CrossFit Over 40

WODs, Diet, Crossfit OldTown Gossip and Lifestyle Ramblings by MarkyD

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Deadlift - 1 rep max

Perfect timing. Set a 1 rep max deadlift PR and then go out of town for the rest of the week. At lease that is how I hope it goes down at 515 pm. Either way, I am going to Vegas on stop at 830 tomorrow am for a tech conference to comparison shop some solutions and tech that we need at the office.

Current 1 rep max PR - 350 **

New 1 rep max deadlift - 355! I was ever so close to 365, but could not get it that last bit. 355 was not pretty, but PR's rarely are. Nice progress.




**March 29, 2010. we were actually going for 2 reps that day, but I got 350 once and was done. (See the photo above.)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Snatch balance

Worked up to 115 and it was hard for me. I believe that it is my OH squat PR, so I should be happy with it.

I like the skill work days - and especially skills that I need work on, like this.

After - I skipped the listed AMRAP session. I am looking to avoid any pulling from the floor or pulling up. My traps and back are so sore - even to the touch - that I am on count down to a break. Depends on what we have tomorrow, if I come in or not.

Instead I strapped on a vest and did 200m sprints, rest for about 1 minute x 8. Then I took off the vest and did it again. Even though I took the vest off, I was getting slower and slower. But every time I do this, I am sure it is good for me.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Nasty Girls

I subbed out so my WOD was:

3 rounds for time
50 Air Squats
15 C2B pullups
15 ring dips
10 hang power cleans 135

Time 12:45

This was not horrible. A workman like effort to get through. One day soon I will get that muscle up. However this is day 5 in a row, and I am wearing down. I see on my log that I have made 18 days to CFOT out of 24 this month. In one way, that is equal to the prescribed 3 on 1 off. But it feels like a lot for me. Next week I travel a few days and plan on recovering while in Vegas at a trade show.

I cannot wait.

Friday, April 23, 2010

2k row then 275#dead lifts max reps

I am short and my legs are short too. I am not a great rower for distance. My prior PR on the 2k row was 8:29. I went 8:25. Not great, but a little better.

Then the dead lifts. 275# were ok in warm ups. But after the row, it was tough. I got 5 reps.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Push Press, Ring Dip, Burpee: 20 min Amrap sets of 9

With more people than sets of rings at the 1230 hour of power, I chose to start on push press. You could have guessed that one.

So 20 minutes to get as many rounds as you can of the above 3 movements for 9 reps each. Holy mother of god do my triceps hurt this very second an hour after finishing that.

I got 7 full rounds plus 9 push press. I was mid-burpee, but the clock went off. So I will not count that one. Call it 7 1/3 rounds even.

Push press is easy for me but 63 reps later (115# by the way), I am in a high level of pain. I got 4 rounds of 9 reps non stop. 1 round of 9 reps with a pause. And then the last 2 rounds I had to drop the bar.

Burpees. Just keep moving. Tried real hard to get those feet all the way under me and to land on the heels. That helps on the jump. Plus, I did 3 switched directions and kept that pattern up. Helped me to count, and 3 sets of 3 with a 2 second break seems a lot easier than 9 in a row.

Ring dips. Of course Chad and I watched the video on the mainsite today. They also were doing ring dips and pulled this classic out. Thumbs to armpits and the lock out on top. Easier said than done. And more painful. But better for that elusive muscle up as Jason Khalipa effortlessly demonstrates.

Here is me in some pain:





Did I say ouch yet? Ouch.



Done and totally spent:

Back Squat x2 with chains

A few Sat. ago we did this WOD and I used 165 all way through. Thanks to this trusty blog, I noted that I thought 165 was too light that day. So today working with Manchester and Chiro Paul, I started at 165 and soon moved up to 175, 185, 195 and 200 for the final 4 rounds. The last few were very tough and almost did not get the last rep at 200.

What is up with the black hoodie you say? Well of course it looks bad ass with the chains hanging off the bar. But also, pulling that hoodie up blocks out distractions and is also a cue for me to get in the zone. You can see in the video that I attack the bar off the rack and get right into it. Squats are tough for me. I have poor flexibility in both my shoulders and hips, I am not the strongest leg strength guy around, etc. So I have to get into a zone. And I think I did. In addition to me grunting and desperately trying to get that last rep, I hear some other grunts in the background. It was a serious primal workout for all.

(Hit the back arrow on your browser to come back to my blog)

Here is video of me in round 7 (the last round) with a mish-mash of weights totaling 200 + the chains.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

L-sit, snatch, run x5

I walked in feeling creaky and sore, and it took me a long time to warm it up. As opposed to Sat I deliberately tried to hold back on round 1 to see how that would affect the rest of my day. One thing is for sure, I never did hit the red line and have to take a break and heave. I was able to keep on moving at a pretty good pace. With my asthma, even if I try to push it on the runs, sooner or later I have to pull back - which is what happened today.


5 rounds:
10 L-sit pull ups
6 snatch 95# (started w/ 115 and was pressing out)
400m run

Time 23:45

A nice solid workout.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sat Workout - Central Canada WOD #3




I saw this workout listed on the crossfit.com page and I immediately sent a copy to Jerry so we could do it. 5 rounds of a mere 5 Power Cleans (155#), 10 burpees and a 200m run. Basically 3 exercises, not too many reps, and a short run.

In my mind, I would destroy this WOD. I thought I could match up well against the best in our gym, and the best anywhere. I was thinking 10 minutes. At least I am an optimist.

Round 1 went well. I was super raring to go. I ripped off the 5 power cleans with ease, did 10 insanely paced suicide style burpees. I was literally flying and throwing myself around. And then the run, it was short, but I was already redlining. So I felt myself being limited. But round 1 I walked back in the door in 1:45. In theory if I could hold on, I could do 10 minutes.

I was right behind Melissa, and she not only did out do me in round 1, but she was maintaining. Her conditioning is awesome and her hard work is paying off. Me - not so much.

The cleans were easy all the way through. I feel like I was able to get after them without resting. But the burpees made me pause and gasp, and my remaining runs were slow.

I hung on and ended up 12:46. My math tells me that after my 1:45 round 1, the rest averaged 2:45. I still loved it, but I would have loved it more to keep going at a better pace. Steck passed me in round 2. That is what being fit is about. It is not how you start, but how you finish.

But then again, round 1 was a hell of an output and perhaps one of the most aggressive starts to a WOD I have ever done. Even though it ruined me, it felt pretty awesome.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Front Squat - unchained

I am favoring my leg and holding back a little. I dont want to go very heavy and hurt myself more. And I got totally busted for it today. Rightly so, it is a terrible attitude at Crossfit to be cautious.

During Front Squats with chains - I started with 155 on the bar, and clearly it was easy. Melissa called me out and had me add 10 more. I think 155 is 70% of my max and 165 is 75. I guess another 10 for 175 would have been an even 80%.

Going back to the doc who did my hernia surgery a few years ago to see what he thinks is going on. Not too excited about that. Last time I saw him, he had a scalpel way too close to my manhood.

Have a nice weekend.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I got a Peaceful, Queasy feeling

If I am so fit, then why do I feel like puking after a couple of short sprints and a 30 minute work out?

Warm up - 3 times through - 200m sprints, you go / partner goes. Chad and I pushed it.

WOD:
Part 1 - Cindy - 6 min - 6 rounds even
Part 2 - Push press - 18 minutes to find your 1 rep max. I know what my 1 rep max is and I could not find it today. I got 185 and then tried and failed at 205 twice. I never did fully recover my wind from the above.
Part 3 - Back to 6 min of Cindy. I felt flat out awful. Yet so angry and disappointed at my PP effort. I pushed past 6 rounds and was 10 squats away from completing round 7.

Part 4 - Sit on the curb outside feeling sick to my stomach. Drive home. Shower. Back to work, and still feel sick to my stomach.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

What’s up Doc? A perfect Checkup!

Let’s go back to May, 2008. The day my Dr. called me fat!




Every spring, around my birthday, I get a checkup. I was 39, a regular at the gym, and feeling OK about myself. Sure I seemed to be a little heavier on the scale, but I had not really noticed a change. Binge drinking once a week, fine. I was fit, right?

So there I was for the ‘08 annual physical. The scale read 185 lbs: Ouch! And although I was taking Lipitor, Doc discussed upping my dosage because my cholesterol level was still borderline high. That is when my Dr. took out a blank sheet of paper and plotted a simple graph. Looking back through my chart over the years, on one axis he listed my weights and across the bottom he plotted dates. You see - each year for the past 6, I had gained 2-3 pounds. Then Doc connected the dots and kept on going.
He looked at me: “Mark – if you keep this up you are going to weigh 200 lbs by the time you are 45.”

I had never hated my Doctor more. I was really pissed. But funny thing was, I was angry at him. Did my Dr. just call me fat? What does he know!

Through that summer and fall, I did nothing about it. But I was still pissed. Slowly but surely, I started to accept the fact that my Dr. was not the problem, it was me. Spin classes and bicep curls were getting be nowhere. That winter I was 185 still or more. And in May I was going to turn 40. I was starting to freak out and I needed to do something.

Feb 1, 2009 - Divine intervention in the form of CrossFit Oldtown opening up 6 blocks from my house. I had been to a personal trainer on that block, and I was intrigued at this new place opening up. What the heck was this Crossfit? So I walked in and put is all out there for one Jerry Hill. “I am turning 40 in 3 months and I am in the worst shape of my life – can you help?” I said.

I remember his response clear as if it were today. He paused, seemed to count the calendar in his head, then “ 12 weeks, yeah – we can really make some progress in 12 weeks”

I joined the next day, and as you all know, the story is much happier of late. I am hooked like crack on Crossfit and it is good for me. I have wildly exceeded my expectations and best of all:

You should have seen my Doctor’s expression today!
*Weight: 162 lbs.
*Blood pressure – 100/60. Pulse 55.
*Prescriptions – none.
*Cholesterol (without Lipitor) just fine!

In fact, Doc asked me to confirm that I was 40, because he thought I was 30. He also asked what I do for exercise; maybe I could give him some pointers.

Best of all, I made him dig though my charts, and find that damn graph from 2 years ago. We have re-plotted! And yeah, now I love going to get a checkup. And Doc is a big fan of Crossfit.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Hang squat Clean x 1

Some days you just don't feel it.

I don't love doing exercises from the hang. There are a couple of reasons for it. But mostly, I never get my hips fully extended, and therefore can't lift that much.

One of these days I will stop trying to muscle everything and start lifting with some technical proficiency - but it was not today.

Worked up to 175, and then did 135 over and over again until my thumbs were raw.

On the good news front, I did not over do it such that even with all the front squats, my pulled leg (groin) felt fine.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Recipe -MarkyD's Coconut Almond Bars

Here is the recipe for my newest Primal Treat. I am pretty sure that the Paleolithic man did not actually eat these, but if he found one lying around, he would have been cised.

I made these yesterday and brought them to Blain's house. I put them on the counter, turned my back - and they were all gone. I actually never had any, but I am gonna say they were good.


-Get a large mixing bowl.
-Add the following (since I am not down with the Zone, I don't weigh or measure. So open your mind and add quantities that you feel are right)



-In a small cup Heat 1 spoonful of coconut oil in the micro for 15 seconds and pour the liquid in the mixing bowl.
-Add a couple of spoons of almond butter
-Pour in about a cup of shredded coconut
-Add half a cup of slivered almonds (Trader Joe's, unsalted and toasted work well)
-Mix in some dark choc chips
-Drizzle in honey

-Mix and smash with a wooden spoon. Break up those almond slivers.
-Make sure the consistency is not too liquid. If so, add more coconut and almond.
-Taste. Is it sweet enough? If not, add more honey. Repeat.
-Put wax paper in a baking dish. Pour in mix and spread thin.
-Freeze it - 20 minutes

-Take it out, flip it over, peel off the wax paper and cut into squares. Pieces will break off. Eat these (cook's bonus!)

Put squares in a bowl and back into the freezer. Take out 5 min before you serve.

Watch them disappear.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Back Squats with Chains - 2 reps for time

6 sets. 2 reps, then rest for the remainder of 3 minutes. Working with Jared and Soni, we all had different weights and it seemed we spent as much time changing weights as we did lifting them. Jerry called us a "pit crew"

Anyway, my groin bothered me and I only did 165 + chains.

The after work was great. A ladder from 1-10 pushups and back mixed with 2 - 20 jumping lunges. I did the pushups on dumbells and really attacked. Never had to break the pushups, the lungers were another story.

Love me some pushups.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Jerk - 1 rep max

The problem with CFOT is that all the WODs are something I want to do. The ones that I think I will do well at - I want to do. The ones that I need work on - I want to do. The ones that I know will hurt - I want to do.

It is hard to pick a rest day that I can live with.

Suffice to say that today's skill WOD of 1 rep max Jerk is a skill day and one I needed work on. Rule #1 - NO PRESS OUTS.

I was tired on the way in, and I should have taken a pass. It is hard to be faster than gravity when you are dragging ass. And working till 11pm every night this week is taking a toll.

I worked up to 185 - failing my next attempt at 200 before calling it a day. I tried my best not to use my super natural pressing strength, and I think I succeeded. Chad C and I were strict about calling out any press outs.

Only 185 you say? Sure I could strict press that same 185. Or add 20 and push press 205. But I want to teach myself to get under the bar. Cause while I may one day push press 225 - I hope to one day jerk press 275. And today was step one down that path.

Tomorrow workout of deadlifts and wall balls looks one part awesome and one part awful. I better get some sleep.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Why do I Crossfit?

Because being fit means you can play all day with your kid on the beach.

And when you hold her tight, she knows nothing bad can ever happen.

I pity the fool that messes with her.

Pull up, push up, run, repeat

Jerry has flat out told me that interval work should be my focus. When I run out of energy in a WOD - slow runs, standing around gasping, etc - he equates that to "not having a big enough gas tank". And to improve that, I should do intervals.

I agree, and I have tried to add some sprint or row repeats twice a week if we have a lifting day.

No need today, as the WOD was 5 interals of approx 20 pullups, 30 pushups and a 400m run. Each round we subtracted 2 of each, but the runs stayed the same.

Out of the gate I came in at 301. Joel had a blazing 245 and jack nearly ran me over to pass me at the door. After 2 minutes rest I was able to get 348, 402, 412 and 358. Looks like I went out too fast on round 1. I felt rough on the runs, but kept pushing. Knowing that I could collapse temporarily after each round helped. But I felt it. And the 80 degrees and hot sun were not helping. We went from mild to hot real quick.


Monday, April 05, 2010

Unchained

If there was ever a day for the angry black hoodie while working out, it is when doing back squat with chains hanging off each end. My squat is not great, and I continue to feel a little tightness in my leg which I have mentioned before.

Given that my PPR for 3 reps was 245, I was pleased with 225 plus the 40# of chains.

Good stuff.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

snatch and other fun stuff

1 rep max effort snatch. Pretty blah about it. My shoulders, and other inflexibilities make this the hardest lift to do correctly. When done right, the snatch lift as fluid and looks simply. When attempting to lift the bar over your head with power alone, not so much.

After - messing around on the pull up bar. I got a pull up bar muscle up. I suspect an actual muscle up cannot be to far behind.

After, after - Chad and I strapped on the weight vests for some 400m repeats. As in just 3. My legs burn after the first 100, and the speed falls off. But doing them at all must be good for me - as it hurts so bad.

A nice Sat.

Friday, April 02, 2010

April First Friday - JT

This is the only workout I can remember getting a DNF in. There have been a lot that I have wanted to quite - but I trudged through. There are several that I am afraid to try - Eva, etc. But JT is the one WOD that I tried, and physically could not do. The 21-15-9 combination of handstand pushups, ring dips and pushups is an evil combination.

About 6 months ago, I tried it on a FF and just could not do any more handstand pushups. Today, it got to the point, where I started off with 10+ without a break. And I ended the set of 9 by going 3,3,2,1. And the pushups were 2 at a time too.

Amazing - in a bad way.

But I am glad to conquer this demon. It was bugging me. But now, my shoulders feel like a flame thrower is pointed at each.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

15 C&J, Run 1mile, 15 C&J

Ouch. That is all I can say. As I warmed up, the cleans were going OK. The more weight I added, it still was OK. So next thing you know, I was at the Elite 16# and it was time to go. The jerks - I still need to work on getting a jerk as compared to a push press. Some reps were better than others. Melissa was particularly watchful.

Beautiful day for a run. Which was ruined, by Dina chasing me down and reminding me that Crossfit is not about a slow jog on a sunny day, it is about pushing yourself past your limits. Damn.

The last 7 - 10 C&J were hateful. I could feel my heart pounding. I had to pull a Harold. I am sure that it helped. But after the end, I put my shirt out like a beach towel on the sand and was flat on my back gasping for air for a very long time.

Time 17:07.