800's + 4 total = most fun ever.

800's make me want to rabbit punch a toddler. I don't think that makes me a bad person, it just goes to show the pure incredible evil power that the 800 embodies. Seriously though, its been about 6.5 years since I've ran an 800. There is a reason for that. Unfortunately (or fortunately) most of my goals happen to be achievable through crossfit. (the unfortunate part of that statement being that 800's are a part of crossfit). I'll have to get my exact times from Jason, but I believe they were this:

1. 2: 52
2. 3: 18ish
3. 3: 22
4. 3: 22

So it would seem my endurance could stand for a little boost. The best I have ever done was 2: 12 my sophomore year in high school (that was during a race, not a workout). I always wanted to make it under 2: 10 and who knows, maybe I could get one under 2 min. That's lookin' like it will be a bit from now, but even within the next year or by the end of the summer it could be possible.

Update

It's been a bit since I've written here...about a week and a half ago. I took some time off as I messed up my shoulder decently while attempting J.T. (It was somewhat sore before, but I didn't think it was as bad as it was) . Anyway...I checked out the American Parkour website and went to see what their warm up was:

3 Rounds:

15-25 Squats

10-15 Pull-Ups

10-15 pushups

5 Samson Stretch Each Side

I figured that was probably good enough for a workout for me so I decided to try it...with some alterations though as I did some pull ups and push ups the previous day, and was wanting to do some weighted forward lunges.

Pretty much it was a mess....I just got certified as a NASM personal trainer, so in order to keep some of that stuff fresh in my head while I look for a job, I've been trying to apply what I've learned with what I'm learning with crossfit and parkour (though parkour I've only attempted the modified warm up). It's a bit more difficult trying to mix the programs together, though I would rather try new things on myself first, instead of clients. I like crossfit, and while I was bored with my old routine, I still like doing certain exercises. I don't think doing those exercises are bad...its just a different system...so trying to figure out how to mesh the two styles, if possible is going to be a bit of a task.

GFD

Today I decide to go for J.T.

21-15-9

Handstand pushups (modified for me)
Ring Dips (no rings, so more regular dips)
push ups

I was pretty damn excited to get in and bust through this one. I just bought a new stopwatch so I was also anxious to use it (as lame as that may sound). I get to the gym...do my warm ups, blah blah blah...then start the exercise. I make 21 sitting overhead push press' then move on to dips and don't get 1 dip in before my shoulders decide to say "fuck you." They aren't just sore. They fucking hurt. I can't move them without feeling something. There's no way in hell I could finish the workout...if I kept going I would have done some really serious damage...as it is I have no clue when I'm gonna head back in. I'm not doing anything that involves movement of my shoulders for a while...its gonna have to be very light work IF I can consider doing it. Anyway...the hot tub was shut down too. So I left in a not so pleasant mood. I finally start enjoying going in to work out and this crap happens. I'll let you all guess what GFD means too...and its not Great Fantastic Day.

Teams

So I go into the gym and meet up with Jason, Jake and Mike (Two other guys who have started on crossfit and whom I have worked out with earlier this week too). Today was a bit different than the posted crossfit workout, which was, I believe 7 sets of 3 back squats. Instead we worked on snatches. Which was fine with me as my form on them isn't the greatest. So what started off as pretty much doing the same workout routine (7 sets of 3) evolved into a team relay. Each team had 2 "stations." One team member would start out with hanging snatches while the other would run a 400 (maybe more. I would say it was at least 400m but no more than a 536.791m). When the person A was finished running, person B would stop doing snatches (sorry, there's really no way to say that without making it an innuendo) and the two woudl switch. The goal for hanging snatches was 100 total. So while person A was running, person B would get 20 done, then person A's first would be 21 and go from there. Jason said this would be fun and I was seriously starting to doubt Jason's use of the word "fun." I think that hanging out with friends at the Claudaugh is fun. I think that if someone came up to me, put a gun to my head and said "You have two options to live, either go run 3- 400's and get a combined total of 100 hanging snatches or go drinking with friends at the Claudaugh otherwise I'll blow your brains out," I would probably go with going to the Claudaugh. Anyway...I don't remember what our time was and we didn't win...but I will say this...I was surprised with how fun it actually was. Just the elament of some form of compitition changed it. There was a bit more motivation and it did make it fun. (I'd still go to the Claudaugh though).

Day of Rest.......sort of

Today was the crossfit day off. Instead, I decided to try the Jackie routine with my friend Seth. What a wonderful day of rest it turned out to be....something tells me I'd have more fun stabbing my cornea out with a sars infected q-tip. Allow me to introduce you to Jackie:

1000m row
50 thrusters with 45lb bar
30 pull ups

Jackie times you too...and in this scenario the faster you get done the better. The row wasn't bad...i believe just under 4 minutes. The thrusters killed...its more or less a front squat then "thrusting" upwards into an overhead shoulder barbell press. I could only do 10 at a time...which is fine...but it eats up time. I think if i can get through the row and at the thursters quickly I can beat my time as the pull ups are what annihilate me. Now granted, today was supposed to be a resting day and I also had done pull ups the last 2/3 days; plus maxed out on barbell shoulder press; so I wasn't really expecting to do super on the pull ups. I couldn't do 1 without having to go to the machine that defies Newton's law of Gravity. That also killed me...trying to decide if I should keep attempting pull ups free....fortunately Seth did remind me about that gravitron thing...cause I was spaced out.

Total time: 15: 10

Timing Seth was a lot easier than actually doing the excercise.

Seth's time: 13: 31

My hearing starting going for a bit...felt like I was getting fluid build up....it's better now.


To be continued........

First 3 Days of Crossfit

I should start off by saying that prior to crossfit I have been doing more or less the same workout routine since high school. A few different exercises here and there but more or less its been the more traditional workout routines. Before this past November I probably didn't work out for about a year and a half (going in a few days here and there; and at one point I went in for about a month) but nothing ever consistant enough and even since late junior year in college, I would rise a little in strength, fall a little, rise a little, fall a little...but it was always on a downward slope as my interest in lifting seemed to fade. Anyway, as of this past November I finally got around to getting back into the gym as I was feeling like crap physically/mentally/gramatically. (yeah I stole that from Pirates of the Caribbean...so what?) Seriously though, I got in and it felt really good just to get back in there...I think enough time had passed that I could start to enjoy it again. Eventually though (probably about January) I would go in and only do half a workout or part of a workout, not because I didn't want to work out, but because I would get bored.

So I'm out with a friend of mine and we run into Jason Homesly...haven't seen this guy for a few years probably (which would have been in the gym). We start talking and he mentions zone dieting and crossfit. The next day I look in my notes (I'm studying to become NASM certified) and see that one of the guys I had been talking to mentioned looking up crossfit. So I e mail Jason and we meet up at el gym for the first day of crossfit...

Day 1: (3/9/09)
20 min
5 handstand pushups
10 L pull ups
15 walking lunges

Wow. What a workout to start the crossfit routine. I'm pretty sure I couldn't stand up for more than 15 seconds at a time. I wasn't really sure what to expect. It looks a lot easier than it really is, as you are constantly doing something. I do not remember the number of rounds I got...I want to say it was 3 or 4. I'll have to get those numbers from Jason and then post an update. I should also mention that I could not yet do the handstand push ups so Jason introduced me to a couple different exercises that I could subsitute until I could work up the ability to do those. He had me sit on the ground, legs extended and perform a shoulder barbell press (with a 45 lb. bar). I actually really liked doing that as I think it helped with my stabalization muscles in my core. I don't really work on those too much.

Day 2: (3/10/09)

Squat Max - 225
Shoulder Press Max - 135
Deadlift Max - N/A

I woke up sore. I've never worked out my core as much as I did on the 9th. Shoulders hurt too. Kinda a good feeling though...like I was working out something that I never worked out before. Anyway...So the Squat Max...interesting. The form is very different to what I've been accostomed too. About the only similar thing is keep back on the heels (dorsiflexion...meh!) From the position of where the bar is to the actual squatting...very different, so it took some getting used to. I believed I maxed out at 225. I tried 230 or 235- 2x but failed on those attempts. It was close, but just a bit too heavy for me. Shoulder press surprised me a bit. I really liked that it was standing. That helps with my balance/stabalization. I had actually started doing standing dumbell shoulder press in my previous workout for that very reason. While I achieved 135 I don't think attempting anymore weight would have been logical for me. My shoulders were already dead from the previous day...and as I'm writing this (the 4th day...my shoulders are spent). Deadlifts...wasn't able to get to that as I had to cut out early for a meeting at 7.



Day 3: (3/11/09)

30 min:
5 pull ups
5 push downs (rings)
15 sit ups


I suck at pull ups and push downs. Surprisingly to me I was doing fine with the sit ups. I was dead for this exercise. Didn't do it anywhere near what I was hoping. I feel for me I had to rest too much...or just rested more than I wanted to. I wasn't expecting to come out and get 15 or 20 rounds done...but some of the rounds were shady at best. I'm not even going to put the rounds up here...I'm too upset about it. It's another day though...yesterday is done with and over...time to move on.



*On a side note...how I would love to incorporate swimming into a crossfit routine. I love swimming. I think it would be fun/insane. Could be more dangerous though as the whole drowning thing is enhanced once you get into the water and you're fatigued...but I think something could be worked out.