Fun of a different kind!

[Catrin]

In my 30 minute session today, my trainer kicked my butt with something he calls "Crazy 8's". Appropriate name! I am going to miss our solo sessions, but I still have the benefit of his training 2-3 hours a week with the small group training sessions!

3 sets of the following 5 exercises for time - 8 reps for each and 16 total for the lunges (after warming up of course):

• Zurcher Front Squats
• Racked TRX Rows
• Deadlifts (personal record today - even if it was only for 4 reps)
• Dips (table dip, no rings...AS IF I could actually do that one)
• Kettlebell Lunges

2 minute break between sets, and the weight went up significantly for the Zurcher squats and deadlifts.

After THAT was over, we had 5 minutes left in my session so we headed back to the squat rack. I did back squats for 5 minutes but there was a twist Every 30 seconds I racked the bar and did 5 air squats.

When those 5 minutes were over my time was done....and I was done

First time I've done the Zurcher front squats, that totally gets around my shoulder/elbow flexibilty problem and I could do them properly

Hopefully I will get to ride tomorrow, planning on an easy ride - it is supposed to be in the 60's and not windy!!!!!!

[Catrin]

This was an excellent metabolic conditioning workout. I was the only one who showed up for group training this morning. By the time the 28.27 minutes it took me to perform the following, I was DONE. There was an appropriate warm-up prior to this. I didn't have anything left afterwards, but before long as I was charged up and ready for whatever this day might bring. Nothing in the following requires special equipment so it is easily modified, outside of (perhaps) the TRX rows.

100 air squats
30 second high plank
90 pushups
30 second high plank
80 TRX rows
30 second high plank
70 knees to chest sit-ups
30 second high plank
60 burpees
30 second high plank
50 modified deck squats
30 second high plank

[Crankin]

The thought of 60 burpees leaves me speechless.
Today, in the middle and near the end of my class, she had us run outside, around the little cul-de-sac twice and back in the opposite door. At first, I was up with the big girls and then one of them sprinted. Oh boy. During the second set, though I was able to pass a couple of younger women who I know do tris. Hard for 6 AM. We did a lot of core and weight work, too.

[Catrin]

It sounds like you did great! Frankly, I would rather do most anything than run & that includes bear crawls.

Burpees aren't my favorite though I didn't do the pushup part because of my shoulder, especially after all of the earlier pushups + TRX rows. He modified the burpee also to have my hands come down on a dynamax ball rather than the floor. I think the regular way might have been easier but I did get the 60 done The last 20 were rather slow...

[Irulan]

We did all sliders on Tuesday. Lunges, gators, hamstring curls, mountain climbers, push-up taps....you name it.
The coolest one, also one of the hardest, was how we did shoulder flyes. On your knees, sliders under hands, hands wide stance out past shoulders to the sides, and then slide in, to under the breast bone.

[Catrin]

We did all sliders on Tuesday. Lunges, gators, hamstring curls, mountain climbers, push-up taps....you name it.
The coolest one, also one of the hardest, was how we did shoulder flyes. On your knees, sliders under hands, hands wide stance out past shoulders to the sides, and then slide in, to under the breast bone.

Hmmm, this sounds like fun - I am going to have to try it out tomorrow! I am planning on dragging a sled around the track tomorrow with an assortment of weights for one mile, and a slider-based warmup sounds like a good idea

Tuesday I had my final solo session with my trainer. He used it as a kind of 'graduation' and put me through a combination of every kind of squat you there is, mixed with a different core exercises. It was good to see the areas where I've improved, and while we needed to modify two things on the menu, only two things had to be modified

[Catrin]

I did not have much time today so decided in advance to do a sled mile. I warmed up a bit and put on the harness for the sled. This exercise has me dragging the sled behind me, the sled itself is just a small platform that only weighs 5-6 pounds..

The idea was to start w/25 lbs, then go up 25 each lap until I hit 100 lbs, then reverse the process back to 25 pounds. 200 meters per lap. I did fine for the 1st half but when I dropped from 100 lbs back to 75 lbs I noted my old quad injury complaining a bit & decided to make that my last lap with weight. It was a great workout regardless & the first time I've done it without a coach. I wound up short two laps (with weight, I walked 3 laps cooling down), but I think that was a wise idea. This is a whole body exercise that targets the quads and to have come out of it with a re-injury would sort have defeated my purpose Perhaps I am finally learning...

This is a pretty quick way of combining cardio and lower-body strength all at the same time It also makes little kids look at you really oddly - we had an elementary school field trip going on at the same time!

[Catrin]

I NEED to get better at broad jumping! This morning we did a series of exercises, but the number we were asked to do was different for each one of us. After we warmed up, we broad-jumped 50 meters and we had to count how many times it took us to broad jump that distance, no steps in-between each jump.

This was the heart of the workout - our starting reps for each round was the number of times it took us to broad jump that distance, for me that was 45. Thankfully he had mercy on us as he thought most of us would have smaller numbers - we didn't- so we cut the number in half. My goal was 24 rounds - so my first round of the following was 24 of each. The goal was to work down from our starting number all the way down to one. I didn't make it...but then again, none of us did in the 30 minutes we had to complete the work. Our homework is to finish during the coming week. I've 19 rounds to go - some of us got more than 5 rounds done, but not many.

Burpees
Valslide Jacknives
Goblet Squats (30-72 pounds)
Release Pushups
TRX Racked Rows

We've an endurance event coming Memorial Day weekend, the Memorial Day Murph. The Murph is a Crossfit workout named for a fallen soldier who used this as his own training - and while it has become traditional to do this on Memorial Day weekend, this year it is being used as a military charity fundraiser. Many from my training group are participating, including our trainer. There is a reason why he is giving us these types of workouts.

[Catrin]

It was SUPPOSED to rain today, so I went to the gym to test myself before next Saturday's Memorial Day Murph workout. This has become pretty common and is a military charity fundraiser. I wasn't sure if I should go for the "half-Murph" or the full. The full workout features the following:

1 mile run
100 Pullups
200 Pushups
300 Squats
1 mile run

While my shoulder forces me to scale two of those exercises (inclined pushups and racked rows on the rings rather than pullups), I think I am ready for this. I spent some quality time on treadmill this morning and Cindy (a Crossfit workout that features the three exercises) and did the "half-Murph". I got this next week - I am a SLOW runner so I will likely be one of the last to finish but I will finish - that is all that matters.

BTW, you can break up the three exercises anyway you wish - the only thing that can't be "broken up" is the running. I will probably do 20 sets of 5 racked rows, 10 inclined pushups and 15 squats. My shoulder is fine with doing lots of pushups...as long as my hands are in the diamond position AND I don't do more than 10 at a time We do what we can - and it will be fun and is for a good cause! Right now, at least, it looks like the weather will be perfect with 60ish temps.

Looking forward to riding tomorrow morning - right now I am waiting for the new owner of my mountain bike to swing by and pick it up!

[Catrin]

We finished yesterday's workout with a friendly, and fun, competitive Hungry Hippo! Our trainer posted a video of the final round on Facebook, but since it isn't a public page I can't provide the link here. I tried... Occasionally we do things like this, it makes me feel like a kid again

Hoping to ride tonight after work. Riding this year is like pulling teeth, I enjoy it when I do but it is SO hard to get started for some reason.

[Catrin]

FINALLY starting to see some upper body development after a year of intense work - upper body strength will always be my weakness but it is comforting to see some change. The basic lifting movements no longer cause discomfort - so I FINALLY get to the point where I can start doing some extra work to improve my form in things like the push press and OH squat. This morning had some fun with a basic barbell complex. I was the only one who showed to this morning's "group training", so my coach really focused on my form.

Hoping to ride some tonight if I get home early enough!

[Catrin]

Been working on mobility issues for a long time, but yesterday I had a major milestone - I was finally able to perform a proper front squat without looking like a backwards banana This is HUGE, and comforting as it means my restrictions in that area really have been mobility related rather than mechanical.

NOW just to get that to extend to the bike

[Catrin]

FUN workout today, and I inflicted it upon myself Well, our coach sends us a weekly challenge to do on our own and this was it for this week. This is called the Grinder, and it is a great conditioning workout:

100 Abmat situps
90 double unders (or 270 single jump ropes which is what I did)
80 TRX chest presses
70 calories on the rower (started out too hot/fast on this)
60 wall ball shots
50 kettlebell swings
40 TRX rows
30 Burpees
20 BB Deadlifts
10 30-meter sprints

I actually cut the sprints in half since my heel was tight, but did everything else. It was a great 41 minute workout! I am considering a gentle ride this evening if I get home in time, If not tonight then a less gentle one tomorrow

[Crankin]

I had enough time with the "sliders" this morning (yes, my cheap gym bought real ones) to fill a lifetime. A few other fun things, too, including going outside, running one way and back, around the cul de sac 2x. As long as the tri people aren't there, I'm always first.
Now, I'm leaving for a ride with a friend. Quite unusual, for me to do this after a gym day, but my schedule is different now, so it will be fun (and slow, on purpose).

[Catrin]

I had enough time with the "sliders" this morning (yes, my cheap gym bought real ones) to fill a lifetime. A few other fun things, too, including going outside, running one way and back, around the cul de sac 2x. As long as the tri people aren't there, I'm always first.
Now, I'm leaving for a ride with a friend. Quite unusual, for me to do this after a gym day, but my schedule is different now, so it will be fun (and slow, on purpose).

Glad to hear they got some "real" sliders. I will eventually get some for home - but I will get the cheap furniture movers which is, of course, what they are Hope you had fun on the slow ride!!!!