illc, striding hard May 2012 onwards

[illc]

(I've had some difficulties posting here - browser crashing - so here's hoping I can make this one stick and get you all in on lending some accountability to my up-skilling and capacity building! Bear with me on this first long post. I'm clearing some back log)

April 28th***********

(my backyard in Toronto)

pushup 6x10

ring pull up 12, 9, 7, 7, 7

(these were "supersetted" with one set of pushups, pretty immediately one set of pullups and then a couple of minutes of rest and stretching ... a pretty normal approach when I'm training on my own)

pistol 5x3 per side

ring dip with L-sit leg raise at top of movement 4x3

(supersetted as above)

kettle bell swings (20kg or 44lbs) maximum reps in 5 minutes = 179

May 1st********************

(Academy of Lions, Toronto)

warm up - "Academy of Lions joint mobility and dynamic warm up"

deadlift

1x10x75

2x5x155

1x5x185

1x3x215

1x2x245

1x1x275

1x1x315

1x1x355 *PR

1x1x365 *PR

handstand pushups 6, 1, 3, 3, 4, 3 (done against wall, concentrating on a nice slow, even movement over a full range of motion. Head did not touch ground, but roughly 1 Ab-mat from it)

... Later, at the Backyard Axe Throwing League I got to practice axe throwing from about 11pm to midnight. This was awesome fun.

... Later, as in the next day, I was pretty much immobilized due to excessive lower back strain. The deads had felt great, I biked around a lot and then threw axes. Backs are tricky things. Fortunately physio's are magicians and got me put back together in no time!

May 5th*******************

(Academy of Lions, Toronto)

3 hour POSE running clinic .... very little "running" per se but excellent drills around foot strike and balance technique to make running smoother, more efficient and less hard on joints.

... after, in the park, 6 of my best freestanding handstands ever: Kept my legs tight and straight, "walked" hands to maintain balance on all for at least 15 seconds

May 6th*************************

(my backyard, and Nordheimer Ravine/St Clair Reservoir)

ring pull up 13, 9, 8, 7, 7

kettlebell clean and press (20kg) 6x5 per side, alternating hands

Run: Explored my neighbourhood's wooded trails, etc. Approx 5km, untimed. Tried to focus on POSE.

May 7th ***********************

(backyard)

ring pull up 13, 9, 8, 7, 7

ab-wheel roll out from knees 4x5

May 8th*******************

(YMCA Du Parc, Montreal)

back squat

5x120

5x170

5x5x190

pull up 13, 9, 8, 7, 7

bench press

2x5x115

2x5x135

row (Concept 2, damper setting 6) 5x500m intervals 1:1 work/rest ratio

1:53

1:56

1:53

1:52

1:54

.... steam room!

May 9th**************

(University of Laval Fitness Center, Quebec ... with brother in law, so mixed in some "normal" stuff I'd never do on my own)

row (C2) 10 minutes for max distance 2601 meters

"Cable crossover row machine" (I have no idea what this thing is called, most "normal" gyms have them)

3x15x80lbs

dumbbell one arm row 3x8x60lbs

dumbbell alternating curls

1x8x30

2x8x35

barbell overhead press 3x8x100

deadlift 3x10x205

row (C2) 10 minutes for max distance 2598 meters

May 10th************************

(backyard, Toronto)

pull up 13, 9, 8, 7, 7

kettlebell turkish get up with an overhead press from "top" standing position (20kg) 5x3 per side

kettlebell swing(20kg) max reps in 5 minutes: 120 ):

Run: Explored wooded trails, reservoir and adjoining neifhbourhoods, approx 5 km, untimed. Focussed on POSE technique.

May 12th**************************

(backyard)

pullup 13, 9, 8, 7, 7

pistols 3x5 per side (bad left knee is hindering these, for a long time my favourite exercise)

May 13th***********************

bike 28km, 1:17 hrs .... beautiful rolling hills, farms, wooded countryside heading out of city to visit Mom for Mother's Day!

May 14th************************

bike 28km, 1:12 hrs ... the trip back home into the city

... later at the Academy of Lions

back squat

10x45

5x155

5x165

5x175

2x5x195

"workout of the day" (WOD) 4 minutes, followed by 2 minutes rest and repeat at each station. Score by total reps across all 3.

rope climb 13 ("Spanish wrap" foot technique ... smooth soled Converse aren't good for this but we can't have shoes for every occaision can we? First World Problem!)

sandbag clean 115 (no idea how heavy this sand bag was ... "not very" is as close as I can say)

barbell push press (75lbs) 56

TOTAL SCORE 184

ring rows 4x5

[illc]

May 15th*****************

Today I'll start including 2 new elements in my tracking: hydration (in liters of water drank over the day) and sleep (hours the night previous, naps if applicable)

Water: 5 liters

Sleep: 9 hrs + 30 min nap

(Academy of Lions)

Academy of Lions joint mobility warm up

bench press

10x 45lbs

5x 75

3x 115

2x 135

2x 155

2x 165

1x 175

2x1x195 *Fails on both ... hurried on the set up and lowering of bar. Required some assistance from spotter

100m Sprints x4

14 sec

14

14

15

(backyard, hour after main training)

ring pull ups 14, 9, 8, 8, 7

[illc]

May 17th **********************

sleep: 7hrs

water: 3 liters

(backyard, midmorning)

ring pull ups 14, 9, 8, 8, 7

kettlebell overhead press (20kg) 5x3 per side

ring dip to L-sit leg raise 5x3

one handed kettlebell swing 5x10 per side

(Academy of Lions and Trinity-Bellwoods Park, kate afternoon)

"Adventure WOD" ... a training session for Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, Warrior Dash, etc. -style races. A mixed bag including:

- crawling across a soccer field

- climbing up onto a solid cement block approx 7 feet high. This was done in a team of 4 with first and last people doing it solo and then assisting middle team mates up and then down.

- Three rounds of hill sprints followed by 30x battle rope slams, done as a 4 person team relay

- A hand-to-hand sandbag "bucket brigade" across a sports field and back, 5 "laps"

- Some running

and then, as I'm obsessed with them, more pull ups"

2 x 10 kipping, clapping pull ups

[illc]

May 18th*****************************8

sleep: 7 hours

water: 3 liters

(Academy of Lions)

kettlebell Turkish Get Ups: worked on maximum weight singles on each side - 20kg/44lbs, 24kg/53lbs, 28kg/61.5lbs, 32kg/70.5lbs ... The next available KB was 40kg/88lbs which seemed like too big a jump so I did one rep using a 65lb barbell in my right hand. Did not attempt a rep with left, just didn't have the wrist strength.

WOD, 15 minutes, every minute on the minute completing one round of 10x wall balls (20lb ball) and 10x box jumps (24 inch box). Completed 14 rounds, taking the 9th round as a 1 minute break

rope climbing: 5 ascents of a 15 foot rope using arms only (didn't use my preferred Spanish Wrap technique because I'd worn low socks and shorts and do not like the brutal rope burns I get on my ankles in that case)

... totally burned out at the end of the day. Did not do my usual base of pull ups (The Recon Ron progression, searchable online - I'm currently on "week 12" though I've not been progressing "one week per week" due to inconesistency)

[illc]

May 19th ***************

sleep: 10 hrs

water: 2 liters as of end of work outs, but definitely more (and some gin and tonics!) by the end of the day

(Academy of Lions)

Academy of Lions Joint Mobility and Dynamic warm up

Prowler: 2x 50m low position pushes w 180lbs on sled

WOD: 21-15-9 reps of

power snatch 85lbs

ring dips (last round of 9 reps were done as negatives. Geeze, I thought I'd found all my weaknesses already!)

(later, at home)

ring pull ups 14, 9 , 8, 8, 7

[illc]

.... and now things get inconsistent as I do a work trip in California. I travel a lot. This is the downfall of my progress. Work days run long, I relocate frequently, all routine goes out the window. Aigh. "Aigh" but I'll supersede and be stronger for it.

May 23rd ******************

(basement gym, "The Historic Santa Maria Inn", Santa Maria, CA)

sleep. 7.5hrs

water. 2 l

pullups 14, 9, 8, 8, 7

one arm dumb bell press, 50lbs 5x3 / side

May 24**************************************

(Santa Maria Inn)

sleep. 7.5hrs

water. ?

pull up 14, 9, 8, 8, 7

May 25th*****************************************

(Holiday Inn Express, Bakersfield CA)

sleep. 6.5 hrs

water 1 l

dumb bell clean and jerk, two 35lb bumb bells x 100 for time. 26:46 .... a beastly bad time but I was pretty badly rested and hydrated.

May 27th ***************************

(Holiday Inn, Bakersfield)

sleep. 7.5hrs

water 2.5 l

(done as a "triple superset" circuit. The three exercises were done with no rest between each, but then between each of the 5 rounds I took a few minutes to sit down and do some paper work)

pull up 14, 9, 8 , 8, 7

pistol squat 5x5 / side

push up 5x10

[illc]

May 28th *****************

(Hilton Concord, CA)

sleep 6hrs

water 2 l

Posting while watching American Ninja Warrior Midwestern qualifying ... wow. Never seen this before.

5 rounds of 2 minutes each movement for max reps (20 minutes total work):

turkish get up, 50lb DB: 8, 6, 6, 7, 6

long cycle clean and jerk, 50lb DB: 23, 23, 20, 20, 18

This is one of my favourite WODs. This was a pretty pekid performance; about 20% fewer reps across the board than my usual.

The door frame of the hotel bathroom does not fit my portable pull up bar! No Recon Ron ( http://webpages.charter.net/bert/reconron.html ) tonight. Boo. I'm falling distinctly behind on my one stage progression per week again. I've been "at it" for a year now and am only at week 12. My goal? 30 consecutive strict, dead hang pull ups. This one's a long term goal.

[illc]

June 4th *****************************

(San Francisco Crossfit)

sleep 7.5 hrs

water 1 l

jumping rope: practicing single unders, high knees, double unders and cross overs

plyometric drills: ice skaters, duck walks, lateral shuffles, depth jumps, lateral pistol box jumps

Run: 400m "laps" for 5 minutes work, 2.5 minutes rest, 4 minutes work, 2 minutes rest ... 1 minute work. 10 laps or 4km total

"Finisher": 50 toes to bar. Any time letting go of the bar doing 10 handstand pushups against wall. Untimed, done with 30 HSPU.

[illc]

June 7th ********************

(my backyard ... home sweet home)

sleep: 13hrs

water: 2 l

one arm OH press: 7x3 /side 20kg KB

"Helen" ... a version modified from Rx for my equipment at hand.

3 rounds for time of 12x strict pullups on rings, 21x kettlebell swings 20kg instead of 24kg, 400m run

14:43 (... almost double my personal record time. I blame the lay off from pull ups and a persistent and recently extra-aggravated ankle problem for wrecking the runs)

50x kettlebell Turkish Get Ups for time, 20kg KB, alternating sides each rep.

16:03

[illc]

June 8th*************************************

(park and streets near my house)

sleep 3 hrs (not adjusting well to the jetsetting back from work, aigh)

water 3l

"Murph", the classic Crossfit Hero WOD. For time:

1 mile run

20 rounds of 5 pull ups, 10 pushups, 15 "air" squats

1 mile run

56:56

I found I really lost time on the pushups. How can I neglect such a foundational, no-gear-necessary movement?

[illc]

June 9th***************************************

(my backyard)

sleep 10hrs (WIN!)

water 3 l

jump rope: 5x sets of 20-30 ... I hate jumping rope. It's my bugbear, it's my elephant in the Crossfit room. Can I do double unders? Not at the moment, no, not with any consistency (I think I've done about 12 individual double unders ever. THIS WILL CHANGE.)

pullups 14, 9, 9 , 8, 7

one arm KB press, 5x5 / side, 20kg

KB swings, max in 5 minutes with 20kg: 125 (not good a good number but I did them all the same)

ab wheel roll outs from knees 2x5

[illc]

June 10th ***************************************

(Simcoe County forest)

sleep 8hr

water ?

2.5 hour, approx 15km hike w. light backpack (this is a training hike [only the 2nd!] for a 100km fundraising hike I'll be doing with a team of 4 mid-July)

[illc]

June 11th ***************************

(In my back yard. At 11:30pm. In the rain. After the Deltron show. Positive Contact!)

sleep 8hrs

water 3 l

pull ups 14, 9, 9, 8, 7

[illc]

June 12th *************************************

(Academy of Lions)

sleep 8.5 hrs

water 2 l

hang power clean: 5x5x 155lbs (felt good, form was checked as good. Great.)

Tabata intervals (20 sec work, 10 sec rest x8 rounds) however scored as a total number of reps across all intervals in all movement

Russian Twists (on floor) w 25lb plate

Sprawls

Bottom-to-Bottom Squats (meaning the 10 second rest is done in the low squat position)

Mountain Climbers

score = 414

[illc]

June 23th **************************************

(Simcoe County Forest & Horseshoe Mtn)

Hike: Mixed trails, forest and hills. 2.5hrs, approx 16km

... no strength work. Sometimes a ranger's just got to range.

[illc]

... "June 23th" on that last one? That can't be right.

June 15th*************************************************

(ravine trails around my neighbourhood)

sleep 8hrs

water 3 l

run, approx 5km and while doing so...

when I got to a playground with swingset:

5 rounds of 2 free standing handstand balancing attempts, 5 pull ups (on a very fat swingset support ... I hear alternating grips is a great way to minimize overuse stress on hands and wrists for people who do large volumes of pull ups. It also adds some spice, variety and a feeling of being able to climb anything if you ask me), then 2 more hand balancing attempts (these all went pretty well), 5 more pull ups. This made for a total of 20 handstands and 50 pullups

... then at the next playground

5 round of 10 kipping pull ups and 10 push ups. (so 50 of each at this stop)

... some more running to get home.

Will likely play some softball or throw a frisbee this evening. A beautiful, beautiful day to be outside!

TOMORROW: Academy of Lions Olympic Lifting Meet! I signed up today having learned about it just yesterday. As you can see from this log I've been pretty thin on the olympic lifting the past couple of months. We'll see how it goes.

[illc]

June 16th ***************************

(Academy of Lions)

sleep 9hrs

water 3l

Academy of Lions club Olympic Lifting Meet!!!

Snatch:

Warm Up 2x30, 35 ,40, 45kg (orrrr for those of you/us who think in lbs approx: 66, 77, 88, 99)

50 (110)

55 (121)

60 (132)

Clean and Jerk

Warm Up

65 (143)

70 (154)

75 (165)

80*fail on jerk* (176)

... I've lifted all of these weights in training in the past but those were all at least 6 months ago with very little practice in the interim. I also had ridiculous butterflies. At some point during my snatch warm ups I realized that the only athletic "competitions" I've ever been in before are endurance running races and those have never felt competitive and certainly haven't been done as a conspicuous individual - there are normally thousands of people. That was the biggest win: the one over my nerves. More of these to come!

[illc]

June 17th ********************************

(backyard)

supersetted, as always

pull ups 14, 9, 9, 8, 7

KB clean and press 5x5 / side, 20kg(44lb)

pistol squat 5x3

... and now I embark on another work trip and the pleasant consistency of this workout is gone. Here's where the ranger adaptability comes in!

[illc]

June 20th ************************************

(parking lot and room, Super 8 Motel, Williams Lake, BC)

sleep 7 hrs

water 2 l

jump rope

no double unders - These continue to intimidate the hell out of me.

single unders 47, 40, 14, 80

"running in place" ... Wasn't able to count as these were at the very limit of my coordination and concentration. I did complete more of them more smoothly than ever before.

"1/2 Cindy" as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes

5x strict pull ups

10x push ups

15x "air" squats

5 rounds + 5 pull ups and 10 pushups (This equals an intensity of 1 rep/4.14 seconds)

Headstand holds for max time

53, 65, 26 seconds

... Short and sweet. When traveling for work it's easy to skip days based on the logic "I wouldn't be able to do anything real today anyway" and not train for a week!

[illc]

June 21st**********************

sleep 7.5 hrs

water 2.5 l

pull ups 14, 9, 8, 8, 7

run approx 16km, untimed. Rough gravel trails along Williams Lake River Trails. I thought I'd try for 21km (conveniently the distance of a half marathon) however the "Bear in area" warning signs got to me and I thought discretion was the better part of valour.

[illc]

(Today's piece is going to call for some http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/07/episode-281-runners-legs-and-hip-extension.html , some http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/04/episode-213-recovering-your-jumping-calves.html and some Epsom salt soaking.)

[illc]

June 23rd ***********************

(World Gym, Cranbrook, BC .... yes, I said World Gym. Rangers have got to thrive in any environment, right?)

sleep 7hrs

water 3 l

pull ups 14, 10, 8, 8, 8

front squat 5x5x155

bench press 5x5x135

dumb bell lunge 5x5x60lb dumb bells (120lbs total)

Turkish Get Ups 5x3x55/side

[illc]

June 24th ******************************

(Days Inn, Cranbrook, BC)

sleep 7hrs

water 3 l

"1/2 Cindy" as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes

5x strict pull ups (my portable bar won't survive kipping - neither would the low ceiling for that matter.)

10x push ups

15x "air" squats

6 rounds + 3 pull ups (This equals an intensity of 1 rep/3.27 seconds)

Headstand holds for max time

57, 52, 34 seconds

[illc]

June 26th ********************

(Days Inn, Richmond BC.)

While waiting for webinar to start:

100 burpees for time, 5 sit ups every minute on the minute

7:48, 35 sit-ups

No good door jambs for pull ups bar! Insufficiuent motivation to go out to parking lot and jump rope toward Double Under goal. Uh-oh - one week and only one jump rope practice session? That is not commitment.

[illc]

June 29th*******************************

(Crossfit Kitsilano, Vancouver , BC)

sleep 6.5 hrs

water 2 l

extensive mobility work

pull ups 14 (interupted by begining of "real" crossfit session)

warm up, 3 rounds

10x Bird Peckers

10x Hip Bridges

10x Inch Worm pushups

Deadlift, working to max single

10x 135

1x 185

1x 225

1x 275

1x 295

(interupted by time limit)

"Heavy Diane"

9-7-5

Deadlift 275lbs

handstand pushup

7:06