Tuesday 080826

Ran a little over 7 miles in 87 minutes. My legs are killing me, specifically my left achilles tendon and deep in my right calf, so I'm taking off until Friday.

Monday 080825

Ran 5.05 miles, just under 58 minutes.

The code to show the map of my run doesn't seem to be working, so this is a link to the map.

Sunday 080724

Ran 4.1 miles in just under 47 minutes.

Tuesday 080819

Ran 3.2 miles in just over 30 mins, I don't have the exact time.

Monday 080818

"Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

Sub jumping pullups.

Pullups: 13/12/12/10/10/ 9/ 8/ 8
Pushups: 12/12/ 8/ 8/ 6/ 6/ 4/ 4
Situps: 9/ 7/ 8/ 7/ 7/ 6/ 7/ 4
Squats: 12/13/14/11/ 8/12/10/15

Monday 080811

Biked a little over 10 miles, Did 7-8 sets of max pullups (2-3 each, deadhang), ran 5k. Biking took a little over an hour (city traffic) and run took just under 30 mins.

Wednesday 080806

Biked ~13 miles on Wednesday.

I've been slacking.

Tuesday 080729

"Michael"

Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

Subbed 35 good mornings, 35 situps. Lots of back pain near my injury location on sit-ups so cut the last set short, ~26 mins.

Friday 080725

Friday 080725

In honor of "Jeremy"

Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Overhead squats
Burpees

as Rx'ed
15:42

Burpees take me forever!

Wednesday 080723

Made up for 2 missed workouts, this should have been a rest day.

Did CFWU x 3. 5 dips, subbed jumping pullups, but got my first deadhang pullup on round 2!!!!

Here are the missed WODs.

Monday 080721

Row 2K

Tuesday 080722

Push jerk 3-3-3-3-3 reps

Post loads to comments.

Did push jerk first.

warmed up with 45 + 55
reps at 105/115/135/175/125

Then subbed 100 sumo-deadlift high pulls, shin to chin for rowing. 4:50.

Sunday 080720

Sunday 080720

For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Sub 35 reps/ea.
Sub 18" box
Sub 35lb. DB for KB
Did 2 knees to elbows then subbed situps
Sub 2x20lb. DB thrusters for Wall ball
Sub jump-tucks for double unders.

Only did 25 reps for burpees and jump-tucks, because I spent about 10 minutes lying on the ground trying to do burpees when I was already smoked.

26:43

Friday 080718

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
15 Push-ups
12 Ring dips
115 pound Push-press, 9 reps

Sub bar dips.
Touched ground on second round of dips, did bench dips for 3rd round.

3 rounds.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

Just wanted to put up a link to a book that I think was one of the best investments I ever made, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It's a great, great resource for anyone who's interested in working with weights at all. I can't recommend this book highly enough, and anyone at any level will benefit by reading this book.

Monday 080714

Four rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
50 Squats

Air squat demo with explanations. (crossfit.com)

Sub 35 squats.

14:45

April did this WOD with me today. Go April!

Sunday 080713

Worked on beginner handstand-pushups or HSPU. (feet elevated about 3ft behind me and torso over hands).

Did about 15 on my first try, then 5x5. Hopefully will also get a bike ride in later today.

080712 Saturday

15 mins, as many reps as possible of

12 steps walking lunge
10 glute-ham situps
10 Hip Extension (back straight version of back extensions)
5 muscle-ups (sub 15 beginner pu, 15 dips)

3 rounds + 12 lunges, 14 mins. I would have continued, but I would have fallen off the GHD, which would have been amusing.

080710 Thursday

Ran 10k.
74:55 (split was ~37 mins at 5k)

Took it really, really slowly, was a hot and humid 83 degrees. I basically have to watch my diet and get my weight down, I am getting too heavy to run far distances, and I enjoy running far distances, even though it may not be good for me. Some pain on the inside of my right ankle/achilles tendon area, so I'll have to watch that.

Yesterday was a Crossfit Total Day (3x1RM attempts each of Back squat, Press, Deadlift) that I did not attempt due to soreness in my lower back from my injury.

080708 Tuesday

"Angie"

For time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats

Modified to 75/ea
22:08

Kipped for first 16 pullups (4x4) then did jumping.

This workout smoked me.

"Back" on Track

My back was really bothering me a ton the past few days, but I'm back to the WOD today. I think I strained a muscle in the middle of my back when I last did cleans... anyway, we'll see how today's workout goes.

Sore Back - July 5th, 2008

Lots of tightness and soreness in my upper back... took today off.

WOD - Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Attempted:

Five rounds for time of:
135 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
135 pound Hang power clean, 12 reps
135 pound Front Squat, 9 reps
135 pound Push Jerk, 6 reps

... goal was to do 3 rounds. Deads were easy, hang cleans were hard, front squats exacerbated some pain in my upper back (I already have lower back issues that actually are resolving well), push jerks were just hard. Finished round 1 in about 8 minutes, did deads for round two and looked down at this:
Between my upper back not liking the front squats and the pain in my torn callus, I took the 45lb bumper plates off the bar and finished the round with 5 lb plates (55lb total).

1 unscaled round, 1 scaled round, 14 mins.

I really wanted to continue, but I'm going kayaking later today, and I didn't want to open the cut any further. I was already bleeding all over, this pic is about 30 mins after.

Also, funny story, I go up to the lady at the front desk and say, "Excuse me, do you have any disinfectant or anything, I seem to have bled on the bar."

She says, "No all we have is this dial disinfectant soap and this," as she hands me a bottle of Windex, saying "this should work."

Hey, I am not a Medical Doctor, but I don't think Windex is for cleaning up blood. I used the soap.

Rest Day

Took today off, lots of soreness from max day on press... will probably do today's WOD tomorrow, since it looks fun/brutal.

WOD - Tuesday, July 1st 2008

Tuesday 080701

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

a.k.a. lift heavy straight over your head day

3x CFWU (sub 5 dips per round, jumping PUs)

Press: 125/130/135(PR)/135/135
Push Press: 135/140/145(x2)/140(x2)/135
Push Jerk: 135(x3)/55/105/115/115

Had never done Push Jerk before, so backed off a lot to get the movement down. PR on Press, could have probably gotten a few more pounds, will bring my micro-plates to the gym next time. Hard, hard workout.

Makeup and Missed WODs

Missed Saturday and Sunday's WODs because of the wedding and relatives in town. I could have done a late workout last night, but I was exhausted, and got some rest instead.

Today is a rest day on Crossfit, and yesterday was "max rep bodyweight bench press, max pullups, 5 rounds."

I'm currently 245 or so, and my max reps on bench would be 1 or 0. I worked pullups and jumping pullups last week too hard, so I'll resume those tomorrow or whenever called for this week.

So... 5 rounds, max pushups (chest to ground, full extension and correct position).
36/17/10/10/11 = 84

WOD - Friday, June 27th, 2008

Yesterday was a rest day.

Today:

Puppies:
3 rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
25# Kettlebell swing, 15 reps
45 pound Thruster, 15 reps
15 Pull-ups (beginner or assisted okay)

14:47. Run was on a treadmill, which probably cost me about 45 seconds of goofing around with it and trying to get up to speed.

Subbed 25lb dumbbell, can probably do full 1.5 pood next time, those were the easiest. Subbed jumping pullups, I miss having a gravitron, becuase I think it would get me to full, regular PU faster.

I may have to take a rest day tomorrow, because I'm in my sister's wedding and I'm not sure I'll have time to squeeze in the WOD, though I'll try.

WOD - Wednesday, June 25th 2008

As Rx'ed:

“Fight Gone Bad!”

Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20” box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of “rotate”, the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Brand X scaled for "Puppies":

Puppies:
Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 14 pound ball, 8 ft target. (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull 25-45 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump 14” box (Reps)
Push-press 25-45 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

My gym doesn't have a weighted/medicine ball, so 3 rounds of:

sub dumbbell thrusters (2 15lb dumbells)
Sumo deadlift high pull 45lbs
Box jump 14" box 18" box
push-press 45 lbs.
sub jumping pullups (no rower, and my PU need the work anyway)

Count reps for each one, 1 pt for each rep. I'll update this post when I get back from the gym, if I'm not dead.


---

Results: The smallest box my gym had to jump on was 18", so that's what I used.

Samson stretches, hamstring stretches and lower back stretches for warm up.

15lb (dumbells) thrusters:
23/18/15
45lb SDHP:
17/17/14
18" box jump:
10/9/10
45lb push press:
22/15/16
row (sub jumping PU):
14/14/17

Total: 231

WOD - Tuesday, June 24th 2008

CFWUx2 (subbed bench dips and smith machine PUs)

Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1

Hadn't performed the snatch before. Warmed up with 10x55.

115-115-115-125-125-125

Problems: The only explosive lift I've really trained before is the power clean, so I tended to not catch the snatch as far under the bar as I should have. Reps 2, 3 and 4 were good, the rest were closer to power snatches. Tried a 7th @ 115 to work on form and failed.

WOD - Monday, June 23rd 2008

Run 5k.

31:52

Had some pain in my right Achilles through the right side of my leg so I slowed up and walked about 5 minutes... that is an area where I've gotten referred pain from my back injury, so hopefully it isn't that.

Tomorrow's workout: Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Should be interesting, new movement for me.... I've done a lot of cleans, but not the snatch.

Rest Day

Rest Day for Crossfit - I've been too sore from the thrusters the other day to run... will hopefully be able to run and do the WOD tomorrow.

WOD - Saturday, June 21st, 2008

WOD:

50 muscle ups for time

Since I am just a beginner, sub 40 beginner pull-ups and 40 bench dips.

Stupidly forgot my watch, but approx 9 mins.

Have been doing jumping pullups, switched to "beginner PU" today.

2x (5 beginner pullups on smith machine, 5 dips)
6x (5 beginner pullups on smith machine, 5 dips with feet raised/touching)

Hoping to go for a run later, first have to watch the Cubs/Sox battle. The latter depends on the rain holding off.

WOD - Friday, June 20, 2008

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
65 pound Thruster, 10 reps
10 Pull-ups

Sub 45 lbs. for Thruster, sub jumping pullups

10 rounds. hard.

WOD - Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Yesterday was a rest day, today, Crossfit total (1RM Squat, Press, Deadlift).

Since my back is still recovering, I took it easy on the Squat and DL.

Squat
Warmups:
1x5x45
1x5x95
1x5x135
1x3x185
Attempts:
1x3x225 - counted as attempts

I could have done more, obviously, but I decided to count the 225 as where I felt comfortable. Before my back injury my 1RM was approx. 345.

Press:
Warmups:
1x5x45
1x5x75
1x2x105
Attempts:
1x125
1x135
1x140 - fail

135 is ok, I can't say I used to be a lot stronger than that.

Deadlift:
1x5x135

I am still really wary of heavy DLs, I will get there, but I'll work up to it - 135x5 was enough for today. Before injury I was around 375.

Crossfit Total: Rehab Edition
225/135/135
495

I'd like to get back/up to 345/155/375 (875), approximately where I was 3-4 months ago within 6 months.

WOD - Tuesday, June 17th 2008

I have been reading the workout of the day on Crossfit for about 6 months now and incorporating some of the ideas and exercises into my training. All exercise took a back seat, as I was injured for about the past 3 months and hardly able to do anything due to intense back pain due to a bulging disc. I am almost past that now and want this log to be about moving forward, so rather than rehash that here are my results for today.

Rx'ed WOD on crossfit:

Seven rounds for time of:
75 pound Shoulder Press, 21 reps
21 Back extensions

Scaled workout on CrossFit BrandX:

Big Dawgs:
as Rx’d

women 55#

Pack:
Seven rounds for time of:
55 pound Shoulder Press, 21 reps
21 Back extensions

women 45#

Puppies:
Five rounds for time of:
45 pound Shoulder Press, 12 reps
12 Back extensions

women 25#

Buttercups:

Five rounds for time of:
10-25 pound Shoulder Press, 10 reps
10 Back extensions

women 45#

My workout:

Light walk (10 mins) to gym.

2x 55lb press, 21 reps, 21 back extensions
1x 45lb press, 21 reps, 21 back extensions
4x 45lb press, 12 reps, 12 back extensions

My wrist pushed my watch's timer in the middle of my workout, but I don't think it missed more than a minute. I believe my time was about 10 minutes total.

I misjudged and should have done the "Puppies" workout instead of the pack, but since I haven't done a lot of presses for about 3 months, it was tough to judge how much strength I had lost so I did a hybrid.

I also did 10 negative pullups (since I can only do one deadhang pullup right now.) 5x 150 on the reverse hyper table since my back felt good and warmed up from the extensions.

Finally, my back literally had no pain, so I tried a very light and perfect for 5x135 deadlift. Felt fine, which I was ecstatic about.

Workout Log - History

The goal of this blog is to track my training. I'm relatively strong, yet out of shape and recovering from a bulging disc in my back. I'm a 28 year old male, 6'6" and currently 245 lbs.

My history:
I was always very athletic, but never strong until I was about 23-24 and started to lift weights a lot (though incorrectly). Ages 25-27 I was pretty inactive, and my high weight was about 260. Last summer, 2007, I started running (long, slow distance, which I'm aware isn't the best for you) a lot and restricting my calories and got down to 220 by December 07 when I started lifting again.

This time I followed the program in Starting Strength, by Mark Rippetoe, a great strength primer. My lifts progressed from an untrained level to a beginner's level, but on a day in late March I was a little bit off, I had poor form on a deadlift and injured my back. I am just recovering from that now.

My goals:
- Completely recover my back injury to full strength by carefully ramping up and monitoring my activities (one of the main reasons I want to post here)
- Complete Chicago Triathlon (Olympic Distance) Sunday, August 24th, 2008
- Complete Chicago Marathon
- Work my way up to be able to complete the Crossfit Workout of the Day (WOD) as seen on crossfit.com.