Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Crossfit Day 37


rudie2shoes vs double-unders
Winner: double-unders :(

August 30, Tuesday
Workout – We have 2 – 10 min AMRAP today for the WOD. OMG, that’s just nuts! Nervous energy surrounds me thinking about it. I’m already fatigued by the though of it. *sigh*

WOD – 10 minute AMRAP – 250m Row, 10 Box Push Ups. My Results: 5 sets + 46m Rest 5 minutes AND 10 minute AMRAP – 25 Double Unders, 10 Pull-Ups (red & purple). My Results: 3 sets + 18 double unders.

Hurricane Irene, you are wrecking havoc in my life! Yes, I got detoured again today. All the roads I needed to use to get to CF were closed. I was stuck in the middle of the swamp trying to find my way out. Thank goodness GPS works today but it was still hard trying to navigate my way out of the swamp. I ended up getting onto the highway & then found it was backed up w/ tons of traffic. I was about 30 minutes late even though I left work an hour early. I finally made it & was positive I wouldn’t be able to do my WOD, but since a Fundamentals class was starting at 6:45pm, the trainer let me do my WOD on my own. *whew* But doing a WOD by yourself really do suck. I had another trainer time me & he was sitting right next to me as I did my row. It’s really different when you have someone watching your every move. The rowing really gets the best of me. 5 minutes of rest is just not enough, & then I had to start my 2nd AMRAP. Good grief. The double unders were my nemesis again. I just couldn’t get a good rhythm down but I think that was because I was fatiguing from the 1st AMRAP. I could only muster 3 sets & even that was a struggle. I took off my shoes which helped me do double unders before. I still had a hard time. As you can see from the picture above, the jump rope was not kind to my feet. We did 2x30 GHD Sit-ups afterwards. Travelling back home was also treacherous since my route is a lot farther since Hurricane Irene wanted to put roadblocks everywhere I needed to go. I hate you, Irene!!!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene came & went. Left some areas completely unharmed while others were damaged. My cousin's house was ok. Only a few fallen branches in the front yard. The neighbor across the street had a flooded basement. I left the house last night & drove maybe 100 feet down the block, there were tons more houses that were flooded & had a lot more fallen branches. Oh I feel bad for those people. Then a friend near the LI/Queens border had fallen trees on almost all the blocks surrounding his house. How scary. I drove through the area by my CF box & there were road closures due to flooded roads. This morning on my way to work, there were broken traffic lights so it caused slight mayhem on the morning rush hour to work. Here in the office, the network connection on my aisle works fine, but my neighbor's connection is down. She is only 5 feet away from me. I'm lucky I sit in this aisle. So even though my friends/family are all okay & there were no damage to their poperties, we all still feel the after effects of Hurricane Irene. I know I'm going to run into traffic & flooded areas again after work & I'm absolutely dreading it. I keep getting myself lost of the side streets! *sigh* Need to learn to memorize more routes so I won't get lost so often. I hope everything clears up soon so we can get on w/ our lives.

Crossfit Day 36

August 29, Monday
Workout
– I feel tired & unmotivated today. I think the bad foods I’ve been eating over the weekend are making me feel gross. And I’ve been trapped indoors since Friday night due to Hurricane Irene, so I’ve become a couch/bed potato.

WOD – 21-15-9 Reps Hang Power Snatch (32), Ring Dips (blue) for Time. My Results: 8:43 minutes.

I left my cousin’s house an hour earlier to make it into CF on time. Of course, there were tons of traffic & I got lost. *sigh* The 2nd time I really needed GPS, it doesn’t work. I tried & tried to get it working to no avail. It is so frustrating. And my lack of direction skills is making me feel completely moronic. I stopped at a gas station to get a general direction where I should be heading. The gas attendant has no idea. Luckily, a customer pointed me in the right direction. As I am getting closer to my CF, there were tons of closures due to flooding. Argh! I circle around for another 25 minutes & was about to give up, then finally I get through & I arrive at CF 25 minutes late. I hate hate hate being late!!! The trainer was understanding & said they will start the WOD now & I can do my deadlifts afterwards. *whew*

For the WOD, I upped my Hang Power Snatch to 32lb. The 1st time I did 22lb so this is a small accomplishment for me. The extra weight is challenging to me. I will slowly work my way up. I was slow w/ the Ring Dips because I was focusing on my form. My time wasn’t too bad.

Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3. I was able to do: 95-105-115-125-125. My left knee was taking a hit from the deadlifts. It was a struggle w/ 125lb. This is the same weight I did last time so I am okay w/ that.

After the WOD, we did 2x30 GHD Hip Extensions. They make the back of my legs tired, but otherwise, they are pretty simple to do.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Crossfit Week 8 Summary

No weekend work-outs.

Results – I think my arms are getting more defined, but definitely nothing drastic. It’s very slight changes that are not noticeable to anyone else really. I feel like my legs are stronger. I’m able to hold my hand stands longer now. I’ve never realized you need to use your abs that much to hold your hand stands. I want to learn to get into the hand stand position on my own, but that will come w/ some practice. No changes in my abs since I still haven’t changed my eating habits yet. I keep wanting to, but laziness and/or cheapness is causing me to continue to not eat clean. I still feel nervous everyday before I go into CF, but I always come out feeling much better. I think I have a long way to go before I see big changes to my body, but I am happy w/ the results thus far. I feel physically stronger & I feel better about myself because of CF.

Crossfit Day 35

Workout – I don’t feel any soreness in my abs whatsoever. I was hoping the 100 sit-ups would make me sore but maybe I’d need to wait another day for the soreness to kick in. My calves are still sore but I don’t think the 2 mile run from yesterday affected it much. I’m nervous about the farmers carry today because we have to carry 2 kettlebells on our run. It’s my first time doing that so it’ll be quite a sight for me to attempt it.

WOD –3 Rounds 300m Farmers Carry (100/50), 40 Box Jumps (24/20) for Time. My Results: 15:01 minutes.

Press – 3-3-3-3-3 (Go for a 3 rep max) 32-37.5-38.5-38.5-38.5lb. The presses are hard because you’re not allowed to use your legs to boost the bar up overhead. I tried 42lb but was only able to do 2 reps of it. I couldn’t even get a 3rd rep in. *sigh* So I had to lower the weight otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to finish my 5 sets of 3.
For the WOD, we started w/ the Farmers Carry. I used 2 – 26lb kettlebells (total of 52lb) to carry w/ me. I initially thought it wouldn’t be too hard to run w/ it, so I started off walking pretty fast, but after the first 100m, that extra 52lb really drags you down. So I went w/ a walk instead. It’s so tiring on your forearms & you wish you can walk faster, but it won’t let you. I tried to take as little of breaks as possible because I wanted to keep my momentum going. I was behind G, while K & L were behind me. They all carried heavier weights than I did. I was on track w/ G on the box jumps, but he finished before I did. Round 2 & I was behind G again, but he was getting tired & was taking more breaks, so I actually started passing him. I just did slow & steady w/ my walk. Kept my grip on the kettlebells (my workout gloves really helped) & took breaks when I felt I couldn’t hold onto the weights anymore. A few of the previous class' CFers were outside watching us & cheering us on. I heard JR tell D that “She’s [rudie2shoes] tough as nails, just like you [D].” That was nice of him to say & to hear. I finished the box jumps & was out the door for my last round. I was the only one outside, but I felt like someone would be catching up to me soon, so I quickly went on my way. There was no one behind me btw, I was just being paranoid. Haha I was tired from the farmer’s carry but I went into to finish my box jumps. There was no one in there w/ me. I was on my last 2 box jumps when G came in. When I finished, the trainer asked what my time was. I told him it was 15:01 & that I was upset it wasn’t 15 minutes flat. He then told me he thinks that’s the best time for today. I didn’t look at the board before the WOD, so I didn’t know what a fast time vs a slow time was for this WOD. I checked the board & the fastest person listed was 15:06, which was 5 seconds behind my time. I was the fastest for the entire day!!! WHOO-HOO!!! OMG! I totally didn’t expect that whatsoever. I’m ecstatic about it. I never thought that would ever happen. Now everyone is telling me I need to up my kettlebell weights the next time I do the farmer’s run. I’m just so happy that I tried my best & it really paid off. This is such a high for me. I get good days at CF & some days they’re not so good. This is definitely one of the highlights of my time at CF thus far. We had a Finisher of 2 minute maximum burpees. I did them on my knees & was able to do 21. It was difficult but I kept at them the best I could. I do not like burpees at all, but they do help strengthen my arms so I’ll keep at them.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Crossfit Day 34


August 25,
Thursday

Workout – The top of my head is a bit sore. I think I was pushing my head against the wall a little while I was doing my hand stand hold yesterday. My calves are super sore today due to the combination of the double-unders on Tuesday & the hang power cleans & split jerks yesterday. My right arm took a slight beating from the double-unders too but not as bad as the last time. My chin is sore too from hitting the bar during the hang power cleans, but luckily (for now) there’s no bruise. Every part of my body is sore & achy, so I’d need to find a WOD that I can possible do today w/o making me feel even achier. Let’s see if V has any suggestions.

WOD – 1 mile run, 100 GHD Hip Extension, 100 Sit-Ups (ab mat), 1 mile run for Time. My Results: 32:34 minutes.

I stuck w/ a WOD that didn’t work on my arms because my arms are pretty sore. My calves are sore too but I don’t mind using them as much as my arms since I have issues w/ my right shoulder. I had the trainer map a 1 mile run for me nearby. I did the run in a little over 10 minutes, which is pretty good for me. There were some hills on the run so I felt challenged. The 100 hip extensions were tough because they get really tiring. I took many breaks. It took me about 7 minutes to finish them. I did the sit-ups in about 5.5 minutes & then finished my last mile run in about 10 minutes again. I didn’t feel winded or too tired from the WOD. I felt pretty good during the WOD & when I was done.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Crossfit Day 33


rudie2shoes vs hand-stand
Winner: rudie2shoes

August 24, Wednesday
Workout – My calves are sore today from the 250 double unders I did yesterday. The muscles are tight. I’ve been feeling tired today. I don’t think I’m getting enough sleep & it’s making me grumpy & unproductive. I also feel slightly burnt out from CF, but I think that could be due to my lack of sleep.

WOD – 5 sets for time – 12 Deadlifts, 9 Hang Power Cleans, 7 Push Jerk (or Split Jerk) – used 32lb. My Results: 14:04 minutes.

We re-did a WOD from 7/13. My time then was 11:48min using 32lb. My time today was 2:16 minutes longer, but I used 42lb this time. I have to say, it was rough. The increase in weight really challenged me. I was okay w/ the deadlifts, but I had trouble w/ the hang power cleans. I pulled too hard on the bar & it hit me on the chin, twice. I’m ok but it did hurt & I was able to continue. The split jerks are hard because you have to bring the bar overhead of you at the same time you split your legs into a lunge-like position. I have more stability doing split jerks than I do w/ push jerks, but they do take a little longer to do. I was the last one to finish & I was ok w/ that because I wanted to do it w/ proper form. Everyone was watching me & cheering me on, so that was encouraging. We had to do a 2 minute hand stand afterwards. I still cannot get into the hand stand position on my own, so I had Tim help me the first few times. I was able to hold it for awhile. I wanted to get a picture of me in that position to show V, so Erin (Tim’s wife) grabbed her camera to take a picture for me. I tried to get up by myself but I struggled & was not able to. I asked Erin for help & she pulled me up. I tried to hold the position as long as I possibly can. I felt all my blood rush to my lips! Haha It’s such a weird, strange feeling to be upside-down for that long of a period (I’m sure it was only 30 seconds but it felt really long). I’m amazed my arm was able to support my weight. I think w/ time, I’ll get better at it & hopefully, I will be able to do one by myself!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Crossfit Day 32

August 23, Tuesday
Workout – No headache today. Thank goodness. I had good sleep last night so I think that was the culprit. Sleep really does cure all ailments.

WOD –(Same as Day 5 on 7/12) 5 Rounds 50 Double Unders, 15 Pull-Ups (red & purple band), 15 Ring Dips for Time. My Results: 33:10 minutes.

We did this WOD on my 2nd day of my unlimited month, but I only attempted 20 double unders + 100 single jumps & the pull-ups w/ the green band, so the WOD was slightly different, but I can say I can now do more double unders in succession (~10 w/ a single jump in between) & I now use the red/purple band for pull-ups. The ring dips haven’t changed w/ the use of the blue band. My time today was 12 seconds slower compared to 7/12, but that is because I actually did 50 double unders for each round & my pull-ups are more difficult. I am still proud of my accomplishments. After 5 minutes of rest, we had to do 50 Toes to Bar. I only did 25 but I was finally able to do 2 REAL Toes to Bars!!! I was pretty excited since I was never able to do it before. Yippee! All in all, it was a challenging WOD & I was able to accomplish one thing on my list & that was to do a complete Toes to bar.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Earthquake in NYC, NJ

I am sitting in my office cubicle & felt the entire ground shake. It felt like a ripple effect. I initially thought it was a mail cart coming through but didn't hear any noise. I got up to look around & heard other people talking about it & feeling the same thing. It is now confirmed, it was a 5.8 Earthquake that originated from Virginia. It was felt throughout DC, NY (and the forgotten people of NJ). The news report didn't mention NJ but believe me, it was felt in NJ.

That could have been more disasterous, but I guess we were far enough from the epi-center of the earthquake. V told me to evacuate my building but I don't think we are at risk w/ my 3 floor office building. And I would think the building manager would tell everyone to evacuate if there was a threat to our safety. V & Mum felt it where they are in NY as well.

That was pretty scary though to experience. I hope the people in Virginia & nearby are safe & no one was hurt from it.

Crossfit Day 31

August 22, Monday
Workout – I had a really bad headache the entire day today. It wasn’t a big one but just a small nagging one. I thought maybe it was because I was hungry, so I would eat & eat, but that didn’t help. I really didn’t feel like going into CF today, but I went regardless. Once I started doing the warm-up my headache went away.

WOD – (same as Day 4 on 7/11) 12 minute AMRAP – 9 Kettlebell Swings (35lb), 12 Hand-Release Push-Ups, 15 Box Jumps (20”). My Results: 6 sets + 9 KB swings + 12 HRP + 6 Box Jumps.

We started off w/ 3-3-3-3-3 Back Squats. I was able to do 93lb a few weeks ago, so I was confident I could go up in weight. I did the exercise w/ Desiree. We started w/ 45-65-75-95-105. Yay! I can now do 105lb!!! My next goal is to do 115lb (my body weight). I can’t wait.

Our WOD was a repeat from 7/11, which was the 1st day of the unlimited month of CF for me. I was able to up my weight on the KB swings from 23lb to 35lb & increase the box jump from 18” to 20” this time. And I was able to do a few more repetitions than my 1st go at this AMRAP. My back is stronger now so the KB swings were going pretty smoothly. I am doing my HRP on my knees because I want to keep my body in the plank form as much as possible. I’ll work my way up to a real push-up as I progress. The box jumps are pretty easy for me. I think I may have to increase the height of that soon. Overall, it was a good WOD. My headache did go away while I was at CF, but once I got home, it came back. I think it’s due to lack of sleep since I was out & about all weekend. I really need to catch up on sleep.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Weekend of Week 7

August 20, Saturday
WorkoutBike ~15 miles in Manhattan @ Summer Street, Alley Pond to Cunningham Park back to Alley Pond Park, play 1 hour outdoor volleyball
Summer Street was an awesome time in NYC when they close off most of Park Ave (from Brooklyn Bridge up to 72nd Street) so people can walk, run, skate, or bike on the streets of Manhattan w/o the risk of injury from reckless cars. It was great! I've never done it before so it was super exciting to bring my bike out to Manhattan for the 1st time & ride. We did have some traffic lights that we had to stop at & at certain points it was congested w/ bikers & walkers alike, but for the most part, it was awesome. I rode by the Met Life building/Grand Central Terminal area w/ the tunnel & was speeding on the bend. I've never thought I would be able to do that, EVER! A normal person would never ride there on a typical day because cars/taxis are reckless & that bend is pretty dangerous w/ the way NYC drivers drive sometimes. But today it was safe for me. It was absolutely exhilarating! Too bad it’s the last week of Summer Street (only 3 weeks every summer). But I’m definitely coming back next year to do it all 3 weekends. I can’t wait!

August 21, Sunday
Workout – 1 hour Pilates class @ Movements Afoot
I like the studio the 1st time I visited. It’s small & intimate. This is my 2nd visit but it was my first time using the Reformer machine for Pilates. It was a totally new experience for me. I really like how the equipment works different parts of you body in a totally new way. My friend didn’t like the teacher’s quirkiness & her lack of understanding that not everyone is an intermediate/advanced student. I was just excited to learn the different techniques of the Reformer. Initially, I didn’t feel the tension in the movements, but I later found out she had put my machine on a low resistant band. We later changed it & I was able to work up a good sweat & felt I was utilizing all my muscles trying to do the different Pilates moves. I bought a Gilt City deal awhile back so I’ll be coming back for 4 more equipment classes & I can’t wait to do more core work.

Crossfit Week 7 Summary

Results – I still have a love/hate relationship w/ CF. I love the feeling after I’m done w/ a WOD, but I hate it while I’m actually doing the WOD. I am realizing I need a lot more work on certain exercises that I struggle with (i.e. row, push-ups, hand stands, double unders, OHS to name a few) & I feel I do really well on others (i.e. box jumps, kettlebells, run, back & front squats). My triceps & legs feel a lot stronger than it was before I started. My bicep tendonitis still aches from when I injured it playing volleyball. That is one of my biggest weaknesses. I really need to ice & stretch it & I need to lay off it. I don’t feel like CF is causing it more harm, but I’m also not 100% sure either. I know any volleyball service/spikes aggravate it tremendously, so I, reluctantly, will not play volleyball for the rest of the year. I’m upset about that but I’d rather have my right arm in 100% shape. I hate having the pain in my arm. I don’t see any visable physical changes to my body yet, but again, I think that’s due to my poor weekend eating habits & all the foods my mom tends to force fed me. I am still happy about my decision to continue CF for another 3 months. I think I’ve come to realize that I love to work-out, a lot. Maybe it’s even an obsession. *sigh*

Crossfit Day 30

August 19, Friday
Workout –My abs feel pretty good today. It’s sore in a good way. I’m glad I was able to work on them from time to time.

WOD – 6 x 500m row w/ 2 minute rest (90% Max Effort). My Results: 1) 2:27, 2) 2:29, 3) 2:29, 4) 2:31, 5) 2:34, 6) 2:28 minutes.

We did 5x5 Shoulder Press before the WOD. I tried 42lb & I was unable to get it overhead, so I went down to do 32lb. I want to work my way up to 42lb eventually. They’re so difficult for me.

I rowed a total of 3000m today, which is almost 2 miles. I am a horrible rower. I have bad form & I’m not utilizing the 3 steps of rowing. I fatigued quickly after the first 200m. I need to practice better form & try to get my body adjusted to the rowing motion so I can get better at it. My forearms & thighs were sore right after the WOD.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Crossfit Day 29

rudie2shoes vs row or double unders
Winner: row or double unders
I'm not even how how I got this. I saw it while in the dressing room trying on shorts. *shrug*

August 18, Thursday
Workout
– My legs were pretty sore from yesterday’s WOD. I walked into the CF gym & there were tons of people today. There were only 5 people yesterday & only 3 of us (me, D & K) did the WOD. Pat said it’s because no one likes to do snatches or the Olympic lifts. Wow, it didn’t even occur to me that people pick & choose which WODs they want to do. I think that’s because I bought the unlimited month & I want to make the most of it, so I go as much as possible. But I’m sure others only have the 8 or 12 session/month package which limits them & they’ll choose only the WODs they want to do. That makes sense. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before. I didn’t really know too many people so it felt a bit intimidating again. The few people I did know haven’t come in as much lately. Many of the people have been there for a lot longer & they all know each other or knew each other from before, or they have their significant other going to CF w/ them, but I still don’t really know too many people. I don’t feel very sociable & don’t even know what to talk to people about. *sigh* I think it’ll be better when it’s an organized class instead of Thursdays, which is do your own thing day. I still like Thursdays only because I can try out a WOD that Vince did or another one that I missed from weeks before. I like that option of trying something new.

WOD –2 Rounds 60 GHD Hip Extension, 50 Sit-ups (w/ Ab Mat), 40 Toes to Bar (attempts), 30 V-ups, 20 Plank to Push-up, 10 Burpees for Time. My Results: 33:34 minutes.

This was an intensive abdominals WOD that V had done a week or so ago at his CF box. I asked the trainer for advice & he said he wouldn’t recommend the WOD because it’s overkill for the abs. I told him I’ll try 1 round & see how I feel. I went through 1 round & thought I could finish 2, so I continued. By the time I got to the V-ups again, I was struggling w/ them. I finished up & was all sweaty from the WOD. It was a tough WOD but it was definitely different from all the ones we have done in the past. I still feel really good after the WOD, so I hope this feeling continues.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Crossfit Day 28

August 17, Wednesday
Workout
–My upper body is tight, & my legs are super tired today. The “Ben Gay” tired feeling. I think I’ve maxed myself out w/ yesterday’s WOD. I hope today is a bit easier. I’m afraid to look on the website because I don’t want to get nervous just yet.

WOD – “Isabel” 30 Snatches (135/95 32lb) for Time. My Results: 4:13 minutes. Finisher – Hand Release Push Ups (on knees). My Results: 48 HRP total.

Form Practice for Snatch/Power Snatch. I tried to use 42lb first, but I just couldn’t get the bar over my head. My weak shoulders are the culprit. I will have to keep practicing to gain strength & flexibility. I went down to 32lb & I was able to do the Snatches, but it was still challenging to me. I didn’t think it would take me over 4 minutes to finish, but by the end, I was sweating! For the Finisher – start w/ 10 hand release push ups, rest 10 seconds, repeat hand release push ups resting 10 seconds after each set of 10. Continue until you fail to more than 5 in a row. (i.e. 10HRP, 10 sec rest, 8HRP, 10 sec rest, 6HRP, 10 sec rest, 5HRP, 10 sec rest, 4HRP Fail). Your goad is to get 10 in a row, once you start declining, continue to take your 10 second rest, & then go for as many in a row as you can. Once you fall under 3 in a row, you are done. The number is not accurate because for the first 17 or so, I did regular push-ups. Then I realized I didn’t do the hand-release. I was already fatiguing at that time, so I continued onward w/ HRP. At least this time I was trying to keep the plank position the entire time, which makes them much more difficult.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Crossfit Day 27

August 16, Tuesday
Workout
– I’m nervous about today’s WOD. It looks really intense. My stomach is already turning. I always have this nervous energy whenever I know I have a WOD to do, but once I’m there, I’m pumped for the WOD. Let’s hope this one goes over well.

WOD – Rick’s Bday WOD – Complete the following for Time: 31 Calorie Row, 31 Front Squats (45lb), 31 Box Jumps (20”), 31 Toes to Bar, 31 Push Ups, 31 KB Swings (35), 31 Pull Ups (blue & purple band), 31 Jumping Lunges (2-for-1), 31 Burpees, 31 Double Unders My Results: 35:14 minutes.

Oh my goodness, that WOD was insane. I felt so completely out of shape during the entire WOD. I was slow w/ the row, & then I struggled w/ the front squats. My legs just wouldn’t cooperate. I was thinking it was from the 100 Air Squats I did the day before. I took my time & tried my best, but 31 repetitions are annoying! I was able to do the box jumps but I did rest in between. The toes to bar were difficult for me since I still can’t get my toes all the way up yet. For the push ups, the trainer came by & told me to keep my body in the plank position even if I have to do them on my knees. I’ve been doing push ups improperly since I hate them so much. Grrrrrr! The KB swings went ok, but we had to aim for almost overhead this time & the drop always gets my footing off kilter. The pull ups started off ok, but got harder & harder when having to do 31 of them. The jumping lunges completely, positively sucked! I hate them too. They get you so exhausted & it is 2-for-1 which means each leg only counts as .5! Argh! The burpees always stink too. I’m wondering if I’m doing them wrong too. I think I’m supposed to be in a push up position when I’m on the floor. I’ll check w/ the trainers because I feel like I’m cheating myself if I have the wrong form. To end it all were the double unders. I took off my sneakers & it was slightly easier to do them. I was able to do about 4 in a row (w/ a single jump in between), but I counted attempts as well because by that time, I had no more energy left in me. The WOD was incredible long & hard & I did not enjoy it one bit.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Crossfit day 26.5 - At Home WOD

August 15, Monday
Workout
– I didn’t go into CF today due to hitting a bad pot hole last night while driving back in the pouring rain, so I had to turn around to WFH today. I found a list of At Home WODs I can do if I can't make it to the gym or if I am on vacation. They require no equipment which is great, so I can basically do it anywhere at anytime.

Home WOD – 10 Rounds 10 Push-Ups, 10 Sit-Ups, 10 Air Squats for Time. My Results: 11:24 minutes.

My results are not accurate since I did 4 rounds, & then had to eat dinner & digest before I finished the last 6 rounds. But I was still sweaty & worked hard for the WOD. I am glad I’m able to at least do something when I can’t go into the gym otherwise I’d feel like a lazy lard @ss.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Crossfit Week 6 Summary & Month 1 Summary

No weekend work-outs.

Results – It's been a month of CF. I feel like I am progressing. I'm getting stronger & getting faster. I am doing things I never thought I would be doing. I can do Back Squat 93lb, Front Squat 83lb, Overhead Squat 22lb, Deadlift 125lb, Kettlebell Swing 35lb, pull-ups w/ blue & purple bands, ring dips w/ blue band, ring rows, box jumps 20", wall balls 6lb, burpees, lunges of all sorts (jumping, reverse, walking lunge w/ 10lb weight), squats (air, jump), run (100m, 300m, 400m, 800m) & row (500m), thrusters 22lb, cleans 45lb, dumbbell push press 10lb, split jerks 22lb, hand stands, double unders, different push-ups (hand release, box push up, regular), sit-ups, GHD sit-ups & hip extensions & so much more. It's been challenging & I'm still enjoying the hard WODs. Physically, I still don't see any noticeable differences, but I feel good, so that's all that matters right now.

Month 1 Summary
I haven’t seen any dramatic changes to my body as of yet. It’s still very new but I do feel stronger & I feel like I can push myself more to continue to challenge myself & my body. I like the motivation from the trainers & from the other CFers. I like that we all do the same WOD but at our own pace & weight. I like that it’s not a competition w/ others. It’s ultimately a competition w/ you. You compete mentally & physically to challenge yourself to get better, faster, stronger at whatever lies ahead of you. I continue to challenge myself every day & I’m proud of myself for keeping it up.

Start of Month 2 - Crossfit Day 26

August 12, Friday
Workout – As of today, my 1 month Unlimited CF membership from LivingSocial is now over. I had contemplated getting the 6 month membership, but opted for the 3 month instead. 6 months is too long of a commitment for me, even though I would save more money. Doing 3 more months of CF would be  good test to see how much I like/dislike it & whether I think it would be worth it to continue. I'm nervous yet excited about my future progress.

WOD – Complete a 100 yard Sprint at the top of every minute for 10 minutes. Rest remainder of the minute. My Results: Tired.
We first did 3-3-3 Deadlifts @ 90%+ of 1 RM (1 Rep Max). I did it w/ 2 other girls. We started w/ 95lb, then 105, 115, then 125lb. I tried 135lb but it was too much for me, but the other girls were able to do 145lb, which was very impressive.

For our WOD, we went outside & had to do 100m sprints at the top of every minute for 10 minutes. I was coming in 2nd (out of 5 ppl) for the first 4 rounds, but then I started trailing off between the 5th-8th rounds. I reserved my strength for the last 2 & ended up 3rd. It was pretty exhausting sprinting that many times for that long. I did not like it at all! We finished the day w/ 2 minute handstands. I had help again & I was able to stay up on the wall for about 30 seconds, which is the most I've ever done in my life. It's the little accomplishments in life that makes me happy. :)

Friday, August 12, 2011

Crossfit Day 25

August 11, Thursday
Workout – I don’t think I slept much the night before because I was thinking of the WOD that V told me to do. I was super nervous today & asked the trainer about the WOD. He didn’t think it was a good idea since we’re doing deadlifts on Friday, but I still ended up doing it anyway. :-/

WOD – 7 Rounds 400m run, 29 Back Squats (45lb) for Time. My Results: 37:14 minutes.

It was a pretty tough WOD. The run was ok. I was doing it in about 3 minutes, and then finishing the 29 back squats within 5 minutes for the first 3 rounds, but then I started getting slower as I continued. The back squats weren’t as bad as I thought they would be but they do get tiring after doing 29 repetitions. By the 4th round, I was getting pretty tired, but I was halfway through & kept motivating myself to finish. D came on the last run w/ me to motivate me & she watched me as I did the last 29 back squats. It was a pretty tough WOD, but I’m glad I was able to push myself & finish.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Crossfit Day 24

August 10, Wednesday
Workout
– Feeling hungry this week. I think it’s hormonal. I’ve been eating tons of fruits this week. I think I should eat more veggies since fruits have a lot of natural sugars, but they are so darn tasty & juicy especially during the summer months.

WOD – “Elizabeth” 21-15-9 reps – Squat Clean (42lb), Ring Dips (blue band - body should remain vertical & not fold over at the hip) for Time. My Results: 10:27 minutes.

We went over the Squat Cleans. I always forget what the Olympic lifts are. We start from the floor & raise the bar to mid thigh, then jump the bar, turn our arms & elbows underneath for the bar to land on the shoulders. As we’re doing this, we go into a squat position, & then stand back up. The squats are a killer w/ the added weight. I tried 52lb at first but thought it was too hard so I went down to 42lb. That was still very challenging for me since we have to go into the squat. It is very intensive. Then we go right into Ring Dips which I had assistance from the blue band. I just took my time to do the squat cleans properly. I was able to finish pretty quickly. I was amazed myself. At the time, 10 minutes seems like forever. Afterwards, we did 3x20 Toes to Bar. I still cannot get my toes to the bar yet, but I’m working on it. My core is getting a good workout from my attempts & I am hoping to get it strong enough to be able to do one properly sometime this year. Haha I have to say, doing 60 of them gets really, really tiresome.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Crossfit Day 23

August 9, Tuesday
Workout – Some days when I’m sitting in my cubicle for long periods of time & I get up, everything in my body cracks & creaks & it is stiff & sore. I have to constantly stretch my legs to get rid of the tightness, but it happens each time I get up. I think I need to walk away from my desk more often throughout the day. It’s been pretty busy lately so I get up less. I was hoping CF WODs would help but I guess nothing really helps if you’re sitting on your butt for 8-9 hours a day.

WOD –7 Rounds 300m Run, 15 Pull-Ups (blue & purple band), 15 Box Jumps for Time. My Results: 25:33 minutes.

We had the option to either run or row, but a fellow CFitter told me that running was better since rowing is arm intensive before you do pull-ups. I listened but I also did some math. My fastest rowing time for a 500m was 2:33 minutes, so ½ of that (250m) would be 1:15 minutes + a little more to make 300m. I figured I’m actually faster at running than I am at rowing, so I opted for running. My math was correct since I ran 300m in less than 1:20 minutes for the 1st round. I was behind this girl who is super fit & 21 yrs old & guy who is also pretty quick during the run, but I held my own. I was consistently behind the guy but still kept pace w/ him. Towards the 5th round, he was slightly behind. And by the time the 7th round came I was ahead by the run. I started my pull ups when he came in from the run. And I kept my focus to just finish w/ the box jumps. Sweat was flying everywhere in the gym. I was able to finish 1st in tonight’s class. The guy finished not far behind at 26:13 minutes. He did extremely well considering he did straight pull-ups unlike me. The super fit girl didn’t finish until about 30 minutes. But I have to give it to her, she only used the purple band & she’s probably the same size as I am, so her pull ups are much harder than what I did. I think I’m getting stronger, so I might try only the blue band next time to see how I’d do. I’ll keep decreasing the band size as I progress. I do feel pretty good that I am able to keep up w/ the classes even though there were moments on my run that I felt like puking (don’t worry, I usually don’t have anything in my stomach to puke at that point). We did 3x20 GHD sit-ups afterwards.

I chatted w/ the girl afterwards & told her I want her abs cuz hers look awesome. She said it’s due to eating clean. Nothing processed, she makes her own food & lots of protein. She’s been doing this since February & she looks fantastic. She orders protein online & she adds it into everything (i.e. omlettes, oatmeal, shakes, coffee, toast, etc). I might look into doing that but being Asian doesn’t help. Mom always gives me rice or noodles. I need better discipline & I really need to work on eating healthier. This being fit thing is so freaking hard.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Crossfit Day 22

August 8, Monday
Workout – I feel unmotivated today. Maybe I’m feeling a little burned out from working out? Or maybe it’s because I haven’t gone to CF for 3 days so which might be too long to be away. Maybe it’s the weekend activities that are tiring me out so come Monday, I’m exhausted & haven’t gotten enough rest, so I feel unmotivated to go workout. Whatever it is, I don’t like the feeling.

WOD – 12 minute AMRAP – 15 Wall Balls (6lb to 10ft target), 10 Ring Rows, 5 Burpees. My Results: 5 sets + 1 wall ball.

We started today by doing 2-2-2-2-2 Front Squats. I was working w/ a fellow crossfitter today who brought in her 2 boys (5 & 8 yr old). We started w/ 63lb, did 2 sets of 2s, & then went up to 73lbs for another 2 sets of 2s. We ended w/ 83lb which was very challenging but we were both able to do it! I am able to do a higher weight for back squats (93lb) than I am for front squats (83lb) but I’m pretty psyched about how much weight I can do for both exercises.

Our WOD was tiring & difficult. I always have trouble w/ the wall balls. I had a butt ball to help w/ my squats because the more wall balls I do the worse my form for the squats become. I used the 6lb ball because I can handle the weight. I’ll work my way up, but for now, 6lb is pretty challenging for me. The ring rows take a lot of energy out of you. I started out on a more horizontal position, but by the time I was doing my 4th & 5th rounds, I had to move myself to a more vertical position because they were getting too difficult for me to finish. The burpees are just annoying. Thank goodness it was only 5 per round. I’m pretty tired today.

Weekend of Week 5

August 6, Saturday
Workout – Rock Scrambling @ Mohonk Preserve. Up at 5:45am, picked up friends & met up w/ other friends to pick up sandwiches by 6:45am. Head to Mohonk in New Paltz, NY & got there by 8:30am. Hiked up to the Hotel since the shuttle buses aren’t offered until 10am. Cost $25 per person. Did rock scrambling & had a good, sweaty workout. Got back home by 4pm. I’m usually slightly sore from rock scrambling, but amazingly enough, I’m not sore whatsoever. I guess CF really is helping.
August 7, Sunday
Workout - None.


Friday, August 5, 2011

Crossfit Week 5 Summary

I had to come back to NYC Thursday night so I was unable to do Friday’s WOD. I’m still pretty psyched about Crossfit. It is keeping me challenged & interested in what each day will bring. I always feel pretty blah after work because of the mundane things I do in the office, & then I see my Outlook reminder pop-up w/ Crossfit at 6pm or 6:45pm & then my stomach turns. I get nervous & want to run to the bathroom to expel everything in my stomach before my WOD. I don’t want any accidents while in the middle of my WOD, you know, just to be on the safe side. I’m nervous but at the same time, excited by it. My drive there takes about 20 minutes on local roads & I’m pretty sleepy while doing my scenic drive. I get there, pee, then stretch. Then it comes time for (re-)learning a skill, practicing a skill or going directly into the WOD. When I’m done w/ the WOD, I feel exhausted, but also fantastic. My adrenaline is still bursting through my veins & I’m pumped. I feel tired, yet stronger than I was before. I absolutely love this feeling.

Results – I’ve bruised my arms (from double unders) & my knees (from walking lunges) so I look like a beaten & battered woman, but to me, they were well worth it. It shows that I’m really getting into my WODs & I’m continuously pushing myself even when I’m tired & want to quit. I feel my hamstrings & quads are tighter than before. I feel my back, forearms, triceps & biceps becoming stronger. I even did my 1st semi-hand stand this week which is quite the accomplishment for me! I was able to finish Tuesday’s WOD ahead of everyone (both guys & girls) & having the other people root me on felt amazing. The people at my box are supportive even when they’re struggling themselves. I still don’t see a difference in the mirror yet, but I think that comes w/ time. I’m still hoping I wake up one day w/ a 2 pack abs. hehee

Crossfit Day 21

August 4, Thursday
Workout – My legs are majorly sore today. Getting up & walking is a chore. I guess the lunges, box jumps & run this week really did make a difference, huh?!? My arms are sore too from the pull-ups, but I still want to practice kipping & ring dips today. I might be over-doing it like I usually do, so I’m not sure what I’ll be doing yet. Maybe the trainer will create a WOD for today & I can just do that. We’ll see.

WOD – 5 Rounds – 7 HSPU Box Push-Ups, 9 Kettlebell Swings (35lb), 11 Ring Rows for Time. My Results: 8:51 minutes.

I can’t do HSPU (Hand stand push-ups) just yet, so I did the feet on a box push-ups again. They were slightly better today then it was the other day. I am getting the hang of the 35lb kettlebell now & it’s coming easier & I have better balance. The Ring Rows were new to me, so I had the trianer show us how to do them. Since it was our 1st time, we had the rings higher up & our body in a 45 degree angle to the ground. When we advance, we can start by lying on the ground to do them. The first few were pretty easy, but once we got to 5 or 6 of them, they got really hard & my arms really worked for each row. Another girl did the WOD w/ me & she was ahead of me for at least 3 rounds, which I was totally fine with. But I caught up after awhile since the ring rows were really intense on the arms. I wanted to finish before 10 minutes & I was able to do it in less than 9 minutes! Afterwards, I seriously could not feel my forearms for awhile. I was sweaty & sore, but felt great. We worked on some wall balls & I learned to thrust my hits when I throw the ball up which helped so I don’t have to jump to get the ball over the line all the time. This was another great WOD. I am still pretty excited by CF & I’m thinking about signing up for the 3-month unlimited membership after my $45 LivingSocial 1-month unlimited is up next Thursday. I’m planning to come for 4 days next week too, so in the end, I would have taken a total of 25 classes w/ the LS deal which made it totally worth it!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Crossfit Day 20

August 3, Wednesday
Workout
– I think I’m getting slightly sick. I’ve been getting the sniffles all day & have been blowing my nose. I hope it’s only because I’m allergic to the office & not because I’m actually getting sick. I’m nervous about today’s WOD. It sounds like it’s going to be a lot of running for me since I can’t do that many pull-ups. I’m already nervous & jittery. I think I’m all out of nervous poop so I need to replenish my energy supply w/ another homemade Larabar. What can I say, nervousness makes me poop!

WOD – 20 minute AMRAP – 400m Run, Max Reps Pull-Ups without coming off the bar My Results: 5 rounds (~1.25 miles) + 79 pull-ups (blue & purple band). Finisher: Side Planks – 2 min on each side.

For our WOD, we’d have to run 400m, & then come inside to do as many pull-ups as we possibly can, then keep doing rounds of that. If there’s a minute left on the clock & you’ve finished your pull-ups, you’ll have to go back outside to run even though you won’t finish your run. The trainer told us someone had to hang on that bar for 30 seconds just so they don’t have to go back outside to run. It was slightly rainy outside & yucky, but we still did our run. I was able to keep a good pace w/ my run & not tire myself out on the uphill. I kept my breath steady the entire 5 rounds of running, which was great. On my 1st round of pull-ups, I wanted to get a strong number & I was able to do 24. I wanted 25 but my arms wouldn’t cooperate. The 2nd, 3rd, & 4th round numbers went down to 15, 14, & 12. The last round I had 1 minute left on the clock to do my pull-ups. I did 12 & was exhausted & there was 20 seconds left on the clock. The trainer told me to hang on, so I did, but I also tried for a few more pull-ups & was able to do 2 more. I wanted to do 15 but my arms did not function after that, so 14 it was. I finished w/ 79 pull-ups which was the highest number in the class (other classes had higher numbers). I was still excited I was able to push myself. Every day is an accomplishment for me since it is constantly challenging me physically & mentally. I have to motivation to keep pushing forward & trying to do my best, my fastest, my hardest. I guess that is the CF culture to want to do your best.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Crossfit Day 19

rudie2shoes vs walking lunges
Winner: walking lunges
August 2, Tuesday
Workout – Practice back squats by doing 10-8-6-4-2. I was doing this w/ Danielle & Carolina. We started off w/ 53lb for 10 reps, then 63lb for 8 reps, then 73lb for 6 reps, 83lb for 4 reps, & finally 93lb for 2 reps. I was surprised that I was able to do 93lb back squats! How awesome is that. Tim said next time we’ll work on doing 103lb, then 113lb. I’m like, that’s crazy, that’s my entire body weight! But I think w/ a little more practice, I can do it. 93lb back squat was pretty tough & heavy but I was able to do it. My legs felt wobbly afterwards, but who cares, I did 93lb!

WOD –50-35-20 Reps Overhead Walking Lunge (each step is 1 – 10lb), Box Jumps (20”), Hand Release Push Ups for Time. My Results: 17:05 minutes.

We started outside in the hot sun w/ a 10lb plate over our heads doing walking lunges on the hard concrete. Our knees should touch the ground. Halfway through the first set (of 50) my legs were feeling the burn of the lunges. There were ~8 of us outside, & I kept feeling some guy creeping up besides me. I just kept going & I was able to finish fairly quickly. Then it was off to the box jumps. I tried one & oh my goodness, my thighs were feeling like Jell-O after all the lunges. I took a small rest at the bottom of the box & just did slow & steady for the 50 box jumps. It was definitely a cardio challenge, but I didn’t go insanely fast nor did I go really slowly, so I was able to finish, & then move onto the hand release push ups. I just zone out when I do them, & focus on the wall or the timer & just keep pushing myself to finish. In my head, I tell myself, “ok, I’m halfway through, only 25 more to go” to keep myself motivated. Another trainer was there to encourage us as well, so that helped me want to do better. I was surprised I was the first one to finish the first 50, so I was outside by myself doing the next 35 walking lunges. In my head, I tried to trick myself into thinking we only had to do 35, but I have to admit, they were rough & my knees took a beating afterwards. Tim came out to encourage me since I was the only person outside. 2 of the other guys came out while I was almost done & they were saying I was doing a good job & that I was killing the workout. That was a boost of motivation for me. I finished & was on the box jumps again. I took a breather before beginning & again, my thighs were Jell-O again. I took my time & did it at a good pace & kept at it. Zoned out once again for the hand release push ups. Then back outside for my last 20 walking lunges. I was really ahead of everyone at this point, but I still wanted to get a good time just for myself. The last 20 lunges sucked big time & my knees were feeling every touch of the concrete. Last 20 box jumps were motivated by the trainer telling me to keep going. On the floor for the last 20 hand release push ups & again, I tried to zone out. Another girl who was way behind me was encouraging me to keep going, which was really nice. I think I looked like I was dying on the floor while doing the hand release push ups. Haha I couldn’t believe I was the first to finish the WOD! Whoo-hoo! It’s my first time finishing first for any of the WODs. I was ecstatic about it because I don’t think it’ll happen again, so I’ll take what I can get. It’s such an amazing feeling, but I definitely won’t let it go to my head. We did 2x30 GHD sit-ups afterwards & they were a killer. I was out of breath when I was done w/ them. I do feel like my endurance has increase in the past few weeks & I do feel better & livelier after the WODs. My body is taking a beating from Crossfit, but I think my body likes the beatings.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Crossfit Day 18

rudie2shoes vs double unders
Winner: double unders
August 1, Monday
Workout
– We reviewed the Overhead Squats (OHS) & I was unable to do a full one since my knees & shoulders kept turning w/ the 22lb bar. The trainer had to modify if for me by putting a box & a large plate behind me so that I would be comfortable doing the squat without toppling over. We also had the Hand stand Push Ups (HSPU) to do but I knew my arms are too weak to even attempt those, so again, I had to modify doing push-ups while my legs were propped up onto a 20” box & sticking my butt up to do a push-up. My head had to hit the ab mat on the ground. They were difficult enough.


WOD – For Time 500m Row, then 5 Rounds – 30 Double Unders, 15 5 Overhead Squats (20lb), 10 Hand Stand Push Ups Box Push Ups (20”), finish w/ 500m Row for Time. My Results: 27:30 minutes.

My modified WOD was still very difficult for me. The double unders had me huffing & puffing. I whipped my arms so much that I didn’t even realize what I had done to myself until after the WOD was over. It looks pretty bad. I need more practice w/ double unders. I was able to do about 7 in a row, but then I would mess up a lot after that. I struggled w/ the OHS since my right shoulder rolls forward & my knees roll inwards, but I kept trying. I want to get my shoulders & knees stronger so I can do this without having a box behind me to keep me from toppling over. The box push ups are much more difficult than regular push ups. There’s more weight going towards your arms & I struggled w/ those as well. I was exhausted by the time I reached the rowing machine & I did my last 500m in almost 3 minutes which is really slow. I did some stretching afterwards, did 30 GHD sit-ups. Then I told another girl that I’ve never done a hand stand before so she told me to get the other trainer to assist me. With an ab mat on the wall, my arms locked out & about 1 foot away from the wall, I tried to throw my legs onto the wall. That didn't work, so the trainer had me in a push up position & he pulled my feet onto the wall. My arms are still too weak, so they buckled & wouldn’t stay straight & my head hit the ab mat, but it was pretty cool being upside down like that. He told me to use more ab mats next time so that my head doesn’t hit the ground like that & just work on the hand stand, then slowly work my way into a HSPU. How awesome that I did my first semi hand stand! I definitely want to practice those too.