Bodyweight strength adventure

[Bookworm_Tess]

I'm starting out on a new path in my strength journey. I got a little anxious about finding the next step when I "broke up" with my last modality (not without giving it a good honest try), but I have to say as soon as I started lining up my options, I felt exceited and liberated. And I'm extremely glad I found Convict Conditining & really hope this will work out, seen as every coach out there really competent on bodyweight exercises is probably working with crossfit (it's really getting big out here now and there's massive money to be made on it).

 

So here I am, with a little experience gained on bodyweight movements from my six months of crossfit and a self-help book.

And NFR. Aka you guys

 

I'm really really excited about starting, I see lots of benefits to be gained there and I can't wait to do my workout the way I like it again, which I didn't get to do in the box: slowly, focusing on form & thinking about what I'm doing, having some control over my own process and, best of all: BAREfoot!

 

I love doing stuff barefoot and I had to use trainers in the box! Worse: as all my money was mobilized on paying the fees for the box, I couldn't afford flashy gear, and as crossfit is a very expensive modality, it attracted lots of rich people, which paraded several hundrend bucks worth of feet gear alone. And me in my rundown chucks.

(I really felt like I didn't belong. I meant to stay longer, over a year, so I could learn more and use that knowledge later on my training carreer. But my back couldn't hold it. Nor could my self-respect. I got really tired of finishing last every damn WOD.)

 

Tomorrow will be my first workou of Convict Conditioning. Due to some injuries I bring from my weakling time and my clumsy attempts, I'll start right at the beginning. (Even though I am able to perform several dozen reps of full squats and full pushups, like all crossfitters... but with what quality form?)

 

Also, I'm just waiting on some money that's about to come and I'll go see a PT regarding my back pain. I got real responsibility with my body, don't worry. 

 

Have a great week all of you! Let's all end it stronger than we started it off! 

[Bookworm_Tess]

I got around to doing my first CC workout today. I had planned on doing it yesterday, but I donated blood yesterday and had blood pressure issues afterwards. They had to give me IV fluids to keep me from passing out lol. I was so embarassed. Basically they took a pint of my good blood and repleced it with a cup of sodium chloride solution. I spent the day with a major headache and some fatigue. But all I needed was rest & food, I woke up just fine today.

 

As the very first CC workout is ridiculously easy & fast, I threw in a long, nice moblity work sessions, including some moves I got from yoga, to relieve the back pain, and then a long isometric session as warm-up. Still, I finished the workout within 45 minutes.

 

 

PUSHUP

Step 1 - Wall pushup: 2 x 10

 

LEG RAISE

Step 1 - Knee tuck: 2 x 10 -- one with outrageous form, one slightly less horrifying, it's harder than I thought.

 

 

As I'm told low mobility and weak grip can hinder CC progressions, I was careful with my mobility work and did some hanging holds to maintain grip strength while the program doesn't have me hanging from a bar.

 

I can feel my hand is strong from all the bar work at crossfit. I wish I wouldn't lose it. I'm also a bit worried about my beautiful strong shoulders... will push-ups be enough to keep them until I'm ready for handstands? And my feet and some cool muscles I have around my knee, those are definitely the results of loaded bars. Will they go away?

 

As long as the pain goes away too, it's a trade I'm willing to make. Not happily, but...

Oh fuck I already miss the weights

[Bookworm_Tess]

My back pain is already much better. It doesn't hurt all the time anymore nor does it hurt as bad when it does. I have patiently been doing the first steps of CC and adding some isometric training to try and preserve my muscles. I'm a girl, muscles come extra hard for us. Gotta take good care of them.

 

Here some thoughts on my BW work so far:

 

Isometric holds: I love isometric holds. I have been working with them for almost as long as I've been training for strength. They're good for when your joints are sore, and they make excellent warmups and they're extra fine for learning body control and focus. It's only been a week so it's too soon to tell how they're affecting my size or my strength.

 

Wall pullups: these are the Step 1 for the Pullup series in Wade's program. They're extremely easy and boring. But I'm dutifully putting in the work.

 

Wall pushups: Step 1 for the pushup series. Extremely easy and kinda frustrating because I'm already able to perform full pushups, but also dutifully following the program.

 

Shoulderstand squats: now things are not so easy any more. I've felt the need to spend some time doing shoulderstand holds so that I can learn how to be in that position safely and comfortably before piling up reps.

 

 

You see this has the potential to put a lot of pressure on the cervical spine and I don't want that. I learned after a while in the hold that you have to intentionally stabilize the scapulae so that your weight lies on your shoulders not your neck. Tricky thing tho.

 

Haven't met the beginner standart yet for that exercise. All lower body work I'm getting is wallsit holds.

 

Knee tuck: the first of the Leg raises series. It's a hard movement I had never tried, but it's not impossible. With some focus and practice I believe I can get good at that pretty fast.

 

What else?

I've also been doing some random exercises such as situps and jackknife situps and some lunges and burpees, stuff I learned at crossfit, as warmups or when I feel I have a little more to give to the workout when the "work sets" of step ones are done. I have actually missed doing burpees. Can you imagine that?

 

Also a couple of moves I remember from my very short time at yoga. It's hard to find a class that fits my schedule, since I work in the morning and go to school in the evening. Nobodu teaches classes in the middle of the afternoon :'(

 

And all the mobility workout I can remember and fit into 10 - 20 minutes before I start the warmup. I like it and I feel it's important given my history with injuries.

 

Finally, I've set a routine plan in wich I do workout A (pull & leg raises) on day 1, workout B (push & squat) on day 2 and then rest the third day (forcibly).

 

Let's see if that works!