hard time with 115# - kept banging my knees, feeling it in my low back. In the last round, I turned my feet out a little instead of keeping them parallel, and I felt it in my stomach a little more... so that's probably good. My right shoulder felt a little flimsy during the handstands (probably worn out from last night), but my posture felt pretty good.

500m row - 2:10 - nice and easy.

After that, a 30 minute Pilates class. My arms were shaking! I feel much less sore now than I did this morning though, which is good. I was pretty stiff.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

CrossFit DC! Dumbbells

I returned to CrossFit DC for the first time since before Christmas, and it was terrific. The class has grown a ton. Last time I went, there were four of us. Today there were 15. I was the only woman in the entire gym. The main gymnasium was filled with gay volleyball players, and all of my classmates are men. A number of are semi-pro or college rugby players, which I think is kind of neat. I like being the only woman, because I feel like I don't have to compete with anyone but myself. That, said, I held my own against my classmates, which feels good. It also feels good to have one's grunts overpowered by other, louder grunts. The last good feeling was how shaky and rubbery my arms were when we were finished. That might now feel so good tomorrow.

Warm-up: 20 squats, Samson stretch, 5 dive-bomber push-ups, 20 squats

Dumbbell Workout:
As many rounds in 8 minutes of
5 power cleans
4 renegade rows (2 per arm, 4 push-ups total)
3 push jerks
2 one-arm power snatches (2 per arm)
1 one-arm overhead squat (1 per arm)
Two-minute rest. Repeat thrice.

I used a pair of 15# dumbbells.
First set: 5 rounds + 5 power cleans + 4 r.r.s
Second: 5 rounds
Third: 5 rounds + 5 power cleans

Notes: I cheated on a bunch of the power cleans at first - didn't catch in a deep squat. And I should have had higher elbows in the catch. Also, my push-ups were getting pretty shallow towards the end. Altogether, a solid effort. Great to work out with other people. Great to do so much work!

Then we did three 30-second assisted L-sits. I sat on the ground with my legs out straight in front of me. My partner lifted my heels a few inches off the ground while I pushed my butt a few inches off the ground. Good exercise! Incredible to see the guys doing them unassisted.

A little stretching, and we were done. Yay CrossFit!

Monday, January 22, 2007

Cindy, lunges

Warm-up:
500m row - 1:54
Forwards/backwards lunges
Backwards twisting lunges
Down dog shoulder stretch

WOD 070118

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

I did 8 rounds + 5 pull-ups in 20:10. The last time I did this, I did 9 rounds in 19:08. Disappointing that I was so much slower this time. However, I did manage 3 full rounds of good push-ups (hands under shoulders, elbows pointing back) before going wide; last time, I only did 1 round like that. AND a guy told me I had good form; I was definitely feeling my Pilates muscles, so that's good. Pull-ups still suck.

Then...
Forwards/backwards lunges
10 side lunges (20 total), which felt good. (Inspired by this post.)
A little shoulder stretching, and I was done.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Gentle yoga

Yoga today felt good. A harder class would have been nice, but I'm not complaining. I'm starting to feel sick - maybe the result of being solidly busy for the past week. Looking forward to a boring weekend.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Recovery + business = inactivity

Very inactive start to the week, as we had a company meeting at Sibley's house (ie not near the gym). I was tied up from 10 am - 10 pm and too tired to go running or do anything before the meetings started in the morning. Hardly even rode my bike!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Dance, dance, dance!

Enormous dance party at my house. I bet I danced for 5 hours. Whee!

Friday, January 12, 2007

Heavy furniture lifting

Spent the morning moving furniture from one house to another (with the help of a car). Spent the afternoon shopping at Costco - strangely mentally exhausting.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Thrusters, Pull-ups, Windmills

Was hoping for yoga, but it was canceled today. Alas.

Warm-up: 20 squats, 20 forwards-backwards lunges

WOD 070108
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
65 pound Thruster, 12 reps (I used 55#)
10 Pull-ups (I did jumping/negative)

I did 5 rounds in 17 minutes. Wow, I hate pull-ups.

Windmills
5 x 17.5# (5 each arm)
5 x 20
5 x 22.5

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Power snatch, Push-up, Pilates

Warm-up: 2 rounds of 20 squats + 5 dive-bomber push-ups

WOD 070109
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
65 pound Power snatch, 12 reps (I used 45#.)
10 Push-ups

I did 6 rounds in about 16:30.
It felt hard but good. Was concentrating on good form on the snatches. When I think of leading with my collarbones on the way up, I feel it in my stomach and butt. So I think I'm doing it right... just quite fast enough.

Stopped before the rx'd 20 minutes were up so I could go to a 30 minute Pilates class.

Monday, January 08, 2007

400s, Thrusters

Warm-up:
Two sets of 20 squats + 5 dive-bomber push-ups

WOD 070102
Five rounds for time of:
400 meter run
135 pound Thruster, 10 reps

I only did 4 rounds.
I used 65# for the first set of thrusters and 55# for the rest.
Running felt pretty ok! Did all four at 10 mph.
Thruster form felt loose - I wasn't snapping my hips, and the bar was in front of me. My weight was often in my toes.

Time: 16:30

Press
5 x 45#

Lots of leg stretches. :-)

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Moving, Ultimate

Helped my housemates move out of our house and into their new apartment - a few hours of hauling boxes around.

Also, a few points of Ultimate. Absolutely gorgeous weather. Such a joy to be out-of-doors!

Friday, January 05, 2007

Jog

Worked from home, but needed to get out in order to get some endorphins going! Sadly, it was a short, slow run - about 25 minutes, I think, with lots of walk breaks. It was good to get out and get moving though!

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Running

I'm back in DC! I've been getting back into running lately... and sort of enjoying it. Especially when Scott goes with me. :-) I went 3 times when I was home in Minnesota, all around 35 minutes or 4 miles. This week:

Tuesday, 1/2
30 minute Pilates class
40 minute pretty fast-paced run with Scott

Wednesday, 1/3
Ran home from work. 3.5 miles, 33 minutes

Thursday, 1/4
Ran to work, 31 minutes (downhill!)

That's enough running for the week though. Will try to do a CF workout tomorrow.