Mind Over Matter
There are some CrossFit workouts, or any tough, intense workout for that matter, that take you to another level.
In this morning’s WOD (workout of the day), I got to experience some of that crazy Zen-shit.
Rounds one, two, and three were pretty tough. Even at am scaled weight of 215 lbs, instead of 250, I didn’t think I would get through a total of 75 deadlifts, …but I did.
It’s those latter rounds, four and five, were you move into a psycho, almost trance-like state, where all you are thinking about is proper form, to stay injury-free, coupled with monster intensity to simply get through this sh@!.
The end result? a satisified, but tired and hungry, trainee.
Monday WOD
Complete for time – Five rounds of:
- Run 400 meters
- 30 GHD sit-ups (No GHD – did Abmats instead)
- 15 deadlifts at 250 lbs
Training notes
Weight: ~198 (yikes! – see weekend notes)
Diet: scale of 1-10? …1 (yikes! – see weekend notes)
This was very hard. I suppose with a real GHD machine, it would ave been even harder. I actually felt like I got a small chance to recover during the sit-ups.
Deadlifts at high rep are just brutal. Grip starts to go, form starts to flail, grunts get louder and louder until your wife wonders what the Hell is going on down there …it gets a little crazy.
I ran all the 400s at 8mph except the first which I ran at 7mph. My treadmill sucks, but it’s still better than freestyle running since it forces you to a pace.
Weekend notes
Egad. The only thing that I am proud of is the 10-mile hillclimb on Saturday (1:58)
Other than that, I had a party Saturday, got drunk, and floundered all day Sunday eating crap. Monday was my son’s birthday, …same deal.
I am sure the bump in weight is just reactionary and by wednesday, I’ll be back to normal, but of course, it’s a setback.
Talk About a Beat-down!
Holy moly, HQ
Today’s WOD was definitly one of the hardest I have experienced to date. Read it and weep:
1/16/2009 WOD
Complete 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
Training Notes:
I had to break this one up. I had no choice. I tried to hang tough, but this was brutal. After 30 thrusters, and then moving to pll-ups, I was wimpering after 20 pull-ups.
I’ll have to admit scaled on this one, and bank it away for later fitness improvement testing down-the-road. I lost count on just about everything, and fatigued rather quickly. I hung in, but it wasn’t pretty.
p.s. I am getting damn close to the pull-up bar muscle-up. I need some skills training on this movement.
Weight: still hovering at ~195
Diet: Was a little overconsumptive yesterday due to a social dinner – Big-ass bone-in ribeye, lobster bisque, delicious fresh bread (big no-no), and some yummy tomatoes/onions with vinagrette. Lunch and breakfast stayed sane with steak salad, and fruits and berries respectively.
99 days ’til the Games qualifier.
Gains in the Overhead Squat
100 days until the south east regionals
In my CrossFit skills training, I have made some good gains on some movements that previously were very difficult for me.
One of these movements is the overhead squat. OH squats are difficult because they require a strong core, solid mechanics, and really tax almost every one of ten identified skill set areas in which CrossFit focuses.
Training notes:
1/14/2009
Weight: ~195
Diet: a little sloppy yesterday. fruit and nuts in the a.m., cheated with a mocha coffee in the afternoon. Salad and BBQ chicken at lunch with seafood gumbo (white rice, eeek), cheese, and blueberries at dinner.
WOD:
Ran 3 miles on the treadmill
- mile 1 at 6 mph with .5 mile at 2% incline
- mile 2 at 7 mph with .5 mile at 3% incline
- mile 3 at 8 mph with .3 mile at 3% incline
evening, rest.
1/15/2009 – morning
Overhead squat
- warm-up with bar, 65 lbs, & 90 lbs
- work sets (in lbs)
- 115
- 125
- 135
- 135
- 135
- 140
- 150
My overhead squats are feeling very good. My core has become hella’ stable and I believe I will really ramp up in weight quickly with this new strength. I feel my push presses are contributing to this comfort as well.
Accountability
So I pretty freakin’ fired up about taking the plunge and registering for CrossFit Games regional qualifier.
But, so as to not show up as a chump, it’s important that I train and train damn hard. I’m almost 40 years old and I have to work twice as hard to get to a level where I can even stand next to some of these hotshots.
Training goals
Without specific goals, there is no way to gauge success.
- I will adhere to the HQ WODs whenever possible.
- I will scale where necessary to prevent injury or training setbacks
- I will ratchet up the intensity
- I will give it everything I have
- I will stay accountable via this blog
Accountability is key
And with that, here are my latest training notes…
Current weight: ~195
Diet: Keeping the portions small. Berries and macadamia nuts in the morning, sushi in the afternoon, protein drinks in between and a family dinner in the evening (one meat, one starch, one salad)
Recovery: continues to be solid. sleep is at 8 full hours.
1/13/2009 – sign up day
- Scaled HQ WOD in terms of reps and sub’d bar dips for rings
- 155lb power cleans – felt good, early fatigue. weight is acceptable for me
- dips – took awhile to warm ‘em up, but got there
- Skills work
- handstand push-ups – getting much, much better at these – reps of 10-12 with plenty of work sets
- kipping pull-ups (up to 12-14 nonstop), and muscle-up training – still no bar muscle-up yet
I know I have a long way to go. Many of the people I will compete against have had muscle-ups for a year or more and can do them for huge reps.
All I can do is work hard and focus. Let the chips fall where they may. I’m determined.
Oh where, Oh where, did CrossFit Metro go?
Still here.
Real life has gotten in the way of opening up a CrossFit box, but I’m still stoked as hell about the methodology, the CrossFit community, …and now, most importantly, the 2009 CrossFit Games South East Regional Qualifying events in Jacksonville, Florida, April 25 & 26, 2009.
That’s right.
I’m headed down to Jacksonville, Florida to particpate in the qualifying WODs and train with some of the Southeast’s best CrossFit athletes.
Will I qualify for the 2009 CrossFit games?
Not likely.
…ok, no chance.
But, I expect to have a great time and train my ass off before I get there. I might as well see if this almost-40-year-old can at least hang with the 20-something studs.
I’m excited. I’ll show up as strong as I can be.
Get some!
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