Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Shortly

I have been considering getting a strength coach just to have someone to push me and make sure my form is on. Problem being there are, of the people I have met, precious few qualified folks around.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 6 x 200 with 1:30 RI
:38.8/:38.5/:37.9/:37.8/:38.5/:37.5 - avg. pace 1:35.4, avg SR 36
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3ea for 5 seconds
Straight Leg Raises - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10
Step ups - 3 x 6 @ 95 to 20" box.
Felt like I was dragging today even though I ate well yesterday. Go figure.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Vanishing Blogger

No post Friday, no post Saturday, no post Sunday. The time just gets away occasionally or in my case somewhat more than occasionally. Stuffed myself sick on Thursday, worked out but felt bad on Friday and blew everything off on Saturday. On Sunday I went in and, just for fun, did lat pulls, curls and triceps press, stretched a little and went home.
I decided today to take a little time off the pull ups and work push ups instead. I will, however, do the One Arm Hang thing 2 days a week.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135/12 + 8 @ 220. Stay with this weight next week
Press - 3 x 3 @ 45/17 + 3 @ 70. Stay with this weight next week
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 75. These felt good
Push Ups - 12/10/10/8/6
V-up - 3 x 10
Squat - 3 x 10

Thursday, November 24, 2011

All Quiet..

...or so I thought until I got to the gym and it was crowded. I guess everyone wants to burn a few Kcals before stuffing themselves sick this afternoon. I talked to a gym owner this morning about starting a rowing team and he seemed marginally interested. I will probably have to beat him into submission.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
Tabata Row - 91/94/97/101/91/94/99/105 - 773 total meters
I tried pacing the row a little this morning and it worked out nicely.
DROM
Weighted Pull Ups - 3 x 3 chest to bar @ BW, 3 x 1 @ 50lbs
Back extension 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 and in honor of the day I did them goblet stlye with a 15 lb. Dumb Bell
Barbell Row - 3 x 5 @ 100
And now its time to go stuff myself sick.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Rowing and Stretching

First a word on rowing. Setting the damper to correspond with a certain drag number will maximize the machine to fit your body type and rowing technique. Here is a piece by Erin Cafaro, an Olympic rower, on how to set the rower up. If you are in a situation where someone assigns an arbitrary number for the damper setting you can throw this out at them.
I do several types of stretching to maintain what little flexibility I have one of the techniques is Active Isolated Stretching This is part 1 of 5 and they are all worth investigating.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 7 x 200 meters with 1:30 RI
:37.4, :38.3, :38.1, :38.7, :37.6, :37.4, :35.8
All these were well under my planned race pace of 1:37 (and that is a good thing)
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3 ea. at 5 seconds each
Straight Leg Raises - 3 x 8
Squats - 3 x 10
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 4 @ 100 These seemed dangerously unstable today so I cut the reps back.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Good Morning Sunshine...

...or not as there is no sunshine today. It is gray and overcast and a bit cold. Can anyone explain the difference between grey and gray? Today went well and I hit all my numbers on everything. The squats are getting much better. 3 sets of 10 each day working on form actually helps. Go figure.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135 and 1 x 20 @ 210
Press - 3 x 3 @ 45 and 1 x 20 @ 65
Pull Ups - 7/6/5/4/4
V-ups - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 to small box + 1 plate and we are below parallel.
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 70
Just about ten weeks out now from the rowing competition.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Some sort of weird stomach thing has taken hold so there will be no working out today. I am going to post a good article on stretching by Mike Robertson and one on the hip hinge by Dan John. Have fun and see you on Monday unless I think of something to say on Sunday (which is unlikely).

Friday, November 18, 2011

Tabata Crash

On Thursday I did my Tabata rows. Zooming along at over 100 meters per interval...until #5 and, while not an epic fail, it was a fail. Dropped to 61 meters (that is a sideways sad face and a WTF) Got it back up into the 90's for the last 3 but it was a struggle. Oh well, life's a struggle get used to it.
THURSDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 754 meters (-34)
101/105/104/104/61?/95/92/90
Weighted Pull Ups - 3 x 3 @ BW/3 x 1 +45lbs
Back Extension - 3 x 10
Squats - 3 x 10 to small box + two plates (gettin' lower)
Barbell Row - 3 x 5 @ 95

FRIDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Squats - 3 x 3 @ 45/2 x 10 @ 75 (stay with this weight)
It is much easier to take advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle out of the bottom of a squat than to go from a dead stop at the bottom.
Bench - 3 x 3 @ 45/1 x 20 @105 (goes up next week)
Pull ups - 6/5/5/4/3
Weighted sit ups - 3 x 10 +10lbs
Squats - 3 x 10
Dumbell OH Press - 3 x 5 @ 37.5

I am not sure if I posted a video of behind the head weighted sit ups before so here it is. In front is the woos way out. Jim Wendler said of behind the head weighted sit ups "prepare to be humbled."

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Felt like I slept good last night but the workout wore me down. Kept all the row sprints at well under my planned race pace. I did the straight leg raise on the thing that has arm rests and back support and tried to lower slowly on each rep. I think I will stick with that for awhile.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 6 x 200/1:30 RI
:37.8/1:34.6/SR 38, :39.3/1:38.2/31 SR, :37.1/1:32.7/36 SR, :37.9/1:34.7/36 SR, :37.7/1:34.7/38 SR
:37.1/1:32.7/40 SR
One Arm Hang - 3 x 3 ea arm 3 seconds each
SLR - 3 x 7
Box Squats - 3 x 10
Weighted Step Ups - 3 x 5 dropped the weight back on this.
...and that's all the fun for today. 2 days of no CF bashing. I'm maybe getting over it. (maybe)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Wakey, Wakey, Eggs and Bakey.

I really wanted some bacon yesterday. My wife brought bacon home from the store so I could have had some. I took it out of the refrigerator and noticed it had an ingredient list. Curious, thought I. Well somehow, someway the bastards managed to get High Fructose Corn Syrup into the bacon. I would call them worse than bastards but then I might have to start thinking about putting a warning label on my blog.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Long Row 3500 meters 13:39.3 avg. pace 1:57 avg. stroke rate 22
Burgener W/U (snatch) just for fun
and that was it for Saturday.

MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 3 x 3 @ 135/1 x 20 @ 200 (made it this week)
Press - 3 x 3 @45/1 x 20 @ 60
Pull-ups - 6/5/5/4/3 (dropped the numbers back on these and I am not sure why)
V-ups - 3 x 9
Box Squats to short bench - 3 x10
3 rounds with 1:30 rest between of 5 above the knee box jumps and 5 6 count burpees
Good Morning 3 x 5 @ 65 (dropped the weight on these because I had to take it from the ground to overhead and then put it on my shoulders as there were no racks available.
And last but not least a really good article on Adrenal Fatigue. A fun read.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Slam Ball with Sheep

I tend to have fun with this sort of thing long after it has stopped amusing everyone else. If you are familiar at all with crossfit than you will know the slogan, Our Warm Up is Your Workout. Greg Everett had a great newsletter entry for today called Our Warm Up is a Warm Up This is two days in a row that I have bashed around the C'fers. I may stop tomorrow but then again I may not.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM and some foam rolling
Squats - 3 x 3 @ 45/1 x 20 @ 65
Bench - 3 x 3 @45/1 x 20 @ 105
DB OH Press - 3 x 5 @ 35
Weighted sit ups 3 x 8 with 10lbs
Box Squats 3 x 7
3 rounds of 25 Jump rope skips and Renegade Rows x 3 with 25 lb DB with 1 minute rest
That's all the fun for today and I must say I am really happy that I know how to include a live link.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

W.T.F.

Have I used that title before? I don't remember because I am old. I read a blog post today called "Don't Bite the Machine" It had a number of problems; the first and foremost, in my mind, is that it is poorly written. A wise woman once said, "Everyone has a novel in them and in most that is where it should stay." Same goes for blog posts. Contrast don't bite the machine with Rage Against the Machine and you will know, exactly, why this country is in such a mess today. Be complacent, go along with the crowd, don't speak up when there are problems as long as the money keeps rolling in just STFU. I laughed and cried at the same time.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
3 rounds of 3 dips/6 push ups/9 35lb DB swings with 1 minute rest
Back Ext 3 x 9
Box Squats 3 x 7 (to a small box with 2 45lb plates on it)
Barbell Row 3 x 6 @ 90lbs
Tabata Row 790 total meters (2 meters off last week) :( sideways sad face
99, 1:41/101, 1:39/95, 1:45.2/98, 1:42/98, 1:42/99, 1:41/100, 1:40/99, 1:41
need to keep these at 1:40 or below. Perhaps next week

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Day Off

Another clever title. I am so bloody clever. I noticed that after a well thought of crossfit coach introduced the concept of "the finisher" all the sheep dutifully ran to obey having no idea why they were doing what they were doing. Jim Wendler has this to say about the finisher:
"Unfortunately, the finisher has been sullied by hardgainers and other random skinny punks that put one in every damn workout and can't figure out why they can only train two times a week when they're 15 years old.

The role of the finisher in the weight room is one you have to be careful with; you can't use one every time you train or you'll burn out quicker than Ryan Leaf. I've done some really stupid shit, mostly involving squats. In college, I did 330lbs x 30 reps; I was supposed to do 3 sets of 10 reps with 330 and decided to just get the shit over with."
To read more of Wendler's wit and wisdom as well as former crossfit golden boys, ostracized for knowing what they were talking about, Dan John and Mark Rippetoe go here
See ya tomorrow

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Yesterday and Today

Its a song title its a blog post heading its 2, 2 things in one. I missed yesterday. I am switching back to Wednesday and Sunday off. To make the switch I had to work out 5 days in a row which I don't like to do.
I decided to add a small conditioning piece as part of the warm up.
MONDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
3 rounds of - 5 20" box jumps and 5 Burpees
I was going to do that every day but then realized that I can't jump every day because it hurts
Deadlift - 135 x 3 x 3/200 x 9 (had a twinge and some hip pain so I cut these off
Press - 45 x 3 x 3/20 @ 55
V-ups - 3 x 8
Box Squats to a 20" box for form 3 x 7
Good Mornings - 1 x 15 @ 45
I am taking a week off the pull up program
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row Sprints - 200 meters x 5 with a 1:30 rest interval
:38.4/1:36 pace, 38.4/1:36 pace, :38.1/1:35.2 pace, :38.1/1:35.2 pace, 37.1/1:32.7 pace
5 pull ups/10 push ups/15 squats x 1
Hanging leg raises - 3 x 7
Box Squats - 3 x 7
Step ups - 3 x 6 with two 55 lb DB

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Beer, Bad Food (tasty food) and Marginal Sleep

Here we go again. Saturday went well. Sunday sucked and Saturday night was a birthday party.
SATURDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM + some crawls
Squats - 3 x 5 @ 45/65/75 then - 20 @ 85 (made 10+10) so I will stay with this weight next week
Bench - 3 x 5 @ 45/65/85 then - 20 @ 100 (made it but it was hard I may stay with this weight or try to add 5 lbs next week. I'll let you know)
Weighted sit ups - 5 x 7 with 10 lbs.
Wall squats - 5 x 6
DB oh press- 3 x 5 @ 30 (couldn't find a pair of anything higher but that was okay)
20 rep sets make me sore.
SUNDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM + 2 sets of 5 20" box jumps and 5 strict 6 count burpees ( I'll post a link to the 6 count burpees if I can find one)
Row 3,000 meters - 12:30.6 avg. pace 2:05.1 avg. sr 25
Went easier on the row overall but threw in some 100 and 200 meter sprints for fun and it was fun.
Then spent about :30 minutes stretching.
I am drifing away from the more painful stretching protocol advocated by you know who and into a more gentle and relaxed type of work. I am just not that fond of pain. Everyday life hurts enough I don't need to try and induce pain when I am stretching.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Rainy Day in Georgia

Only I'm not in bloody Georgia. Today's workout went well. Everything in place. A good night's sleep and off I go.
TODAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Tabata Row - 100/100/99/96/99/99/99/99 792 meters total (+24) :) sideways happy face on that
Weighted Pull ups - 3 x 3 @ BW 3 x 1 With 40 (got the singles chin over bar)
Barbell Row - 3 x 10 @ 85
Back Extension - 5 x 8
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
A good day at Black Rock

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Exercise A.D.D.

I heard that phrase, exercise A.D.D., the other day and I liked it. I think I have it. I have switched the pull up program a little. I have added in bent single arm static holds 3 sets of 3 each arm for 3 seconds each. According to the book Gymnastic Bodies it will help get the numbers up. So the program now is 2 days of the Recon Ron protocol, 2 days of the single arm hangs and 1 day of weighted pull ups.
TUESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Deadlift - 12 + 8 @ 225 I will stick with the 225 until I get 20 in a row
Press - 1 x 20 @ 50 This one goes up next week
Pull ups - 8/6/5/4/4
V-ups - 5 x 7
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
Good Morning - 3 x 5 @ 95
I had forgotten the stresses involved in 20 rep sets. Nearly killed me.

WEDNESDAY'S WORKOUT
Row 500 meters
DROM
Row - 5 x 200 with 1:30 rest
40.9, 1:42.2/38.9, 1:37.6/38.2, 1:35.5/36.5, 1:31.2
I think I broke one of the rowers. My first pull made the chain go all floppy. Oops.
Bent arm static hang - 3 x 3 each arm for 3 seconds each
HLR - 5 x 6 Started trying to get these higher and I got a few toes to bar
Wall Squats - 5 x 6
Weighted Step ups 3 x 6 @ 110 This about maxed out my left leg. Curious that.
See you on Friday.