Splint Chesthair

Posting every 3 months

2009-03-13T12:07:00.005-04:00

What more do you want? Sheesh, I'm a terrible blogger.

Work schedule changes and a bum shoulder have had me slogging through workouts. But I finally seem to have things on schedule now. I've accepted the fact that I do not want to give up 3x a week squatting and that I simply do not enjoy running around the gym over multiple stations to accomplish certain Crossfit workouts. So I'm still working on my modified routine. I might pick up some weights just so I can make 135 pound, 115 pound, 95 pound, and 45 pound barbells. That way I could workout in the backyard and not need bumpers (I'll just drop them in the grass).

I've also inadvertantly gone back to intermittent fasting (not really Warrior Diet). I no longer workout in the morning and never really ate breakfast anyway. I also never liked eating less than several hours before a workout. So, now that I workout at lunch, I'm not eating until later in the afternoon. Then I have a big dinner when I get home. I'm probably eating in a 5 hour window and fasting for the rest. It works for me. Got a squat PR and deadlift PR is right at all time high.

As far as the shoulder goes, I brokedown and went for diagnosis and therapy. I was worried I had torn something or had a separation since it's been hurting for several months. The doctor looked at it and manipulated it while stretching and pushing and asking me to move in certain direction. On one combination, something slid and shifted presumably back to the place it was supposed to be. It was pretty weird but the pain was considerably reduced. I was also glad to hear that the doctor didn't believe it was anything serious.

Finally, I saw Katie put up 135 pounds in the overhead squat. Seriously, someone from the Government needs to regulate that girl. My shoulder just siezed up again watching that.

Crossfit: Tabata Something Else

2008-12-12T13:27:00.002-05:00

"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.

Score: 275, not bad for getting back into the swing of things.

I then did some bench press 2x12x115, 2x8x135, and 5x5 squat clean and jerks with 115 pounds.

Crossfit: Deadlift

2008-12-11T19:53:00.002-05:00

Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3 reps

I did 135x8, 225x1, 275x4. Again, taking these slow and concentrating on good form.

Crossfit: Nate

2008-12-10T09:52:00.002-05:00

"Nate"

Complete as many rounds in twenty minutes as you can of:
2 Muscle-ups
4 Handstand Push-ups
8 2-Pood Kettlebell swings

Post rounds completed to comments.

I did a modified Nate today, still not quite ready to ramp up the intensity yet. Probably two weeks of modified work before I start hitting all gears.

I did 11 rounds in 20 minutes of:

3 - dips / 3 - pull-ups
4 - 95-pound shoulder press
8 - 50-pound dumbell swings

Crossfit: Mr. Joshua

2008-12-09T08:48:00.005-05:00

Mr. Joshua

Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
30 Glute-ham sit-ups
250 pound Deadlift, 15 reps

I didn't do a thing while on vacation last week, which was probably a net positive. I was feeling banged up, fingers, shoulders, elbows. They all deserved a week of rest. I did get to the gym yesterday but it was way too crowded for any type of Crossfit exercise so I just took it easy with some light freeweight work. But today I decided to do whatever Crossfit exercise was at the bottom of the front page at crossfit.com. But I decided to lighten it up a bit and I only used 135 pounds for the deadlifts and I just did regular incline sit-ups instead of glute-ham situps. The running was done on a treadmill.

Lap 1: 4:16.75
Lap 2: 5:03.44
Lap 3: 5:09.59
Lap 4: 5:06.23
Lap 5: 5:18.74

Total Time: 24:54.75

Certainly this was not a 100% all out effort but it was a good workout to start getting back into the fold. I also did 5 sets of 5 reps of squats with 135 pounds simply because I felt like doing it. Sometimes my lower back gets sore and doing squats cures it right up.

Remodeling...and Crossfit II - Electric Boogaloo

2008-11-25T14:16:00.003-05:00

For the past two months, the gym I use has been remodeling, adding a room and installing new floors. The result being a very cramped and ever-changing workout area. Poorly designed for the Crossfit-type workouts. And horror of horrors the power rack has been decommissioned the entire time as it is too much of a pain to dis- and re- assemble. What foul demon would approve of such a decision?

Anyway, the re-organization of the gym (and PS3 Grand Theft Auto) has fed into my slight but definite slacking off of my fitness regiment, I'm ashamed to say. Luckily this time I do not need to search for the antidote for my workout doldrums and despite my ranting about the set-ups involved in with the Crossfit workouts, I think I'm going to jump back in following the WODs once again on a 3-1 schedule as that seemed to work best for me. I'll just adjust the set-ups and such to suit my needs and resources. I often think about just buying all the equipment to have it at home to setup however I please but my gym is 100% free and I'm a simple living kind of guy so buying equipment when 95% of it is already available at the free gym is something up with which I just cannot put. But if I win the lottery, another story.

But first vacation! Today's my last day of work and I won't be returning until December 8th. I know, how cruel to update this blog and then leave for vacation. But I wanted to make sure I get back on track after vacation so I'm keeping myself accountable here.

Still Here

2008-09-03T16:11:00.002-04:00

Still here. Still working out. I must admit I get a little pissed off at some of the Crossfit workouts so I've gone away from them for a while. I hate thw WODs that are a pain to set-up and running between the squat rack and the treadmill and a place to do handstand push-ups. Truthfully, if I were waiting for the squat rack, I'd be pissed at me so I hate setting those types of workouts up. I'm sure it could be solved by joining a Crossfit gym or getting my own equipment but neither of those options are going to happen so I just say F-it and do my own workout.

Interestingly, I went back to doing the Simplefit workout and found that I was seriously gassed trying to do Level 5-6. I guess I lost some, well, something from not doing those workouts every week. And honestly, I liked the way I felt doing the Simplefit workouts more. I can't really put my finger on it though. I definitely liked the addition of the full squat cleans and thrusters from Crossfit.

I still Helen and other WODs that don't require a lot of dancing between stations, just work effort.

Crossfit: Helen and Griff

2008-08-11T15:32:00.002-04:00

I did both Helen and Griff yesterday. I knew whichever I chose to do first would greatly affect my time on the second. I did Helen first and finished in 13:26 (a new PR by 21 seconds) and then I did Griff, which took me about 3 minutes longer than the first time I did it.

I also tore another callouse. I think it was because I used parallel bars for the pull-ups on Helen which have a different effect on the hands when doing kipping pull-ups.

Crossfit: Squat 5x5

2008-08-07T10:08:00.005-04:00

080805
Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps

I figured I'd skip over Griff and do the 5-5-5-5-5 back squat today. Since Griff doesn't require a gym, I can do that over the weekend. I'm planning Griff, Helen, and/or the dumbbell snatch WOD for the weekend because none of them require me to go to the gym.

Back Squat:

5 x 135
5 x 155
5 x 185
5 x 200
5 x 200

I've done 5 x 205 before when doing a Stonglifts 5x5 routine but my form on the 5 x 200 today was much better (at least the first one was). Very little forward movement until the last couple reps of the second set of 200.

Oh, I also warmed up with 3 rounds of 5-10-10 of pull-ups, push-ups and squats. After the squats I did some ab work and 3x10 dips with a 12 pound dumbbell.

Crossfit: 080802

2008-08-05T08:54:00.002-04:00

080802
Row 1000 meters
85 pound Thruster, 21 reps
15 Pull-ups

Row 750 meters
85 pound Thruster, 18 reps
12 Pull-ups

Row 500 meters
85 pound Thruster, 15 reps
9 Pull-ups

Rest 2 minutes between each round. Time each round separately and post times to comments.

This Crossfit-brand WOD looked pretty interesting and as usual, tougher to actually do than you'd think. I think I figured this out with after about the first 800 meters rowing at around a 1:52 per 500m pace. Why do I always look at a workout round by its individual exercises? It's like you see rowing and say, "that's not too bad", 85 pound thrusters are "10 pounds less than the 95 pounds I normally use" and "only 15 pull-ups?". But then you go and do them in a round as fast as you can and you suck wind.

Anyway here are my rounds:

Round 1: 7:31
Round 2: 6:40
Round 3: 5:03

Dumbbell Bear, deadlifts, squat clean PR

2008-07-31T09:13:00.005-04:00

I did the Dumbbell Bear yesterday with 30lb bells. 5 deadlifts, 5 power cleans, 5 thrusters every minute for 20 minutes. I like it because your rest time can be increased by decreasing the time spent performing the exercise, so there's an incentive to performing at full capacity. I know I've said it before but it's one of the best workouts I've ever done.

What else have I done, some 5x5 workouts, intense sprint intervals on the elliptical machine. Today I did some 5x5 deadlifts workouts, nothing to write home about but afterwards I tried some squat cleans and was able to do 175 pounds, and that's a new PR.

My right shoulder still gets sore. I feel it's getting better but I've been trying not to do anything to aggravate it. I don't think it's a bad injury or anything, just taking a while to heal.

Keeping at it

2008-07-26T12:33:00.003-04:00

I've been keeping steady. I've taken to ending my workouts with a 500m row trying to beat my record everytime. Last week I got a 1:47.2, today I beat that with a 1:45.7.

I did the WOD with the 50 reps of all kinds of stuff this past week. It took my 43 minutes but I doubled up on the walking lunges (50 each leg) and there was a lot of walking between stations. Plus I was just plain tired and the burpees did not got fast at all.

I've been throwing 5x5 strength workouts in there as well, so instead of a push press workout that's 3x3x3x3x3, I'll do squats (or deadlifts), presses, and barbell rows.

I must still be in shape because today I did Fran in 8:54, as prescibed, and a new record for me. In fact, I shaved more than three minutes off my previous time of 12:36.

Still Here

2008-07-18T15:19:00.002-04:00

Thanks for the worried comments but I'm still here, I'm just not having any motivation to post results. Getting a bit bored with that whole aspect.

I got a bad blister from under a callous on my left hand that slowed me down a bit.

But I did the 10k the other day in about 55 minutes. I did the press/push-press/push-jerk workout (minus the push-jerk). I did 115x5 for 5 sets of push-press and then I did 135x5 for two sets and 145 x 5 for 3 sets of push-press. I did some squats just because I felt like it using 135, 155, 175, 195 for a pyramid of 10-8-6-4-6-8-10. That was kind of fun since I hadn't done anything like that in a while. I did the 5x5 deadlift workout today doing 225, 300, 300, 300, 300x2, 225x3 plus some dips and pull-ups.

I'm a little pissed because I tried barbell thrusters the other day and still had sharp pains in my right shoulder.

So I've been working out, just not reporting.

Angie KB

2008-07-13T16:08:00.003-04:00

I didn't workout yesterday because the lawnmower broke. It's a self propelled mower and the transmission cable snapped halfway through my 3/4 acre yard so I finished the other half pushing the damn thing. Of note, when a lawn mower with a transmission breaks, it doesn't magically turn into an easy to push lawnmower, it's quite difficult. Like pushing a sled in football. But I ordered the replacement part and decided I'd workout today and so i did Angie, at home, in the basement because it looked like rain.

Weird thing, last time I did Angie I got a 27:26. Today, even though the pull-ups were in the basement where I have difficulty kipping, and given that I've been in a bit of a funk recently, I beat my time and got a 27:17 today. Cool. Plus I added 100 Kettlebell swings right after in an additional 6:14.

Back in action

2008-07-11T08:34:00.002-04:00

My shoulder feels better after I did a light Dumbbell Bear workout the other day. I still feel a twinge sometimes doing overhead presses but not as much as before. It's also not sore all the time either. So I've got that going for me. Someone in the comments mentioned a connection between shoulder soreness and pull-ups. I've already gone through that a few months ago when I was still doing Simplefit. Shoulder dislocation exercises took care of that problem and sinceI've been doing those, I haven't felt any shoulder problems from pull-ups in a long time. But bench presses, well, they always make my shoulders sore. I'm 100% sure that was the reason for my shoulder soreness. Both shoulders, but right shoulder more than left.

Anyway, over the vacation I only took Thurs through Saturday off. I then did light workouts Sunday through Wednesday, and took yesterday off. The entire time I didn't feel right, just tired, and not strong at all. It wasn't a good rest week. I felt like I was dogging it when I should be trying harder. Today I decided to go all out and I was going to do Angie at the park on the way to work but I realized I could do Angie anywhere and if I'm going to work, I should probably go to the gym. So, I made up my own routine and it went like this:

Warm Up
Range of Motion Exercises (about 10 minutes)

3 rounds of:
10 wall-balls (15 pounds)
10 back extensions
10 push-ups
10 sit-ups

Workout
21-15-9 reps of:
135 pound full squat cleans
pull-ups
bar dips

Time: 29:12

Followed by 3x25 GHD sit-ups.

Sore shoulder

2008-07-05T13:30:00.001-04:00

My right shoulder is so sore from the bench presses. I hate bench presses. I'm never doing them again. Weighted dips from here on out.

Crossfit: Lynne

2008-07-03T09:29:00.003-04:00

"Lynne"

Five rounds for max reps of:
Body weight bench press
Pull-ups

Post reps for both exercises in all rounds.

I used 185 because I'm around 183.

I did this yesterday:
4-14
4-14
3-10
2-10
1-8

My chest was still sore from the 100 dips from the previous day. I'm on vacation so I'm taking a few days off. I don't want to get so attached to the Crossfit WOD's that I don't take the time to make up my own workouts anymore. I can see that happening. I'll drive to the gym at work on my days off to do the Crossfit routine and that's exactly what I was trying to avoid. So I think I'm going to take 1-2 weeks off and not even look at the Crossfit website.

Crossfit: 080628

2008-07-01T08:59:00.002-04:00

080628
For time:
45 Double-unders
135 pound Squat clean, 45 reps
45 Ring Dips
45 Double-unders

Post time to comments.

I took some Tylenol PM last night because I had a headache and when I woke up I was pretty groggy. Everything felt heavy and I felt pretty tired. Still, I was determined to take this one on as best as possible. The first round of double-unders went terribly. No rhythm and I couldn't string together more than 3-4 reps. The squat cleans were slow but good form. I started out doing about 5 before I needed to rest. I can normally get about 10 in a row before a rest. I finished up in sets of 3 which isn't so bad. I'm glad I finished all 45 reps. No rings so I did 100 bar dips. Someone was waiting to use theleg press machine which sort of interfers with the dip station and I wasn't being all that quick about the dip reps so I cut that off. Probably would have taken another 6 minutes to do that last 35 reps. The last set of double unders was pretty good. I was stringing 5-7 together in a row. Total time 34:32.

Crossfit:

2008-06-30T10:53:00.002-04:00

080627
3 rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
1.5 pood Kettlebell swing, 21 reps
95 pound Thruster, 21 reps
21 Pull-ups

My time: (as Rx'd)

1st round: 8:59
2nd round: 11:56
3rd round: 14:11

Total Time: 35:08

Phew, that was a killer. Mostly because you're sucking wind from the get-go. Running, thrusters, kb swings and pull-ups, you need a lot of air get through a round like that.

Crossfit: Fight Gone Bad

2008-06-27T08:58:00.003-04:00

"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.

Damn, damn, damn. Why don't I read the instructions! Well, this is good and bad. Last time I did Fight Gone Bad I scored a 282 and my goal for this workout was to break 300. But today I scored a 271. Why? Well, I remembered that the first time I did it I didn't fully lockout my hips on the box jumps. I was just jumping up to the box as fast as I could. This makes a big difference. Also, I remember the first time I did this workout, I noticed that by the time I got to the rowing station and got strapped in, I only had about 45 second of rowing work available. I didn't think that was fair so I re-set my timer to give me a full one minute. That's how I was able to get 15 calories on the rower but only managed 11 for each round today. That's not how it's supposed to work. So a score of 271 is great considering I made an exercise more difficult, the box jump and didn't reset for the row machine, I mean if I got 15 calories for each round today, my score would have been 283, one rep better than last time.

But here's the difference, I FORGOT TO TAKE THE ONE MINUTE REST BETWEEN EACH OF THE THREE ROUNDS!!!!!!! ARRRGH! So not only did I not get the benefit of the one minute rest between rounds, I also got cheated out of about 30 seconds worth of total wall ball time going from the row machine to the wall ball. At least I cheated up and not down. Is two minutes of rest and 30 seconds of work time enough for me to get 29 more reps and break 300? I dunno, stay tuned until next time.

Oh yeah, I should point out the wall ball is 15 pounds, same as last time but not as Rx'd. I don't have a 20 pound wall ball.

Crossfit: Snatches

2008-06-26T08:54:00.004-04:00

080624

Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads to comments.

Ok, it's official. I stink out loud at snatches. I did about 50 reps including warmups trying to get one good full snatch but the best I could muster was a catch in half-squat with a slight pause then somewhat quick drop to full squat and back up. I think that was with 75 pounds. I'm pretty sure the problem is shoulder flexibility as I just can't catch the weight at the bottom of the full squat. My arms don't get back far enough and the result is the bar falling forward. I did reps with 65 pounds, 75 pounds, 85 pounds and one with 100 pounds which was basically a power snatch caught in a 1/16 squat position followed by an overhead squat.

See, I'm the opposite of Brad who has been cautious on the overhead squat but apparently throws up snatches like he's tossing his mortar board at graduation day. I feel cautious on the snatches but overhead squats seem fine to me once I get the weight in the right place.

I think it might be good to replace wall-balls with snatches with a light bar in my warm-up.

It also doesn't help that my gym doesn't really have a good place for bailing out on a lift. I can probably get away with doing it once in a while. I don't think they have any stated policy against olympic lifts and bailing or anything like that and I don't want to be the reason they institute one so I'm sure part of it is mental as well. This is when I really would some weights at home where I could practice without worrying about making a scense but oh well. Adapt, improvise and improve I suppose.

Ooh, Fight Gone Bad for tomorrow. That should be fun. Last score was 282. I'm going to break 300 tomorrow just to make up for the terrible snatch performance.

Crossfit: 5k

2008-06-25T08:23:00.001-04:00

080623

Run 5 K

Post time to comments.

Time: 24:42
Distance: Outside, somewhat hilly, approximately 5k.

Crossfit: 50 Muscle-ups

2008-06-24T08:25:00.001-04:00

080621
For time:
50 Muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

I did 50 jumping muscle-ups in 12:30. I wore some skin off the upper portion of both arms too, ouch.

Then I did 50 regular pull-ups and 50 bar dips.

Dumbbell Bear

2008-06-23T08:36:00.003-04:00

I didn't feel like messing around with my rings the last two days. I can't do muscle-ups so its either 150 pull-ups/150 dips (yuck) or working with jumping muscle-ups. I think I'll do those early tomorrow morning when no one's around. Plus, i think I'm going to switch to a 5 in a row Crossfit schedule Monday through Friday. So it'll be good to be two days behind. I'll take one or both of the weekend days off, depending on how I feel. I'll find something to work on during the weekend if I'm not resting, like handstands, or planches or something like that, skill work, etc.

But today I decided to do the Dumbbell Bear, 5 reps each of dumbbell deadlift, power clean, and thruster every minute for 20 minutes. I used the 35 pound dumbbells. I made it through about 15 minutes before I had to take a little extra rest to finish the last 5 rounds.

Then I did 3 rounds of weighted pull-ups/dips with 25 pounds. I managed 3 reps of pull-ups and 5 reps of dips each round. So, 9 pull-ups and 15 dips.

Crossfit: 080620

2008-06-21T11:41:00.002-04:00

080620
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
65 pound Thruster, 10 reps
10 Pull-ups

Post rounds completed to comments.

10 rounds and then a half round (5 thrusters 5 pull-ups).

Tough one.