Four months after moving to Germany, I'm finally feeling like myself again in the gym. A new CF buddy, some changes in the gym, and killer WOD's, my confidence is back!
Tuesday WOD:
WOD #1
5RFT
5 DL (135#)
5 pushup
5 pushpress (45#)
Sub 5:00
WOD #2
5 rounds
10 knees to elbow
10 burpess
The prescribed WOD was seven rounds, two minutes for each round 155# DL, 5 muscle ups. I cheered Jason through his 14 min RX'd WOD that he smoked, then it was my turn. Given I can't do a muscle up and we don't have PU bars I subbed the pushups and push press. My scaled WOD could have been harder, but I wanted the DL's done touch and go and I still suck at lowering the bar. Either way it was a good sweat. Toes to bar were supposed to be done as many as possible with burpees as punishment, but I couldn't hang onto the bar so I just did 10/10. Anyway you slice it, I was smoked at the end.
Wednesday WOD:
PART I:
Six rounds
OHS 4-6 reps, each rep is 4 count down, hold 2 count, up for 1 (42x1)
rest 2 min
AMRAP Pullups (I did negatives, 5 each round)
rest 2 min
The OHS work was HUGE confidence boost. About a month ago I could barely lift the bar. Why? Confidence, and lack of place to drop the bar...I had the space today and won back the confidence. My rounds looked like this:
55, 55, 55, 60, 65, 70
I got at least 5 reps each round and was able to do the 42X1 count without any trouble. I can't wait to test out a 3x or 1x max!
PART 2:
10 min handstand work. Bottom line---they are getting stronger! HSPU here I come!
PART 3:
35 sec hill sprint, 2 min rest
Done on a treadmill- incline 13, speed 7.2. killer.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Miracles
A hard week mentally, emotionally, and physically comes to peaceful end.
On Wednesday night, Mindi, Jason, and I were approached at the gym in the new "crossfit" area by one of the MRW staff. After 20 minutes of frustrating "why crossfit" and how can we do this here banter, we got a meeting the next day with the big MRW boss. Jason (3rd place finisher at the Milan Sections and all around super guy) and I pitched our Crossfit plan--all went well and by Friday we had the go ahead to start putting a plan together and we should have box jumps by this week! Miracle #1.
Schweinfurter Citylauf „Rund um die Stadtgalerie - Friday April 7th
Mindi invited me earlier in the week to run this race in downtown Schweinfurt. She was invited by German Tri Club friends. I thought, heck, why not, it will be a great baseline run for the season. More than a 5k, but doable without any training. It was 7.5k (4.7) miles. We invited Jason too--I convinced him it was important for his Crossfit regionals training (constantly varied, baby!). The three Americans braved the tall and FAST German teams. Everyone runs for a team here...they have all these sport clubs...I don't quite get it yet. Regardless, the race was six laps around the "Stadtgalerie"--fast and flat.
I was just runnin' to run and felt sluggish and slow but was somehow keeping pace of 6ish minutes per lap. Hmm...at least I'm consistent here...that's a first! Final time: 36.44 For those of you doing the math that is a sub-40min 5 miler. Average pace 7:40 a mile. I've done 2 runs longer than 3 miles since December...how is the possible? I guess the hill sprints and short trail runs are paying off. Boy was this a huge confidence boost!! Miracle #2
Saturday WOD
1-10 hang squat snatch unbroken ladder for time [135#/95#]
rest 20 min
80 burpees for time
{these must be done in sets of 10 unbroken, any pausing at top with double hop or pause at bottom at push up level or at any point in the movement requires you to start at that set of 10 again;
Does this look intense? Different from my normal? You bet! I trained with Jason and he is using OPT's site to train for regionals...intense. If you're a regular reader you'll know I've failed at snatch attempts since moving here...just flat out failed. We did a primo warmup that totally got us ready for this. I did not do RX'd....more like 45#!! I'm so weak, but so what. I nailed this WOD and more importantly nailed my form back down. Snatch is an odd move, but boy could both of us stick a squat snatch after this! I did most of the ladder unbroken and could have if I had chalk. Could I go heavier next time? You bet, but you got to have the form and the speed before you add load!
I cheered on Jason and coached him through the last few sets before finishing my own, but we finished somewhere between 20-25 minutes.
Next up-80 burpees for time? What to say....JUST...DON'T...STOP (thanks, soni) ... Time:8:00
This workout was an answered prayer. A new CF buddy, regained confidence, and piles of moto for the week ahead. Miracle #3.
On Wednesday night, Mindi, Jason, and I were approached at the gym in the new "crossfit" area by one of the MRW staff. After 20 minutes of frustrating "why crossfit" and how can we do this here banter, we got a meeting the next day with the big MRW boss. Jason (3rd place finisher at the Milan Sections and all around super guy) and I pitched our Crossfit plan--all went well and by Friday we had the go ahead to start putting a plan together and we should have box jumps by this week! Miracle #1.
Schweinfurter Citylauf „Rund um die Stadtgalerie - Friday April 7th
Mindi invited me earlier in the week to run this race in downtown Schweinfurt. She was invited by German Tri Club friends. I thought, heck, why not, it will be a great baseline run for the season. More than a 5k, but doable without any training. It was 7.5k (4.7) miles. We invited Jason too--I convinced him it was important for his Crossfit regionals training (constantly varied, baby!). The three Americans braved the tall and FAST German teams. Everyone runs for a team here...they have all these sport clubs...I don't quite get it yet. Regardless, the race was six laps around the "Stadtgalerie"--fast and flat.I was just runnin' to run and felt sluggish and slow but was somehow keeping pace of 6ish minutes per lap. Hmm...at least I'm consistent here...that's a first! Final time: 36.44 For those of you doing the math that is a sub-40min 5 miler. Average pace 7:40 a mile. I've done 2 runs longer than 3 miles since December...how is the possible? I guess the hill sprints and short trail runs are paying off. Boy was this a huge confidence boost!! Miracle #2
Saturday WOD
1-10 hang squat snatch unbroken ladder for time [135#/95#]
rest 20 min
80 burpees for time
{these must be done in sets of 10 unbroken, any pausing at top with double hop or pause at bottom at push up level or at any point in the movement requires you to start at that set of 10 again;
Does this look intense? Different from my normal? You bet! I trained with Jason and he is using OPT's site to train for regionals...intense. If you're a regular reader you'll know I've failed at snatch attempts since moving here...just flat out failed. We did a primo warmup that totally got us ready for this. I did not do RX'd....more like 45#!! I'm so weak, but so what. I nailed this WOD and more importantly nailed my form back down. Snatch is an odd move, but boy could both of us stick a squat snatch after this! I did most of the ladder unbroken and could have if I had chalk. Could I go heavier next time? You bet, but you got to have the form and the speed before you add load!
I cheered on Jason and coached him through the last few sets before finishing my own, but we finished somewhere between 20-25 minutes.
Next up-80 burpees for time? What to say....JUST...DON'T...STOP (thanks, soni) ... Time:8:00
This workout was an answered prayer. A new CF buddy, regained confidence, and piles of moto for the week ahead. Miracle #3.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tabata, Goats, and Swimming
Monday WOD:
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.
I introduced my awesome new friend Mindi to crossfit with this workout. She did awesome!
My intervals looked something like this:
Pullups: 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4
Pushups: 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Situps: Hit at least 12 each round
Squats: minimum of 15 in the last round.
Tuesday Work:
Goats
Watched the muscle up progression video posted to the Journal this morning and got excited about working some weaknesses on the rings. I wasn't motivated for an all out WOD today so I just went outside and decided to work on some stuff. Did some muscle up work, burgner warmups, a few sets of cleans, snatch, and OHS with my handy broomstick. Then I worked on some double unders. I think they are coming back...i just had to shorten the rope and get more spring from my toes. I got 7 in a row a few times.
Swimming
Hit the pool tonight while Chip was doing some PT with Mindi in the shallow end. Workout looked like this.
Warmup: 100m x freestyle, 100m x breast stroke
WOD: 100m, 200m, 300m, 200m, 100m, 100m (1000m total)
Cooldown: 50m x freestyle, 50m x breast stroke
I tried to link each of the sets with as little rest between the 25/50's. They weren't quite as touch and go as I would have liked but not bad considering I don't swim much! But, I guess it's time to think about triathlons---even if its not until early September.
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.
I introduced my awesome new friend Mindi to crossfit with this workout. She did awesome!
My intervals looked something like this:
Pullups: 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4
Pushups: 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Situps: Hit at least 12 each round
Squats: minimum of 15 in the last round.
Tuesday Work:
Goats
Watched the muscle up progression video posted to the Journal this morning and got excited about working some weaknesses on the rings. I wasn't motivated for an all out WOD today so I just went outside and decided to work on some stuff. Did some muscle up work, burgner warmups, a few sets of cleans, snatch, and OHS with my handy broomstick. Then I worked on some double unders. I think they are coming back...i just had to shorten the rope and get more spring from my toes. I got 7 in a row a few times.
Swimming
Hit the pool tonight while Chip was doing some PT with Mindi in the shallow end. Workout looked like this.
Warmup: 100m x freestyle, 100m x breast stroke
WOD: 100m, 200m, 300m, 200m, 100m, 100m (1000m total)
Cooldown: 50m x freestyle, 50m x breast stroke
I tried to link each of the sets with as little rest between the 25/50's. They weren't quite as touch and go as I would have liked but not bad considering I don't swim much! But, I guess it's time to think about triathlons---even if its not until early September.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Schweinfurt to Wurzburg Ride
Are we there yet?
As with all of Erin's Adventures the plans are always simple, for example, "Let's bike from Schweinfurt to Wurzburg." I'm in Germany, right? The land of law and order, well marked roads, punctuality, etc...of course the bike routes will be well marked...I have this huge map of all the bike trails in bavaria...we shouldn't get lost....
3+ hours on the bike and 40 some miles over German farm terrain covered we fell just 7k short of our destination. We lost the trail and ended up biking on the side of a state road. After nearly being killed by a beautiful porsche convertable going at least 100kph, lots of honks later, we called it quits before we got splattered on the side of the road. Mindi's friend graciously rescued us just before it started to downpour!
The ride started ok, finding our way, twisting through the countryside, cute little towns, but the farther from Schweinfurt we got, the sketchier the trails got. We stopped and asked directions at least 5 times...even the Germans thought we were nuts...
All in all, it felt good to be back in the saddle, especially with a new friend and training partner, Mindi. The stats on this ride weren't stellar, but we had a vicious headwind directly out of the south (our direction) and some challenging inclines to say the least. Several times my legs hurt so bad I wasn't sure how I was going to finish and not knowing where we were had me digging even deeper for that last drop of adreneline. Next ride will be for distance, not a destination!
A few more photos of the terrain and Mindi!
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